24/06/2006
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's qualifying session it's hard to see anyone other than a Renault driver on pole for tomorrow's race, though McLaren and Ferrari are in with a shout. Then again, it's not impossible that BMW will pull out all the stops and put Jacques Villeneuve on the front row, it would be a massive PR coup and the German cars certainly have the pace.
Barring a major turnaround in fortunes however, it's unlikely we'll see a Honda on the front row, far less a Toyota, as the Japanese team is clearly struggling here.
During the break between practice and qualifying many of the drivers, especially the German ones, have been watching the football, and Michael, Nick, Nico and Ralf are sure to have been motivated by their team's performance.
With a couple of minutes before the session gets underway, the air temperature is 26 degrees C, while the track temperature is 48 degrees.
First out is Ralf Schumacher, followed by Trulli, Webber, Rosberg, Heidfeld, Monteiro and Albers.
Ralf sets the benchmark, crossing the line at 1:22.019, which is probably around six or seven seconds off the pole winning time this afternoon.
As if to prove the point, Rosberg takes the top spot with a 1:17.817, ahead of Albers, Trulli and Webber.
Next time around Albers goes quickest in the first sector, while Liuzzi goes quickest in the second. Meanwhile, Speed goes quickest with a 1:17.769.
Both Red Bull drivers are on track and posting ultra-quick sector times. However, it's Kimi Raikkonen that goes quickest, the McLaren driver posting 1:17.574.
Speed re-takes the top-spot (17.164) ahead of Klien and Raikkonen, while Montoya goes quickest in the first sector. As Raikkonen re-takes the top-spot with a 1:16.778, his teammate posts a 1:16.509.
With just under seven minutes remaining, seven drivers have yet to post a time.
Fernando Alonso posts 1:16.247 to go quickest, as Michael Schumacher goes fifteenth with a 20.372.
In the Red Bull garage the mechanics are working on Coulthard's car. The Scot has been out but hasn't posted a time, having gone off on his flying lap.
Alonso improves with a 1:15.350, as Michael goes second, ahead of Heidfeld, Fisichella and Montoya.
With just over three minutes remaining, Coulthard leaves the pits, he is still in the 'danger zone' as are Sato, Montagny, Webber, Albers and Monteiro.
Webber posts 1:16.985 to ease the pressure, but this drops teammate Rosberg into the 'danger zone'. The German goes eighth with a 1:16.404, but this means the end of the day's work for his teammate Webber, who drops back into the danger zone, with no time remaining.
Therefore, we lose Montagny, Sato, Albers, Monteiro, Speed and Webber at the first hurdle.
Quickest was Alonso, ahead of Raikkonen, Michael, Heidfeld, Fisichella, Montoya, Massa, Rosberg, Trulli and Villeneuve.
The second session gets underway and first out is Liuzzi, followed, a short while later, by Rosberg, Alonso, Trulli, Ralf and Fisichella. Indeed, there are ten cars on track.
Liuzzi sets the benchmark, the Italian crossing the line at 1:16.874, however, this is soon beaten by Villeneuve (16.228).
A 1:15.773 sees Rosberg go quickest, but this almost instantly shattered by Alonso, who posts a stunning 1:14.726, the quickest lap of the weekend.
Both Ferraris remain in their garage as Fisichella goes second, ahead of Trulli, Rosberg, Heidfeld and Ralf. With nine minutes remaining, Massa is first of the Maranello duo to go out, followed, a few seconds later, by his teammate.
Jenson Button posts 1:16.083 to go ninth, but this is soon eclipsed by his teammate, Rubens Barrichello (15.927).
Massa goes fifth (15.555), but is quickly leapfrogged by Michael (15.432), which leaves Liuzzi, Klien, Coulthard, Villeneuve, Button and Barrichello in the 'danger zone'.
Michael posts 15.139 to go second, as Montoya goes third with a 15.253. Kimi Raikkonen goes quickest in the second sector, as Trulli goes quickest in the first.
Raikkonen remains fifth (15.308), as Trulli really rides the kerbs in his attempt to consolidate sixth. Elsewhere, a 1:15.269 sees Rosberg go fourth.
The 'danger zone' remains 'as was', though both Red Bulls are on track. Coulthard crosses the line but remains fifteenth, and therefore misses the cut, as does his teammate.
At the last moment, both Hondas make the cut, which is bad news for Villeneuve and Heidfeld, who are both eliminated despite showing tremendous pace in all the previous sessions.
Therefore, we lose Coulthard, Liuzzi, Ralf, Heidfeld, Klien and Villeneuve.
Quickest in the second session was Alonso, followed by Michael, Montoya, Rosberg, Raikkonen, Fisichella, Trulli, Massa, Barrichello and Button.
It's a multi-million pound traffic jam at the end of the pitlane as the drivers wait for the lights to go green and get the final session underway.
With the 'fuel burning' phase underway, we wait to see who will be first to stop for fresh rubber. Interestingly, during the whole of the qualifying session thus far, the Ferraris are quickest through the main speed-trap, with Scott Speed third quickest and Jacques Villeneuve fourth. The difference between the Ferraris and (fifth fastest) Fisichella is around 6 kph.
The Ferraris are first to pit, Michael Schumacher in, followed by teammate Massa. Meanwhile, back on track, Giancarlo Fisichella goes quickest in the first two sectors.
Sure enough, the Italian goes quickest, crossing the line at 1:17.507, as Alonso goes second (17.883). Elsewhere, Raikkonen pits, as Michael goes quickest in the third sector.
Just under seven minutes remaining and Michael goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 1:16.284.
As Raikkonen goes quickest in the second sector Alonso goes quickest in the first. The Finn crosses the line at 1:15.564, but this is hammered by the Spaniard, who posts 14.942.
Fisichella goes third (15.868), ahead of Michael, Massa, Montoya and Button.
Alonso pits, as do Button, Montoya, Michael and Fisichella.
With less than two minutes remaining the final attack begins.
"Give it anything you've got," Button is told by his race engineer. However, it's unlikely the Englishman will repeat his 2005 achievement, when he took pole.
Raikkonen improves (15.386) but remains second, as Fisichella goes quickest in the second sector. The Italian crosses the line at 1:15.178 to go second, making it an all blue-and-yellow front row, while Michael goes fifth, splitting Trulli and Rosberg.
Alonso takes his fifth consecutive pole, ahead of Fisichella, Raikkonen, Trulli, Michael, Rosberg, Montoya, Button, Barrichello and Massa.
Thankfully, we know from experience that Montreal throws up surprises from time to time. We say thankfully because we hope that - with all due respect - we are not going to witness another easy flag to flag cruise to victory for Fernando tomorrow, especially when football is grabbing all the headlines.
A superb effort from Kimi, though we have grown used to these sort of gutsy performances, while Jarno Trulli has worked miracles to get his car on to the second row, especially when one considers how poor the Toyotas have looked this weekend. Then again, was the Italian running on fumes?
We can only presume that Michael, and indeed Felipe, were running heavy, otherwise Fernando's job tomorrow will be just that little bit easier, and we can kiss any hope of a down to the wire championship fight goodbye.
Rosberg did well to take sixth, though it's understood that teammate Mark Webber felt the German hampered him on his final run. Ominously the Australian warned that he has a "long memory".
Montoya starts from seventh, ahead of the two Honda drivers, who, to a certain extent, appear to have put the misery of Silverstone behind them, and just as well.
On the surface it looks as though Fernando has it in the bag, let's just hope that the Spaniard is given a run for his money, if only from his teammate.
Formula One is already losing out to the World Cup, the thought of another Sunday afternoon cruise is not going to cause anyone to want to miss two important matches tomorrow, especially if the England/Ecuador game goes to extra-time.
Come on guys, give us a real race!
To check out our Canada qualifying picture gallery, click here