24/09/2005
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session, the air temperature is 25 degrees C, while the track temperature is 35 degrees. It's bright but there's little sunshine.
With ten minutes to go before the session gets underway, World Champion elect, Fernando Alonso, is signing autographs for a crew member - they could well increase in value over the next 24-hours.
While his son is contesting the inaugural A1 GP event at Brands Hatch in England, up against the son of another former F1 legend, Niki Lauda is interviewing Flavio Briatore, who still insists that there will be no parties until the season is over, even if Fernando does wrap up the title tomorrow.
First out today will be Giancarlo Fisichella, who was the first retirement in Belgium - we say retirement, whereas he crashed heavily, causing the safety car to be brought out. 'Fisi' will be followed by Takuma Sato and Michael Schumacher who enjoyed their own 'little moment' at Spa. David Coulthard and Jarno Trulli are fourth and fifth out.
It's been pretty evenly matched between Renault and McLaren thus far this weekend, with the French team promising to go for 'the win'.
Fisichella begins his lap, completing the first sector in 18.422. The French team is running its much-anticipated new aero package here this weekend. At the second split it's 55.531, followed by a 1:12.558 at the line. On the pit-wall, Flavio Briatore appears satisfied.
Takuma Sato drives straight into the pits, having failed to post a time. In addition to a ten spot penalty for the Spa incident, the hapless Japanese driver has had an engine change - another penalty - hence to aborted lap.
Consequently, Michael Schumacher is harried out of the Ferrari garage. At the first split the German posts 18.339, he's up on Fisichella. At the second split it's 55.706, as he falls 0.175s behind the Renault. At the line it's 1:12.976, he's 0.418s down on the Renault.
David Coulthard is on track in the Red Bull. At the first split it's 18.812, followed by a 56.454 at the second, the car looks very unstable. At the line it's 1:13.844, 1.2s off Fisichella's pace.
Last out before the break is Jarno Trulli, who has also had an engine change following another problem with the pneumatics valve system. At the first split it's 18.573, followed by a 55.757 at the second. At the line the Italian posts 1:13.041, which puts him third.
At the first break it's: Fisichella, Michael, Trulli, Coulthard and Sato.
Antonio Pizzonia is on track in the WilliamsF1, replacing Nick Heidfeld for the third consecutive race. The Brazilian completes the first sector in 18.587, he's already 0.165s off the pace. At the second split it's 56.392, he's now 0.861s down. At the line it's 1:13.581, which puts him fourth.
Juan Pablo Montoya is next out in the McLaren - he was involved in an incident with Pizzonia at spa. At the first split it's 18.323, he's quickest, but it's marginal. At the second split it's 55.122, he's 0.409s up on Fisichella. He crosses the line at 1:12.145 to take provisional pole. A great hard driven lap.
At the first split Robert Doornbos posts 19.149, however he loses the rear end at Mergulho and slides off across the tarmac.
Therefore, all eyes are on Christijan albers, who posts 18.923 at the first split. At the second it's 57.252, he's 2.131s down. At the line the Dutch driver posts 1:14.763 to take seventh.
Jordan's Narain Karthikeyan is on track in the Jordan. At the first split he posts 18.491. At the second split it's 57.018, he's 1.897s down on Montoya. At the line it's 1:14.520, which puts him seventh, ahead of Albers.
At the second break it's: Montoya, Fisichella, Michael, Trulli, Pizzonia, Coulthard, Karthikeyan, Albers, Sato and Doornbos.
Local hero Felipe Massa is next out, in the Sauber. At the first split the Brazilian posts 18.534, he's 0.211s off the pace. At the second split it's 55.763, followed by a 13.151, which puts him fifth. Not a bad lap.
Christian Klien, who crashed yesterday, is next out. At the first split it's 18.432. At the second split the Red Bull drivers posts 55.625, 0.504s off the pace, followed by a 1:12.889 at the line. A very, very strong lap from the Austrian, who goes third, highly impressive.
Tiago Monteiro posts 18.809 at the first split, followed by a 56.073 at the second. At the line the Portuguese driver posts 1:13.387, which puts him seventh, ahead of Pizzonia and Coulthard. A brilliant lap, utterly brilliant.
At the first split, Ralf Schumacher posts 18.670, followed by a 55.974 at the second. At the line the German posts 1:13.285, which only just puts him ahead of Monteiro.
Last out, before the final break, is Jacques Villeneuve. At the first split the Canadian posts 18.634, he's already 0.36s down. At the second split it's 55.947, followed by a 1:13.372 at the line, eighth.
At the final split it's: Montoya, Fisichella, Klien, Michael, Trulli, Massa, Ralf, Villeneuve, Monteiro and Pizzonia.
Rubens Barrichello is on track in the Ferrari, his last time in front of his home crowd in one of the legendary scarlet machines. At the first split he posts 18.414, he's down on Montoya, but it's marginal. He locks up and consequently completes the second sector in 55.864, 0.74s down. At the line it's 1:13.183, which puts him seventh, over a second off the pace.
Mark Webber completes the first sector in 18.761, followed by a 56.211 at the second. At the line the Australian posts 1:13.538, to go eleventh. A poor lap, or alternative strategy?
Jenson Button is on track in the BAR. At the first split the Englishman posts 18.414. At the second split it's 55.364, he's 0.243s down. At the line it's 1:12.696, which puts him third… much to the delight of his crew.
All eyes on Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard completes the first sector in 18.231, he's 0.092s up on Montoya. At the second split it's 54.955, he's now 0.166s up on the Colombian. At the line it's 1:11.988, the Renault star takes pole.
What can Kimi do, surely he'll give 100%. Unfortunately he gives 101% and gets it all wrong at the first corner. At the first split he's already 0.4s down, it's a disaster for him. At the second split it's 55.730, he's 0.776s down. At the line it's 1:12.781, he's fifth, much to the delight of Flavio.
The session end with Fernando Alonso quickest, and therefore on pole, ahead of; Montoya, Fisichella, Button, Raikkonen, Klien, Michael, Trulli, Massa and Barrichello.
Ralf is eleventh, ahead of Villeneuve, Monteiro, Webber, Pizzonia, Coulthard, Karthikeyan, Albers, Sato and Doornbos.
In as much as it was pretty disastrous for Kimi - who will have to approach the first corner on tippy-toes tomorrow - it was magnificent for Fernando Alonso, who to all intents and purposes can begin making room in his luggage for the championship trophy.
However, there were a few other outstanding performances, not least Jenson Button, and of course Christian Klien, who somehow placed the Red Bull sixth on the grid. Tiago Monteiro also deserves a special mention for his effort, though thirteenth on the grid doesn't tell anything like the full story. That said, he does start ahead of Webber and Coulthard.
The weather forecasters are now saying that they don't think it will rain tomorrow - no doubt a couple of people in the pitlane will be hoping that they've got it wrong.
The fat lady might be gargling… but she hasn't started singing yet.