13/05/2006
NEWS STORY
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With seconds to go before today's qualifying session gets underway, the air temperature is 26 degrees C, and the track temperature is 41 degrees.
We have no reason to believe that the tactics will be any different today than from previous qualifying sessions, so expect the 'big guns' to come out in the closing moments.
First out, clearly not regarding himself as a 'big gun' is Ralf Schumacher, who is followed by Coulthard and Sato.
As more and more cars head out on to the Catalan track, Ralf posts the benchmark, crossing the line at a disappointing 1:20.567.
Proof of how poor that lap was is not long in coming, as Takuma Sato posts a 1:20.257, to go quickest.
Monteiro briefly goes quickest, but is almost immediately bumped down by Liuzzi, who crosses the line at 1:17.925. Moments later, Trulli goes quickest, ahead of Scott Speed.
Kimi Raikkonen is on track, but once again the MP4-21 doesn't look 'confident', that said, he's quickest in the first two sectors.
Speed improves with a 1:17.412, to go quickest, but this is soon eclipsed by Raikkonen, who posts a 1:16.613.
Disaster for Coulthard who goes off at Turn 3, his session, and therefore his qualifying dream, is over, on this his most special of weekends. The bag of the Red Bull is badly damaged.
The session is red-flagged, which is bad news for Button who was on a hot lap using fresh rubber.
With 7m29s remaining, only ten drivers have posted times: Raikkonen, Klien, Speed, Trulli, Liuzzi, Albers, Monteiro, Sato, Ralf and Montagny.
The lights go green (again), and Fernando Alonso is first out, followed by Fisichella and the two Ferraris. "It's up to you to find a gap," the Spaniard is told over the team radio, "it's going to be busy!"
Alonso goes quickest in the first sector, as Button is already pushing hard on his out lap. Trulli is also on a hot lap.
Michael goes second with a 1:16.945, but this is immediately eclipsed by Alonso who goes quickest with a 1:15.816. A 1:16.046 sees Fisichella go second ahead of Button, as Michael goes third.
At this point the timing screens go haywire, as Montagny almost loses it at the final corner.
It's a very low key first session, as Speed, Monteiro, Albers, Sato, Montagny and David Coulthard all fail to progress to the next stage. Rosberg and Liuzzi were lucky not to fall at the first hurdle.
Alonso was quickest, ahead of Fisichella, Michael, Button, Villeneuve, Trulli, Montoya, Ralf, Barrichello and Heidfeld.
Villeneuve and Webber are first out for the second session, followed by Liuzzi and Rosberg.
The Canadian is on a hot lap, going quickest in the first two sectors. He finally crosses the line at 1:16.349, as Webber goes quickest in sector two. The Australian goes second (16.350), ahead of Liuzzi, however, moments later it is Rosberg who goes quickest (16.069).
A 1:15.124 sees Alonso go quickest, ahead of Trulli and Ralf, as Michael and Felipe leave the Ferrari garage.
Raikkonen and Fisichella are both on track, but neither look particularly quick, and certainly not likely to challenge Alonso.
That said, the Finn goes second (15.422), as Michael goes quickest in the first sector. He's quickest again in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 1:14.637. His teammate, Felipe Massa, goes third (15.245).
A 1:15.150 sees Button go third, ahead of Massa, Barrichello and Raikkonen.
Webber, Villeneuve, Heidfeld and Rosberg are all in the danger zone with just over five minutes remaining.
Montoya, who is just on the cusp of the danger zone, puts on 'new boots' and hits the track. His former WilliamsF1 teammate, Ralf Schumacher, also needs to improve.
Having gone quickest in the final sector, Ralf goes fourth (15.164), only to be demoted moments later when Trulli goes second.
Weber is on a good lap, which is bad news for Montoya. Indeed, the Australian posts 15.502 to go ninth. However, Fisichella goes second with a 1:14.766, and Heidfeld tenth, which is further bad news for the Colombian, and indeed Webber.
Therefore, Liuzzi, Klien, Villeneuve, Rosberg, Montoya and Webber all fail at the second hurdle, a dreadful result for WilliamsF1 and McLaren.
Michael was quickest, ahead of Fisichella, Trulli, Alonso, Button, Ralf, Massa, Barrichello, Raikkonen and Heidfeld.
Session three gets underway, the F1 'friends of the planet - economy run'. Alonso leads the high-speed train, from Raikkonen and Michael.
As the continue to lap the Barcelona track, Michael is the pace -setter, though Alonso bangs in a quick first sector.
With just under eight minutes remaining, Alonso is the first to break the stalemate, pitting for fresh rubber. Button, Massa, Barrichello and Fisichella also pit. Button also has his front wing adjusted.
Michael goes quickest in the final sector, as he completes his out lap. He begins his flying lap by going quickest in the first sector, though Massa is also looking very good.
Michael loses ground in the second sector, as Alonso goes quickest. Michael crosses the line at 1:15.862, but Alonso goes almost a second quicker, posting a 1:14.875.
Fisichella goes second ahead of Massa, as Michael prepares for another hot lap. Button is fifth, ahead of Barrichello and Raikkonen.
Another fresh set of tyres for Alonso, as Fisi and Massa also pit. The Honda due also pits.
Next time around, both Schumachers pit.
As the Ferrari heads down the pitlane there is less than two minutes remaining.
Alonso sets a personal best in the first sector, as Massa goes quickest overall in that sector. Alonso goes quickest in the second sector, as Michael begins his final flying lap.
Alonso crosses the line at 1:14.648, as Michael goes quickest in sector one. Fisichella retains second spot but Michael is still pushing, despite losing ground in the second sector.
The German crosses the line at 1:14.970 to take third place on the grid, behind the two
Renaults. Massa takes fourth, ahead of Barrichello, Ralf, Trulli, Button, Raikkonen and Heidfeld.
On the pit-wall, Flavio Briatore punches the air in delight, in his cockpit Alonso does likewise as the crowd acknowledges his achievement.
Therefore, we can expect another Renault/Ferrari battle tomorrow, with the French and Italian teams filling the first and second rows.
Some impressive performances elsewhere, including Rubens, Ralf and Jarno, but make no mistake, barring a major upset, tomorrow will be all about two teams, one red, the other blue and yellow.
To check out our Barcelona qualifying gallery, click here