30/09/2006
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's qualifying session, the air temperature is 23 degrees, while the track temperature is 23 degrees. It remains unseasonably damp.
With this morning's free practice session disrupted by rain, which resulted in drivers managing little track time, there remains a question mark over the forthcoming session, with many predicting further rainfall.
Sure enough... as a couple of cars head down the pitlane, it begins to rain.
The lights go green, and there is a mad scramble to get out on track before the conditions worsen. Raikkonen, Trulli, Button, Barrichello, Rosberg, Ralf and Webber are among the first to go out. Alonso is also keen to get to work.
Raikkonen is the first driver to post a time (46.048), as Button goes second, ahead of his Honda teammate.
The only drivers not on track, are Yamamoto and the two Ferrari drivers, who appear to be taking a brave gamble.
That said, they both head down the pitlane, as Alonso goes quickest (44.128), having deposed his Renault teammate, who momentarily topped the timesheets.
Barrichello spins, and Sato goes wide, as the conditions worsen. Kimi also goes off, as Michael splashes his way round.
Halfway through this first phase, Liuzzi is in the top five, as Michael can only manage twelfth (47.176). Teammate Massa slots in right behind, in thirteenth. Albers grinds to a halt.
Ralf is on a good lap, which could spell bad news (again), for Webber. That said, the German can only manage seventeenth, so it is he who is in danger. Elsewhere, Monteiro has come to a stop, his session over.
With the Portuguese driver stranded in a "dangerous position", the session is red flagged, with just over three minutes remaining. Which means when the session resumes it will be absolutely crazy out there.
With both Spykers out, joining them in the 'danger zone' is the Toyota duo, together with the Super Aguri duo.
The session resumes, and sure enough there's a multi-million pound traffic jam in the pitlane, at the head of which is a very anxious Ralf Schumacher.
The top five, Alonso, Fisichella, de la Rosa, Raikkonen and Liuzzi opt not to run, clearly feeling that their times aren't under threat.
Rosberg runs wide, as Sato is really pushing, the Japanese driver, once again, excelling in the rain.
Trulli fails to improve, as does Ralf, therefore both Toyotas fail at the first hurdle, along with Super Aguri and Spyker. However, the bad news is tempered by the press release issued in the last ten minutes which reveals that the Dutch owned team will be using Ferrari engines next season.
The second phase gets underway, and though Renault had the advantage in the first phase, we now start from scratch. That said, at this moment in time, the Michelin-shod teams appear to have the advantage over the Bridgestone runners.
The lights go green, and first out is Coulthard, followed by Doornbos and Rosberg. After a minute or two, Massa leaves the pits, as does Michael.
As Coulthard posts the benchmark (1:50.428), Liuzzi spins, it's actually getting worse out there.
Webber goes quickest (50.060), but is immediately displaced by Button, who is in turn leapfrogged by Massa and Michael, giving Ferrari 1-2.
As Heidfeld goes third, Kubica spins off, as does Speed. It is like a skating rink out there.
A 46.783 sees de la Rosa go top, but he is displaced by Button, who crosses the line at 45.952. Alonso and Fisichella, who have yet to post a time, leave the pits.
As Raikkonen heads down the pitlane, Alonso goes wide, and Fisichella goes off into the gravel. The Italian is able to get back on track, much to the delight of Briatore.
Alonso posts 49.053 to go tenth, while Fisichella goes fourteenth.
Coulthard goes second to Button, but all eyes are on the Renaults and McLarens.
It's a Honda 1-2 as Barrichello goes second, with de la Rosa going fourth ahead of Coulthard.
All change as Alonso (44.123) and Fisichella go 1-2, as Barrichello spins off. Both WilliamsF1s are in the 'danger zone', as are the BMWs.
With just over two minutes remaining, it looks good for the Renaults, as Michael slips into the 'danger zone', with Massa not entirely safe.
The Bridgestones don't appear to have anything to give, it's a total walkover for Michelin.
At the last gasp, Heidfeld goes sixth (45.367), as fellow-German makes his last bid to escape the drop. He's pushing hard, but can he do it?
Yes he can! Schumacher posts 45.660 to go eighth, however, his Ferrari teammate is still in trouble.
Sure enough, Massa, who faces a ten-spot grid penalty anyway, misses the cut, along with the Toro Rosso duo, the WilliamsF1 duo, and David Coulthard.
Quickest was Alonso, ahead of Fisichella, Button, Heidfeld, de la Rosa, Barrichello, Kubica, Raikkonen, Michael and Doornbos. A great effort from the Dutch driver.
The final phase - the great fuel burn off - gets underway, with Alonso leading the procession.
Every now and then you can see a driver get just a little over confident, then back off, as he realises that conditions are not improving.
Fisichella is first to pit, though he won't be fitting dry tyres.
There's a piece of debris on the track - what it is, or where it's from we don't know - but Button informs his pit that he's run over it.
Ah! It's the right wing mirror from Kimi's McLaren, which in a re-run can be seen getting loose then flying off the car.
Michael, Button and Barrichello, all pit, the Englishman having a new nose fitted following his encounter with Kimi's mirror.
It's still wet, grey and thoroughly miserable… much like Edinburgh!
Kubica is really having to work to keep control of his BMW, as Button goes quickest in the second sector.
With just over a minute remaining, Alonso remains quickest, ahead of Barrichello, Raikkonen and de la Rosa. At which point the McLaren number two spins.
As Schumacher slips to ninth, Alonso goes quickest in all three sectors, raising the benchmark to 1:44.360.
Somehow, Michael manages a 1:45.775, which puts him sixth, with Bridgestones that is surely more than he could have expected.
The session ends, with Alonso on pole, as team happily informs him: "Pole easily, pole easily, mate," he's told over the radio. "Fisi is second, Barrichello third and poor old Michael is sixth!".
The Championship takes another twist, as the Spaniard goes into tomorrow's race with a distinct advantage, especially if the conditions remain the same.
No doubt Jean Todt, Michael and Ross Brawn will go out of their way to thank their tyre partner, however, the fact is that Bridgestone had no response here. Michelin rules.
It's a 1-2 for Renault, with Honda taking the second row - both drivers having posted identical times - ahead of Kimi and "poor old Michael". de la Rosa starts from seventh, ahead of Heidfeld, Kubica and Doornbos.
The prediction for tomorrow is rain, and no doubt Fernando, Giancarlo, Flavio, Pat et al will be doing a rain dance late into the night. Michael will simply have to hope that the gods - or race stewards - are kind.
All eyes on the Shanghai sky tomorrow - it could be a cracker.
To check out our Shanghai qualifying gallery, click here