07/04/2007
NEWS STORY
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Based on the evidence thus far, we can expect to see either a Ferrari or McLaren on pole tomorrow afternoon. That said, this is Formula One, and as we know from experience anything can happen, which means BMW and Renault could be in with a shout.
While Felipe Massa dominated yesterday's sessions, today it was Lewis Hamilton's turn to top the timesheets. Though Ferrari denies any worries regarding Kimi Raikkonen's engine, the fact is that he has been behind his Brazilian teammate all weekend thus far. Food for thought?
Ahead of this afternoon's all-important qualifying session, the air temperature is 34 degrees C, while the track temperature is 49 degrees. It remains bright and sunny and the expected storm appears to have been a false alarm. Humidity is 52 percent.
First out is Jenson Button, followed by Schumacher, Trulli, Rosberg, Liuzzi and Speed.
It's Rosberg who posts the benchmark (36.286), but this is soon beaten by Liuzzi. Speed goes third ahead of Davidson and Schumacher.
The first serious time however, is posted by Kimi Raikkonen, who crosses the line at 1:35.138. Moments later, teammate Massa goes second.
Hamilton and Alonso are both on track, the Englishman going quickest in the second sector and going on to go quickest (35.028). However, his McLaren teammate is also on a hot lap, going quickest in the second sector. At the line the Spaniard posts 34.942 to go quickest.
Behind the McLarens and Ferraris it's Webber, Liuzzi, Rosberg and Coulthard. Neither of the BMW drivers has posted a time yet.
Barrichello and Button are both on track, the Brazilian clearly struggling with the Honda. At the line the Englishman posts 35.913 to go sixth. It's good, but is it good enough? Barrichello aborts his lap and heads back into the pits, the Brazilian yet to post a time.
Just over three minutes remaining and both BMWs are on track. Heidfeld goes fifth, as the Honda crew prepares to send Barrichello out.
Kubica goes fourth (35.294), which drops Wurz into the 'danger zone'. The big guns are happy and opt to stick with their current times, not so Trulli, Webber, Button et al.
Sato and Davidson, both in the 'danger zone' are on track. That said, both Renaults are at the wrong end of the timesheets.
Barrichello fails to make the cut, posting 36.827. Wurz is another 'victim', the Austrian clearly has a gearbox problem.
Along with Wurz and Barrichello, we lose Davidson and Speed, in addition to the Spykers, which continue to show an alarming lack of pace.
Both Renaults make it through to the second phase, but only just, while Sato, Liuzzi, Button and Rosberg live to fight another day.
Fernando Alonso waits at the end of the pitlane for the start of the second phase. Seemingly, he seemingly can't wait to get back to work.
That said, there are clouds overhead, which causes one to think that maybe the weather guys got it right. "We need to a lap right now," comes the shout, confirming the fear, rain is on the way and the drivers need to have a lap in the bag. All 16 cars are on track.
Alonso goes quickest in the first two sectors, going on to take provisional pole with a 34.057. Meanwhile, Kubica is on a hot lap.
Massa goes second, ahead of Hamilton, Raikkonen, Trulli and Rosberg. Sadly, it's not Pole on provisional pole, as Kubica can only manage fifth with a 34.739.
With 'one in the bag', most of the drivers return to the pits. Button, Liuzzi, Sato, Coulthard, Fisichella and Webber still in the 'danger zone'.
"We want to go straight away, because of the risk of rain," Rosberg is told. Webber gets a similar message: "There's still a threat of rain around," he's told, "so perhaps we should go sooner rather than later".
With just under six minutes remaining, Rosberg is first back out. In the Honda garage the crew is working furiously on Jenson Button's car. Elsewhere, teammate Barrichello is plain furious with the performance of the RA107.
Amazingly, Rosberg remains the only driver on track, with just over three minutes remaining. The German improves his time (35.380), but remains eighth.
Heidfeld, Trulli, Schumacher, Kovalainen, Webber, Fisichella, Coulthard, Sato, Liuzzi and Button all leave the pits… the top five - Alonso, Massa, Hamilton, Raikkonen and Kubica - opt to sit it out, clearly happy that they've done enough. Time will tell.
Heidfeld's on a good lap, as is Schumacher.
The session is over, officially, but the drivers are still on track.
Webber goes ninth, as both Renaults miss the cut, as do Coulthard and Button. Liuzzi and Sato also fail to make it through to the final phase.
A replay shows that Kovalainen went off, or at least very wide, which screwed up his chances. The fact that both Renaults are out will not go down well with Uncle Flav.
Order in the second phase: Alonso, Massa, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Kubica, Heidfeld, Trulli, Rosberg, Webber and Schumacher.
At the end of the pitlane, Hamilton waits for the light to go green, his teammate right behind him. The clock goes 14.45, the lights go green, and the fuel burn off begins.
Raikkonen gets frustrated at being stuck behind a cruising Schumacher, as does Rosberg.
Alonso has passed Hamilton and clearly has the 'pedal to the metal'. The Spaniard goes quickest, posting 35.714. Massa is second, ahead of Raikkonen, Kubica and Hamilton. Early days.
Rosberg is the first to pit, followed shortly afterwards by Webber.
With eight minutes remaining, both McLarens pit, as do Raikkonen and Kubica. The Spaniard almost collects the Finn as he exits the pits.
Seven minutes remaining and Rosberg posts 37.807 to go fifth, the German youngster is pushing hard.
Webber goes fourth (37.587), as Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector. The Finn loses time in the second sector, losing ground to Alonso.
Alonso goes quickest with a 35.682, ahead of Massa, Raikkonen and Hamilton. Heidfeld is fifth ahead of Kubica.
Massa goes wide, hence the failure to improve on his previous best. Elsewhere, the Toyota drivers are both on good laps. Indeed, Trulli goes seventh.
Just over two minutes remaining, and the big guns stop for fresh rubber. The final shoot-out begins. Hamilton getting out ahead of Massa.
Schumacher improves to eleventh.
Rosberg improve to fifth with a 36.829, as Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector. That said, Alonso and Massa are also on hot laps.
Massa goes quickest in the first two sectors, as Raikkonen posts 35.479. However, it is the Brazilian Ferrari driver who takes pole with a 35.043, as Alonso snatches second (35.310).
Hamilton finishes fourth, ahead of Heidfeld, Rosberg, Kubica, Trulli, Schumacher and Webber.
Having set the pace on Friday, Massa will be justifiably delighted to be on pole fro tomorrow's race, especially in light of his problems in Melbourne.
Alonso was close, but not close enough, while Raikkonen and Hamilton both did the best they could. The fact is that, based on the evidence to date, Massa is the pace setter here.
BMW will be delighted to have cars on the third and fourth rows while Rosberg and indeed Williams continue to impress.
Continuing to run against the form we witnessed in pre-season testing, Toyota will be delighted to have both cars in the top ten, while Webber did a splendid job for Red Bull.
The biggest shock of the day isn't the (poor) form of the Honda, for that is what we, and the Brackley outfit's drivers, pretty much expected. No, the big shock is to see neither Renault make it to the final phase, remember, this is the reigning World Champions of whom we speak.
After the thrills of the first corner at Albert Park, we can hopefully expect more of the same tomorrow, with McLaren and Ferrari going head to head and BMW, Toyota and Rosberg aiming to pick up the pieces should it all go wrong.
There has wild been talk that Ferrari has both titles in the bag. Based on the evidence thus far this weekend, the Italian team has a real fight on its hands.
Which is good news for us, and good news for F1.
To check out our Sepang qualifying gallery, click here