22/04/2006
NEWS STORY
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Conditions ahead of this afternoon's qualifying session are ideal, with bright sunshine and temperatures of 27 degrees C (air) and 36 degrees (track).
Going by the free practice sessions, it looks as though the main battle this afternoon will be between Ferrari and Renault, namely Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. However, the McLarens have been looking good, as have the Toyotas and Hondas, though the Brackley is still clearly suffering 'tyre issues'.
Following his accident in this morning's session, Nico Rosberg will use the T-car, though he will retain his own engine.
The lights go green and first out is Liuzzi, followed by Idea, Ralf, Albers, Speed and Sato. Rosberg is another 'early riser' as he attempts to get to grips with a car that is entirely new to him.
Liuzzi is the first driver to post a time (26.334), however, this is quickly beaten by Ralf Schumacher, who posts a 26.332. Elsewhere, Albers has a big spin.
A very impressive performance from Rosberg, who goes quickest (25.536), ahead of Liuzzi, Ralf, Trulli and Klien.
With ten minutes remaining, Button and Raikkonen leave the pits. Meanwhile, Speed goes fourth (26.801).
Raikkonen goes quickest in the first two sectors, as Montoya and Michael Schumacher leave the pits. The Finn goes quickest with a 1:24.259.
Button is really riding the kerbs as he goes second (24.480), having gone quickest of all in the final sector. David Coulthard goes fourth.
Michael is on track, at the first sector he's 0.10s down on Raikkonen, as Massa goes quickest in the same sector. Alonso is also on track, and he goes quickest in the first sector.
Michael posts (30.141), as Massa goes sixth, however, Alonso is quickest in the second sector and on a very hot lap. The Spaniard goes quickest with a 1:23.536, as Michael remains in the 'danger zone'.
As Schumacher goes sixth (24.788), Trulli and Klien are in the 'danger zone'. However, moments later, the Italian improves to sixth with a 1:24.656.
Two minutes remaining and both Red Bulls are in the 'danger zone'. However, the Scot avoids the chop with a 1:24.849, which puts him tenth. Both BMWs are just outside the 'danger zone'.
Knowing that his task is hopeless, Klien aborts his final lap and heads into the pits.
At the end of the first part of the session we lose Ide, Sato, Albers, Monteiro, Speed and Klien.
The finishing order, not that it really maters, was: Alonso, Raikkonen, Ralf, Fisichella, Trulli, Button, Rosberg, Michael, Barrichello and Coulthard.
The second part of the session gets underway, and the BMW duo leads the way, ahead of Liuzzi.
Villeneuve goes quickest with a 1:24.423, teammate Heidfeld can only manage 1:33.597.
Ralf Schumacher takes the top spot with a 1:24.343 but is subsequently demoted by Trulli (23.727). Elsewhere, Heidfeld improves to fourth with a 1:25.013.
Coulthard, Raikkonen, Montoya, Barrichello and Button are on track.
Coulthard takes fourth (24.849), as Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector. As Montoya begins a hot lap, his Finnish teammate goes quickest in the second sector. At the line Raikkonen posts a 1:23.190, as Trulli goes third.
Michael Schumacher is on track, and immediately goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 1:22.579. Alonso can only manage fourth (23.743), ahead of Button, Barrichello, Fisichella and Montoya.
Webber, Rosberg, Massa, Heidfeld, Liuzzi and Coulthard are in the 'danger zone'.
Despite a mistake at the final chicane, Massa goes third with a 1:23.595. If not for that error that would have been a mighty lap.
Rosberg goes ninth, which drops Ralf into the 'danger zone'. Heidfeld improves his time but is still in the 'danger zone'.
Ralf goes third quickest which puts Villeneuve in trouble, along with - sensation of sensations - Fisichella.
The yellow flags come out as Heidfeld spins off at the second Rivazza into the barriers. This means that Fisichella is out at the second round of the session, despite his new, more powerful, engine.
Therefore, in the second round we lose Liuzzi, Heidfeld, Coulthard, Rosberg, Villeneuve and Liuzzi.
Michael was quickest in that round, ahead of Raikkonen, Ralf, Massa, Webber, Trulli, Alonso, Button, Barrichello and Montoya.
With the final part of the session about to get underway, Felipe Massa can't wait to get started, he heads the 'traffic jam' at the end of the pitlane, followed by Michael and Juan Pablo Montoya.
And so the tedium that is the fuel burning process gets underway. In other news… it's half-time at Highbury and score is 0-0.
The two Ferraris trade 'fastest' times in various sectors, as they run together, well clear of 'the pack'.
Over the team radio, Alonso is told to 'up his pace', since he is in danger of losing a lap having posted a time outside the permitted percentage.
One by one the cars pit, taking on fresh rubber for the serious business of the fight for pole.
Jenson Button immediately goes quickest in the first sector, he was the first driver to pit. The Englishman goes quickest in the second sector and again in the third to go quickest with a 1:24.159.
Michael Schumacher is on a hot lap, going quickest in the first two sectors. At the line its 1:23.4714, which gives the German provisional pole.
Barrichello goes second (23.667), ahead of Button, Raikkonen, Massa and Montoya. It's good to see the Brazilian finally getting to grips with the Honda, and the Michelins.
Massa gets it all wrong at the Variante Alta, he subsequently pits, as does Michael.
Alonso is making his assault on the top spot, however, he is not quickest in the first sector, or the second. The world Champion goes third, edging out Button.
Ralf takes third (23.772), as his brother goes quickest in the first sector. The German is quickest again in the second, finally crossing the line at 1:22.795, a lap that has to be good enough for a historic pole.
Button goes quickest in the final sector and that's good enough for second, as teammate Barrichello holds on to third.
Juan Pablo Montoya is the last driver to post a time, but the Colombian can only mange seventh with a 1:24.021.
Michael Schumacher takes pole, and with it makes another entry in the 'Formula One Book of Records', having eclipsed Ayrton Senna's long-standing record of 65 pole positions.
How ironic that the German should achieve this feat on the very track where the Brazilian took his final pole, the very track that so tragically claimed his life.
Behind the scarlet Ferrari we have the two Hondas of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, the Japanese cars having improved dramatically when it was most needed. That said, there is always the question of fuel loads.
Felipe Massa starts fourth, ahead of Fernando Alonso, and it is pretty clear what role the Brazilian will be given on Sunday, providing he can match the Renault's demon start.
Ralf Schumacher starts sixth, having demonstrated, thus far, that the Japanese team is on the definitely ascendant following that disastrous start to the season in Bahrain.
The two McLarens start a disappointing seventh and eighth, however, only a fool would dismiss them challenging for honours tomorrow.
Jarno Trulli qualifies ninth, almost half-a-second down on his teammate, while Mark Webber starts tenth.
From the opening session, Ferrari and particularly Michael, have been on a mission. Much has been said about this weekend's race, with some claiming that this is a race that the Maranello outfit has to win, though the team has totally rejected the talk.
However, the fact is that even though we tired of the red-washes of 2004, we want to see Ferrari challenging, we want to see Ferrari fighting Renault, McLaren and the rest.
Furthermore, as we all grow heartily sick of the constant speculation as to 'will he, won't he', it's great to see Michael do what he does best, wring the living daylights out of a racing car.
After all these years, all these races, he's still more than capable of delivering, and our sport is all the better for the prospect of him staying on to fight these young upstarts, as long as he's enjoying himself. And at present he clearly is.
Tomorrow should be a sizzler.