06/10/2007
NEWS STORY
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As we await the start of today's qualifying session, the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 46 degrees. It is bright and sunny.
Kimi Raikkonen has been the pace-setter in every session thus far, but can he dominate now, when it really matters?
The lights go green and first man out on track is Kimi Raikkonen, who had a hydraulics problem at the end of this morning's free practice session. Trulli, Sutil, Yamamoto and Kovalainen are also on track.
While Raikkonen returns to the pits, having probably simply opted for a systems check, Yamamoto sets the benchmark time, 1:40.285. Which isn't much of a benchmark. Moments later Kovalainen posts 37.810.
As Hamilton leaves the pits, Rosberg goes quickest, ahead of Schumacher and Davidson. However, moments later it is Webber who claims the top spot.
At the first split Hamilton is 0.577s up on Webber, while by the second split he's 0.967s up on the Red Bull driver. At the line the World Championship leader posts 1:35.798, the quickest lap of the weekend thus far.
Vettel momentarily goes second before being bumped down by Kubica. However, all eyes are on Massa, who goes quickest in the second sector. As Alonso goes second (35.809), Massa crosses the line at 35.792 to go quickest, by 0.006s.
With less than five minutes remaining, Raikkonen heads down the pitlane. Kovalainen and Trulli are still in the danger zone, with Wurz and Button only just above them.
Raikkonen begins his first flying lap, and by the end of the first sector he's 0.063s up on his teammate. At the second split he's 0.237s to the good, finally crossing the line at 35.692, going quickest by 0.100s.
While the top five, which includes Kubica, settle for what they've already done, the remaining drivers are all on track. Barrichello goes twelfth, which should be enough, but one never knows.
Wurz goes eleventh, as Barrichello improves again, however, Sato fails to improve. Schumacher goes eleventh, which pushes Fisichella down to eighteenth, therefore the Renault veteran misses the cut.
Out at the first hurdle are, Yamamoto, Sutil, Sato, Wurz, Fisichella and Barrichello.
Quickest was Raikkonen, ahead of Massa, Hamilton, Alonso, Kubica, Heidfeld, Coulthard, Vettel, Liuzzi and Button.
Neither Fisichella nor Wurz have done their job prospects for 2008 much good here today.
The second phase gets underway, but as is often the case there is no rush to get out on track.
Finally, almost four minutes into the session, Kovalainen heads down the pitlane, followed by Massa, Button, Schumacher and Trulli. As the Finn goes quickest in the first sector, all but the BMW drivers are on track.
The first wave sees Coulthard quickest, ahead of Webber and Liuzzi, but then the big guns begin their flying laps.
Massa goes quickest, but is then bumped down by Raikkonen (35.381) as Hamilton goes third. Moments later the Englishman is demoted to fourth by his McLaren teammate.
Behind the 'big four', Coulthard is fifth, ahead of Webber, Liuzzi and Button. However, the BMWs are now on track.
Heidfeld goes eighth as his teammate takes fifth with a 36.116.
With less than four minutes remaining, Rosberg, Trulli, Schumacher, Kovalainen, Vettel and Davidson are still in the danger zone.
The Renault crew works frantically on Kovalainen's car, the Finn leaving his garage with just over two minutes on the clock. All but the 'big four' are on track.
The clock stops with all twelve drivers on track. Rosberg goes tenth, but is it enough? Heidfeld improves to sixth, while Webber goes seventh. Moments later, Coulthard takes seventh, demoting his teammate, while Kubica takes fifth. In his desperation, Kovalainen goes wide at the final corner, losing time, and missing the cut. "Sorry guys," the Finn tells his crew, "I tried too much, sorry."
Therefore, at the second hurdle, we lose; Rosberg, Davidson, Kovalainen, Trulli, Vettel and Liuzzi.
Ahead of the final phase, Lewis Hamilton heads the queue - as is usual - with Fernando Alonso right behind him. When we say "right behind him", that's exactly what we mean, the Spaniard pursues the Englishman clearly looking for a way past him.
Hamilton posts the benchmark (37.432), as Alonso eases off, just a little. Raikkonen third quickest, ahead of Coulthard and Massa.
Just over five minutes into the session, Hamilton is the first to pit, surprisingly early compared to previous races. Four other drivers follow his example. Next time around, Alonso pits.
Hamilton, on his first flying lap, goes quickest in the first sector. He's quickest again in the second, finally crossing the line at 36.610. His father watches impassively from the McLaren garage.
Several other drivers are setting personal bests in various sectors, but nobody is matching Hamilton's pace. That said, Alonso goes quickest in the second sector, before Raikkonen goes quicker.
The Spaniard goes second with 36.754, then Raikkonen takes provisional pole with a 36.548. As Coulthard posts 37.972 to go fifth, Massa takes provisional pole with a 36.221.
With three and a half minutes remaining, the final round of stops begins. Hamilton stops, his front wing is adjusted.
Alonso is on softs as are Hamilton, Massa and Raikkonen.
Hamilton begins his final flying lap, and immediately goes quickest in the first sector. As the English rookie goes quickest in sector two, only Raikkonen appears to be on a similar pace.
At the line Hamilton posts 35.908 to take provisional pole. Alonso fails to improve while Raikkonen takes second by going quickest in the final sector.
Therefore, World Championship leader Hamilton starts from pole, ahead of Raikkonen, Massa, Alonso, Coulthard, Schumacher, Webber, Heidfeld, Kubica and Button.
Well, against all the odds, Hamilton takes pole, and as his engineer rightly says it was his best lap of the weekend, and amongst his best of the season.
For a while it looked as though Ferrari was set to dominate the front row, which would have allowed Massa to ride shotgun for Raikkonen, much as Irvine and Barrichello did for Schumacher.
That said, let's not forget that there is a 70 per cent chance of rain, and one cannot help but feel that several drivers had this in mind.
Tremendous performances from Coulthard and Webber, getting both Red Bulls into the top seven, while Ralf Schumacher clearly has a job interview coming up in the next few days.
Button will be delighted to have made it into the top ten, while BMW's lack of form here is a real mystery, or is the German team banking on a another Japan-style lottery tomorrow.
All Hamilton has to do tomorrow is finish ahead of his main rival, Alonso, however, it appears that the young scamp want to take the title it style, by adding another race win to his tally.
To check out our Shanghai qualifying gallery, click here