01/07/2006
NEWS STORY
 |
Ahead of today's qualifying session, the air temperature is 33 degrees C, while the track temperature is 52 degrees. It is hot and sunny.
Following the tremendous pace the two Ferraris showed this morning, it will be interesting to see if they can maintain it and indeed convert it into pole position.
The lights go green, and first out is Mark Webber, followed by Ralf, Rosberg and Heidfeld.
Webber crosses the line to post the benchmark time, it's a disappointing 1:14.108, moments later Ralf quickest, posting a 13.776.
Heidfeld goes second (13.899), as Rosberg goes fourth and Montagny fifth.
Jarno Trulli goes quickest in the first sector, but moments later Button goes quicker. Trulli goes second (13.787), but almost instantly Albers and Klien go quicker, before they too are topped, by Barrichello.
Tiago Monteiro tops the timesheets, having gone quickest in the first two sectors. Meanwhile, Coulthard, who had a torrid time this morning, goes second (13.180).
Montoya goes quickest in the first sector, and again in the second. The Colombian crosses the line at 1:12.477, as Speed goes third. Meanwhile, Button is called into the weigh-bridge, which is exactly what happened at Silverstone.
Michael is on track, and goes quickest in the first two sectors. The German crosses the line at 1:11.588, but moments later he's toppled by his Brazilian teammate, who posts 12:11.088.
Under four minutes and Villeneuve, Rosberg and Webber are in the 'danger zone'. That said, Villeneuve goes fourth, which leaves both Toyota's in danger.
Ralf goes third, which puts Button in danger. However, the Englishman goes seventh with a 12.238.
Trulli is out of his car, and being nineteenth, one place behind Rosberg, this means that his session is over. Rosberg looks to be another one to stumble at the first hurdle, as is Coulthard.
At the end of the first part of the session, Massa is quickest, ahead of Michael, Ralf, Heidfeld, Villeneuve, Barrichello, Button, Fisichella, Alonso and Montoya.
We lose Montagny, Liuzzi, Trulli, Rosberg, Sato and Coulthard.
When the second stage of the session gets underway, it is more than a minute before anyone leaves the pits. When they do decide to go to work, it is Webber that leads the way followed by Villeneuve and Heidfeld.
Villeneuve posts the benchmark time, crossing the line at 1:12.391, but this is almost instantly beaten by his teammate. Ralf goes second (11.733) and Webber fourth.
Alonso is on track, as is Raikkonen, the Finn going quickest in the final sector as he begins his flying lap.
Fisichella goes third (11.901), as Alonso can only manage ninth (12.546).
Rubens Barrichello goes quickest with a 1:11.512, as the Ferraris and Midlands leave the pits.
As Michael Schumacher goes quickest in the first sector, Massa is also very, very quick. The German goes quickest, at least we think he does, the timing screens are playing up. The German has indeed posted 1:10.636, as his teammate goes second with a 11.146.
With under four minutes remaining, Alonso and Webber are both in the 'danger zone'.
Webber in track, as is Alonso, however, should they both improve this would knock Montoya out of the proceedings.
Webber goes tenth (12.292), ahead of Villeneuve, but the Canadian posts 11.724 to go fifth.
With under a minute remaining, Alonso goes seventh (11.877), which is bad news for Montoya.
Sure enough, Montoya is out, he crosses the line but the session is over. We lose the Colombian, along with Klien, Monteiro, Albers, Speed and Webber.
Michael was quickest, ahead of Massa, Fisichella, Barrichello, Ralf, Heidfeld, Villeneuve, Button, Alonso and Raikkonen. Had Montoya made the cut it would have dropped his teammate into the 'danger zone'.
The third part of the session, the fuel run, gets underway, with Ralf leading Massa, Michael, Barrichello and Alonso.
With twelve minutes remaining, Nick Heidfeld slows, then pulls off track, his session over. Meanwhile, Massa slipstreams Alonso down the straight but then overcooks it at the right-hander, allowing the Spaniard past again. Massa is (currently) quickest through the speedtrap at (207.537 mph).
Fisichella is first to pit, followed by his teammate, together with Barrichello, Button and Villeneuve.
The battle for pole begins.
Alonso goes quickest in the first sector, but the Spaniard doesn't look comfortable here. As he goes quickest in the second sector, Barrichello and Fisichella are also on hot laps.
Alonso goes quickest (12.449), but this is beaten by Fisichella (12.135). However, Michael is on a red hot lap, going quickest in the first two sectors. He crosses the line at 1:10.832, as Massa goes second with a 1:11.435.
Raikkonen looks to be the only man that can worry the Ferraris, though in all honesty that doesn't seem likely. Sure enough, he goes eighth (13.174).
The drivers make one last attack, now running on fresh rubber - even though there's less than a minute remaining.
Fisichella consolidates third place (11.920), as Michael goes quickest in the first sector, the German is clearly out to prove a point. He fails to improve, but it doesn't matter, he has pole position, for the 67th time in his F1 career.
The German is quickest, ahead of Massa, Fisichella, Barrichello, Alonso, Villeneuve, Button, Ralf, Raikkonen and Heidfeld.
The Ferraris have been totally dominant today, while one has to wonder what has happened to the Renaults, and in particular Fernando Alonso.
Honda will be delighted to have both drivers in the top seven, while McLaren will be disappointed to have just one driver (Raikkonen) in the top ten, and at ninth position to boot.
BMW will be bitterly disappointed to see Heidfeld sidelined, but the German team can at least console itself courtesy of Jacques Villeneuve, who qualified sixth, his best qualifying result since Australia 2005.
Let's just hope that there are no overnight problems, no political fall-outs, and that we get to see a real race tomorrow, with all 22 drivers on track.
F1 does need America, and after last's year's nonsense they deserve something special.
To check out our Indianapolis qualifying gallery, click here