05/04/2008
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's qualifying session, the air temperature is 28 degrees C, while the track temperature is 45 degrees.
The lights go green and the first twenty minute phase gets underway, Nelson Piquet seemingly the only driver keen to get to work. That said, as he disappears into the distance, Bourdais, Vettel, Davidson and Sato head down the pitlane.
The Brazilian posts the first time of the afternoon, crossing the line at 34.945, as Vettel goes second, ahead of Davidson and Sato.
As Rosberg begins a hot lap, Glock goes quickest in the second sector. At this stage the timing screens freeze.
Rosberg goes quickest but is soon demoted by Trulli, as Glock goes third. However, all eyes are on Hamilton and Kovalainen, the Finn beginning to turn up the pressure on the English driver.
Trulli consolidates his top spot with a 33.844, however, Hamilton has gone quickest in the first two sectors. The McLaren driver crosses the line at 32.758 to take spot, with his teammate going second moments later (33.057).
Halfway through the phase, no sign of the Ferraris but the Renaults are on track.
Hamilton improves by 0.008s, even though he's running on the softs. Elsewhere, the Ferrari head down the pitlane.
Alonso goes third (33.746) behind the McLarens. Massa goes quickest in the first sector as Webber goes third, ahead of Rosberg, Bourdais and Button.
Massa goes quickest in the second sector, but the yellow flags are out after Sato loses it and spins across the track towards the tyre barriers.
A 31.937 sees Massa go quickest, however, did he set that time while the yellow flags were waving? Raikkonen takes second, but he too may have done a naughty.
The session is stopped as Sato's Super Aguri is cleared, a couple of minutes after the incident.
With just under five minutes remaining, it's: Massa, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Kubica, Kovalainen, Heidfeld, Webber, Rosberg, Nakajima and Bourdais.
In the danger zone are: Vettel, Coulthard, Sutil, Davidson, Sato and Fisichella, with Glock, Trulli, Alonso and Piquet on the cusp.
A couple of minutes later, the session resumes, with four minutes on the clock it's going to be frantic… that said, it's almost a minute before anyone makes a move. Vettel finally breaking the deadlock.
The Ferraris don't appear to be going out, which means that the team is confident that those times will stand.
Vettel (softs) has centre stage as he begins his flying lap. As the German winds his way across the desert track, nearly all his rivals are showing signs of improvement.
Vettel goes twelfth, as Rosberg takes fifth and Glock fourth. It's hard to keep up with it, there are so many cars on track and all running together.
When the smoke clears, we have lost Sato, Davidson, Sutil, Vettel, Fisichella and Coulthard.
Massa was quickest, ahead of Trulli, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Button, Glock, Kubica, Barrichello and Alonso. Red Bull will be feeling particularly disappointed, having looked so strong in the previous sessions. Heidfeld also not looking that hot, the German having problems with the wind in this morning's session.
The lights go green, but it is almost four minutes before an engine fires up. Alonso and Piquet lead the way, followed by Webber.
Piquet (softs) posts the benchmark ( 32.824), but this is soon beaten, and Trulli goes to the top of the timesheets. Rosberg (soft) goes second, as Hamilton (soft) goes quickest with a 31.922.
Massa (soft) goes quickest in all three sectors, taking the top spot with a 31.188, as his Finnish teammate (also soft) goes third.
Kovalainen posts 31.718 goes second, as Kubica takes third. Heidfeld (soft) is the last driver to post a time, and it's only good enough for eighth, the German still not on the pace.
Before the final assault, it's Massa, Kovalainen, Kubica, Hamilton, Raikkonen and Trulli, with Nakajima, Bourdais, Piquet, Button, Webber and Alonso in the danger zone. Glock and Barrichello hovering just above.
When the final assault begins, with less than two minutes remaining, the top five remain in their garages, convinced that they've done enough.
Bourdais (soft) not showing signs of improving, unlike Trulli, Webber and Nakajima.
Trulli improves with a 32.159, as Webber takes ninth, but is then demoted by Alonso. Moments later, Button adds to Webber's misery as he pushes the Australian into the drop zone.
So, we lose Nakajima, Bourdais, Piquet, Glock, Barrichello and Webber.
Quickest was Massa, ahead of Kovalainen, Kubica, Heidfeld, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Trulli, Rosberg, Alonso and Button.
Now we have the all-important final shoot-out for pole, and in case you are not aware the rules have been changed following the incidents in Malaysia. In this final phase drivers who have completed their flying laps must complete their in-laps in a minimum time, which, here in Bahrain, is 1:39.
Rosberg (medium) is first out, the German having been told, despite his doubts, what the best front wing setting for his Williams is.
Rosberg posts the benchmark (34.776), but Heidfeld immediately goes quicker. Hamilton (soft) makes a little mistake, but nonetheless he goes quickest. However, Massa (soft) and Kubica (soft) are both on hot laps. The Brazilian makes a mistake, but like Hamilton manages to take the top spot, with Kubica taking second. Raikkonen can only manage fifth.
The drivers make their way back to the pits ahead of the final phase. Hamilton is told that it is in the last sector where he's losing time.
Kovalainen posts a personal best in the first sector, as do Kubica and Raikkonen, however, Hamilton goes quickest of all in the second sector. The Englishman goes quickest, crossing the line at 33.292.
However, Massa and Kubica are on blinding lap. Kubica takes provisional pole - no pun intended - with a 33.096, and despite his best efforts, Massa is unable to beat it.
The Pole is on pole, his and BMW's first ever, with Massa second, ahead of Hamilton, Raikkonen, Kovalainen, Heidfeld, Trulli, Rosberg, Button and Alonso.
A fantastic performance from Robert, even though he was probably running on fumes, while BMW gets to tick another box in its 'Year Three Masterplan'.
Just looking at the first three rows of the grid is enough, the prospect of a real three-way title battle rapidly becoming reality.
The puns over the next twenty-four hours will be excruciating - Pole on pole - but we're sure neither he or his team will be bothered.
The great news, other than the fact that we appear to have a new force in F1, is that for the last hour or so we haven't given a thought to the poxy bloody Mosley saga.