08/09/2007
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session, the air temperature is 28 degrees C, and the track temperature is 34 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.
Following his accident this morning, Kimi Raikkonen will use the T-car, but with his original engine, which was not damaged. That said, the Finn, who lost track-time yesterday afternoon also, is under pressure having only completed one flying lap this morning. After Istanbul, Raikkonen was first to admit that his mistakes in qualifying have cost him a couple of wins this year.
First out is Vettel, now sporting a short, somewhat butch, haircut. The German is followed by Sutil, Yamamoto and Raikkonen, who is clearly keen to get his first 'taste' of the T-car.
Vettel sets the benchmark, crossing the line at 1:24.186, watched, from the pit wall, by fellow German, seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher.
Moments later, Raikkonen goes quickest, crossing the line at 22.673, only marginally off his teammate's time this morning. As Trulli goes second, Yamamoto gets it all wrong at the first chicane, taking off the nose as he gently clouts the barrier. The Japanese driver is able to continue and heads back to the pits.
Webber goes second, ahead of Sato, Trulli and Fisichella, as Alonso and Hamilton head down the pitlane. Only Massa hasn't made an appearance yet.
Sato spins at the second chicane as Kovalainen goes second. Elsewhere, Hamilton goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 21.956.
Kubica goes third, ahead of Barrichello, as Alonso begins his first flying lap. Massa is also on track now.
A 21.718 sees Alonso go quickest, the Spaniard running on the (less popular) harder compound.
Heidfeld goes fifth, but is immediately demoted by Massa, who goes third (22.309).
With less than four minutes remaining, Schumacher and Coulthard are still in the danger zone, as are Liuzzi, Davidson and the Spykers. Button, Trulli, Rosberg and Sato are hovering just above the danger zone.
Of the top six, only Raikkonen is on track. The Finn is currently fourth on the timesheets.
On the approach to the Parabolica, there's a car ahead of Yamamoto, much to the obvious frustration of the Japanese driver who shakes his fist repeatedly.
Coulthard stops by the side of the track at the first chicane, having lost the back end, his session over, as Button goes thirteenth, just ahead of Trulli. The waved yellow flags, as a result of Coulthard's stranded Red Bull, are not helping matters.
Consequently, at the first hurdle we lose Yamamoto, Sutil, Coulthard, Liuzzi, Schumacher and Sato.
Quickest was Alonso, ahead of Hamilton, Massa, Raikkonen, Kubica, Heidfeld, Rosberg, Barrichello, Kovalainen and Fisichella. Both Hondas made the cut, the first time for as long as we can remember.
The lights go green, signalling the start of phase two, however, as ever, there is no apparent eagerness to get things going.
With almost three minutes of the phase gone, Jarno Trulli heads down the pitlane. Finally, it begins.
Within moments, ten other drivers are on track, including Raikkonen.
Trulli posts a 23.381 to set the benchmark, but Webber and Davidson are already on hot laps.
Sure enough, Webber goes quickest (23.315), only to be demoted by Barrichello… what are the Hondas on?
Massa goes quickest, but Hamilton is already on a very fast lap. The Englishman duly crosses the line at 21.746 to take the top spot. Raikkonen goes third (22.369), ahead of Rosberg, Kovalainen, Barrichello and Webber.
Alonso goes quickest in the first sector, but the BMWs are also looking good.
At the second split Alonso is 0.118s up on his teammate, crossing the line at 21.356 to go quickest. Heidfeld goes fifth, slotting in behind the McLarens and Ferraris, only to be edged out by his BMW teammate, who posts 22.400.
With four minutes remaining, Trulli, Button, Wurz and Fisichella are still in the danger zone, as are Vettel and Davidson.
The top six wait patiently in the garages, letting the minions continue the battle for the remaining places in the final shoot-out.
Barrichello stays ninth, having failed to improve, as Trulli and Davidson begin their hot laps.
Trulli goes eighth, and Kovalainen ninth, everyone pushing himself and his car to the very limit. Somehow, Button produces a 23.021 to go eighth, which is bad news for his teammate and Webber. Meanwhile, Fisichella misses the cut, the Italian feeling that he was hampered by Barrichello.
Therefore we lose Vettel, Fisichella, Davidson, Wurz, Barrichello and Webber.
Quickest was Alonso, ahead of Hamilton, Massa, Raikkonen, Kubica, Heidfeld, Rosberg, Button, Trulli and Kovalainen.
The big question now is whether Ferrari has been keeping something in reserve, or whether McLaren really is that good here. Then again, the BMW duo looks strong, as ever.
Hamilton heads the queue at the end of the pitlane ahead of the final phase. Behind him wait the Ferraris, Rosberg, Trulli, Button, Kubica, Heidfeld, Kovalainen and Alonso.
Hamilton posts a 24.032, but Heidfeld is almost as quick, crossing the line at 24.147. That said, it's the fuel burn phase, still early days.
Hamilton continues to set a (surprisingly) strong pace, with Massa, Heidfeld and Alonso keeping him honest.
Trulli is the first to pit, followed by Massa and the rest.
Having been the first to pit, Trulli is the first driver to set a 'real' lap time, however, it's nowhere near enough to challenge the McLarens.
Hamilton consolidates his place at the top of the timesheets, but is quickly eclipsed by Massa. Moments later however, the Englishman retakes the top spot. That said, a 21.997 sees Alonso go quickest.
With just over three minutes remaining, the final round of stops begins. The order is: Alonso, Hamilton, Massa, Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Kubica, Kovalainen, Rosberg, Trulli and Button. Once again, last to pit is Alonso.
Massa begins his final flying lap, posting a personal best in the first sector. However, moments later, Hamilton goes quickest of all in the first sector.
Massa stays third, all eyes on his rivals especially Alonso, who goes quickest of all in the first sector.
Raikkonen fails to improve, as does Hamilton, the mechanics applaud realizing that Alonso has secured pole position. Meanwhile, Heidfeld steals fourth from Raikkonen by nine-thousandths of a second.
Starting behind Alonso tomorrow afternoon will be Hamilton, Massa, Heidfeld, Raikkonen, Kubica, Kovalainen, Rosberg, Trulli and Button.
For a brief sublime moment of time, the spy saga bullsh*t is put aside, and we can all focus on the racing. At a time when everything else appears to be going to pot, McLaren has something to celebrate.
One can only guess what sort of time Alonso might have set had Hamilton and Massa not failed to improve, however, the fact is the Spaniard appeared to have it all under control.
If we are to get a genuine race tomorrow and not one of the Monza high-speed pursuits we've suffered in recent years, then it is to be hoped that Ferrari, and perhaps BMW, can raise their game. Other than that it is to be hoped that the McLaren duo will be allowed to go head-to-head.
To check out our Monza qualifying gallery, click here