France GP Qualifying Report

 The Hamilton Whinging started early this race weekend with complaints during Free Practice 2.

Following the two tire blow outs last race, there has been intense scrutiny of Red Bull. Aston Martin and Pirelli.  The coverage was keen to try and get to the bottom of the problem.  They can't get the problem without ending up in a libelous situation so there's a lot of tiresome technical chat.

Going into Qualifying, the Red Bull of Verstappen was a clear favourite for pole, with Bottas out-performing Hamilton.

4 min into Q1, Tsunoda spun and red flagged the session.  If that wasn't bad enough, there was a lot of fuss whether he could get the car in gear and drive back, eventually admitting defeat and letting the tow truck do it's work, Mater wouldn't have stood for this nonsense.  With a minute to go, one of the other rookies, Mick Schumacher, crashed and the session was red flagged then stopped.  Was this a move reminiscent of this father at Monaco?  The session stopping gave him his first entry into Q2, even if he can't take the car out in the session.  That's 15th position secured for him.  Stroll also didn't make it through: "Shall I go this lap?"  "You have to go this lap."  This was his second try and the flag cut him short.

In Q2, Norris was instructed to abort his final quick lap, it seemed to be because nobody was going to really challenge him.  Looking at the names, of those out in the session it was very predictable: Ocon, Vettel, Giovanizzi and Russell.

The majority of the final Qualifying session was as dull as dishwater.  With three minutes to go, the drivers started to come out for their final quick lap.  Alonso and Gasly were the two bonus drivers in the session (with two each Red Bulls, McLarens, Ferraris and Mercedes).  Alonso and Ricciardo were the two drivers redeeming themselves after their tumultuous team transfers.  In an old fashioned manner, all drivers went for a last minute flying lap - do or die.  Verstappen initially scored pole with Perez briefly taking second before Bottas, then Hamilton took that spot.  Mercedes seemed happy with that result.  Frenchman Gasly starts his home track sixth.

So predictions for the race...  The baguettes will play some part (Jonathan Wheatley claimed that they cost the team £100,000 every time a driver crosses them.  The FIA insist they just enforce track limits).  Verstappen has the pace to win and it will come down to decisions made by the Red Bull strategiests.  I predict Bottas will go backwards.