F1 Canada 2015 Qualifying Summary

Qualifyng rank summary chart  - columns show rank of each driver relative to each part of qualifying. From a quick scan, it seems VET jwas three tenths out on a Q2 place (a 1:17.344 to ALO's 1:17.012), and SAI was within a whisker of a Q3 place (1:16.042 to RIC's 1:16.006, which itself was close on PER's 1:15.974).

The qualifying session utilisation chart shown below shows the times of competitive laps on a horizontal x-axis representing elapsed session time and a y-axis showing the preliminary qualifying classification rank.  Empty circles and dotted circles show other laps (inlaps, outlaps). Evolving purple (best overall laptime) and green (driver's best) laptimes are shown relative to each part of qualifying.

The chart shows how many stints each driver completed in each session; for example, the four top placed drivers in Q1 only completed a single stint in Q1, with the other drivers completing two. We can also see the stints in which each driver recorded their best times in each part of qualifying. For example, in Q3, HAM and ROS recorded their best laptimes in the first stint of that part of qualifying and did not improve in their second stints.

The following chart uses elapsed time into the first part of qualifying on the x-axis, and the grey line shows the evolution of the cut-off time. Red/green labels show laps corresponding to each driver's best recorded laptime; red denotes they missed the cutoff at the end of the first part of qualifying, green that they made the cutoff.

We see how in the first part of Q1, HAM and RAI set the early pace, then HAM and ROS stepped up the pace with RAI, BOT and MAL competing for third before RAI slotted the gap. In the second stint, HUL matched MAL, before GRO pushed himself to the top of the leaderboard. VET missed out on his Q2 place even before ERI secured his place and ALO improved on his session time at the end of the session. (It may be helpful to italicise labels to show driver's best but one laptime prior to their best laptime, so we can see what they improved from and whether their earlier best set time would have made the cutoff? The challenge is finding a graphical way to show whether a driver's time made the cut at the time they set the time?)

The following chart shows how Q2 developed. In particular, we see RIC and PER just making the cut (PER on his first stint time, RIC on his second), with SAI missing the cut by a whisker. HAM and ROS are both seen to set their times pretty much together.

In Q3, HAM and ROS set their times again during their first stint, with RAI, MAL and BOT setting good competitive times early on. GRO joined the fray for third, before second stint improvements by RAI and BOT, with BOT just missing out on third and MAL and GRO failing to improve on their earlier times. 

I guess I can try to watch the qualifying session now to see how this sort of report compares with what happened on screen!