11/06/2005
NEWS STORY
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First out for today's qualifying session will be Christian Klien, who returns to the Red Bull after an absence of three races, during which time Tonio Liuzzi partnered David Coulthard.
Next out will be Mark Webber, who was the first retirement at the Nurburgring. We're all aware that the WilliamsF1 Team has been experiencing problems with its starts this season, so this is bad news for the Australian, who currently has one of the best qualifying records for 2005.
After Webber, it will be Ralf, Friesacher and Albers. Last out will be European GP winner, Fernando Alonso, who will be preceded by Heidfeld, Barrichello, Coulthard and Michael.
In preparation for this weekend's race, the entire track has been re-surfaced, however, it was noticed that on Friday, sections of the track were breaking up. Consequently, overnight these bits of track were repaired with concrete and fresh tarmac, and this has resulted on making the track even more slippery than normal. Like the Hungaroring, the Montreal track sees little action other than the Grand Prix, therefore the track is dusty (slippery) at the best of times.
As Klien waits to begin his out lap, the air temperature is 33 degrees C, while the track temperature is 52 degrees.
The Austrian leaves the Red Bull garage, the session is underway.
At the first split, the Red Bull driver posts 22.0s, followed by a 24.9s at the second. At the line it's 1:18.249, which he is sure to be disappointed with.
Webber shouldn't have too much of a problem beating that, and sure enough at the first split he's already well up on the Austrian. He goes a little bit wide, appearing to push too hard, indeed he loses time to the Red Bull driver. At the line it's 1:17.749, a scrappy lap from the former Jaguar and Minardi driver.
Next out is Ralf Schumacher, who posts a 21.4 at the first split, he's already well up on Webber. At the second split it's 24.4 as he continues to maintain a good pace. The Toyota driver crosses the line at 1:16.362, a good lap form the German.
Patrick Friesacher is next out, the Minardi driver completing the first sector in 22.4, he's already a second down on Ralf. At the second split it's 25.5 as he continues to lose ground. He makes a big mistake at the chicane and is lucky not to clout the 'champions wall. He crosses the line at 1:19.574.
Last out, before the first break, is Albers. The Dutch driver completes the first sector in 22.0s, the Minardi all over the place, it's a real handful. At the second split it's 25s, followed by a 1:18.214 at the line, which puts him ahead of Klien, a very good lap, under the circumstances.
Next out is Narain Karthikeyan, who is under pressure from team boss Colin Kolles to raise his game. The Indian has already had a number of moments this weekend. At the first split he posts 22.2, followed by a 25.2s at the second, he's down on Albers. At the line it's 1:18.664, which puts him fifth of six.
Teammate Tiago Monteiro is next out, he is getting better and better as the season progresses. At the first split the Portuguese driver posts 22.4, he's down on his teammate but it's marginal. At the second split it's 25.2s, followed by a 1:19.034 at the line.
Now it's the turn of Felipe Massa. At the first split the Brazilian posts 21.6s, which puts him just 0.2s down on Ralf. At the second split it's 24.5, he still down, but it's close. At the line the Sauber driver posts 1:16.661, which puts him second, a good lap, helped, surely, by the fact that the track is improving throughout the session.
Now it's local hero Jacques Villeneuve, who really does need a good result. At the first split it's 21.5, he's only just off the pace. At the second split it's 24.4 as he goes quickest. At the line it's 1:16.116, provisional pole for the local hero. An excellent lap, just when he needed it.
Last out before the second break is Takuma Sato. At the first split the BAR star posts 21.3, he's already up on Villeneuve. At the second split he maintains his pace, completing the sector in 24.1. At the line it's 1:15.729, provisional pole for the Japanese driver, who was frighteningly quick into the final chicane, very aggressive.
Next out is the man who came oh so close to winning at the Nurburgring, McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn has looked mighty impressive all weekend, but can he maintain the pace? At the first split he posts 21.3s, followed by a 24.2s at the second, he's down on Sato. At the line it's 1:15.923, a messy lap which never came together. He appeared to be struggling with the car on what was surely his messiest lap of the weekend, thus far.
At the first split, Jenson button goes quickest, completing the sector in 21.1. At the second split he's still quickest, posting 24.0. At the line it's 1:15.217, provisional pole for the Englishman, a superb lap.
Next out is Jarno Trulli, who completes the first sector in 21.4s. At the second split it's 24.3 as the Toyota continues to lose ground. At the line it's 1:16.201, which puts the Italian fifth, with seven drivers still to run.
Juan Pablo Montoya is next, the Colombian already down on Button by the end of the first sector (21.4). At the second split the McLaren driver is still down on Button, finally crossing the line at 1:15.669, to go second.
Giancarlo Fisichella is next out, what can he do? At the first spit the Italian posts 21.2s, he's down on Button, but it's marginal. At the second split it's 24.3, as he loses more ground to the BAR driver. At the line it's 1:15.577, which puts him second.
At the final break, with five drivers left to run, it's Button ahead of Fisichella, Montoya, Sato, Raikkonen, Villeneuve, Trulli, Ralf, Massa and Webber.
Next out is Michael Schumacher, can he pull a surprise? At the first split the World Champion posts 21.3, he's already 0.2s down on the Englishman. At the second split it's 24.0s as he pulls back just a little ground. At the line it's 1:15.475, which puts him second, a very impressive final sector, even though he wasn't quickest.
Next out is David Coulthard, though the Red Bull has been well off the pace here this weekend. At the first split the Scot posts 21.8s, he's well down on Button. At the second split it's 24.5s followed by a 1:16.890 at the line, eleventh for the former McLaren driver. A scrappy lap, but as we said, the Red Bull hasn't looked good all weekend.
Rubens Barrichello should be next out, but the Brazilian returns to his garage after his out lap, much to the surprise of his team. This was not planned. There's smoke coming from the back of the car, though it's from the gearbox, not the engine.
Next out is Nick Heidfeld, who has enjoyed back-to-back podiums in Monaco and Europe. At the first split the German posts 21.5, he's already 0.4s off Button's pace. He continues to lose ground in the second sector, locking up heavily at The Casino. At the line it's 1:17.081, which puts him twelfth, a poor lap from the WilliamsF1 driver, who made a number of mistakes.
All eyes on World Championship leader Fernando Alonso, what magic can he produce? Not a lot as it happens, at the first split he's 0.2s down on Button. At the second split it's 24.2 as he continues to lose ground. At the line it's 1:15.561, which puts him third behind Button and Michael Schumacher.
Well, that's a turn up for the books. Surely if anyone had said, following the free practice sessions, that Jenson Button would start the Canadian Grand Prix from pole, ahead of Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, one would have thought them ready for the 'funny farm'.
Although there were no real incidents we have one of the most jumbled grids we've seen for some time, with Raikkonen only just out-qualifying Villeneuve and the WilliamsF1s in thirteenth and fourteenth.
To re-cap, Button starts from pole position ahead of Michael, who is ahead of Alonso, Fisichella, Montoya, Sato, Raikkonen, Villeneuve, Trulli and Ralf.
Massa is eleventh, ahead of Coulthard, Heidfeld, Webber, Albers, Klien, Karthikeyan, Monteiro, Friesacher and Barrichello.
Surely Jenson is as surprised as the rest of us, for, with no disrespect intended, the BAR has not looked that good this weekend, certainly not good enough to challenge the Renaults and McLarens, yet here he is starting from pole for the second time in his 90 race career.
As for Michael, it would be wrong to assume that this is the beginning of a revival, and the fact that teammate Rubens Barrichello is starting from the back of the grid is clear proof that Ferrari has a long way to go. However, it was a good, though not spectacular, lap and the German starts from the front row of the grid for the second time this season.
The Renaults and McLarens have looked good all weekend, and it would be foolish to ignore the fact that both teams probably approached qualifying with fuel strategy very much in mind. That said, Raikkonen's lap was particularly scrappy.
Villeneuve will be delighted with his lap, and rightly so, the Canadian putting the in-team feud to one side and getting on with the job of driving the Sauber. Another driver who has every right to feel that he has done his job well today is Christijan Albers, who not only out-qualified the Jordans but also a Red Bull, and is only 0.5s behind a WilliamsF1.
Spurs legend, Jimmy Greaves, once said, that football is a "funny old game", after what we've witnessed today, much the same can be said of Formula One, 2005 style.
We've seen some enthralling races thus far this season, let's hope that we see this continue on Sunday, certainly the grid would wet anyone's appetite.