02/08/2008
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session, the air temperature is 30 degrees C, while the track temperature is 41 degrees. There is a lot more cloud than this morning, but there is no threat of rain.
Going by the three free practice sessions McLaren appear to have the edge, with Hamilton looking good for his third successive win. While Ferrari is 'up there', there seems to be a mood in the Italian camp, the teams simply doesn't look as though it's up for the fight, with Kimi Raikkonen looking much like he did in Germany.
The tyres in use here are the soft and super-soft, which she shall refer to as hard and soft. That said, when the best times were being set this morning there didn't appear to be much between them. Graining is an issue, and certain teams, most notable Ferrari, appear to be suffering more than others.
Glock and Piquet were both uncharacteristically prominent on this morning's timesheets, however, it is their respective teammates who we expect to be making a mark this afternoon and tomorrow. That said, both drivers are making obvious progress.
Despite their obvious problems with the tyres, and the apparent drop off of performance, expect BMW to be challenging, with Heidfeld clearly finding his feet again. Watch out for Toro Rosso also, with Bourdais looking a lot more confident this weekend.
While a Hamilton victory here would delight his many fans, if we're right about Ferrari being on the back foot this would be bad for F1, as the Englishman would look a red-hot certainty for the title. On current form, it's unlikely that we're going to see the title go down to the wire, however, we would dearly love to see the fight last as long as possible.
The lights go green for phase one, but it is almost a minute before Vettel breaks the deadlock and heads down the pitlane. He's followed by Coulthard, Bourdais and Rosberg.
Vettel sets the benchmark with a 1:21.464, with Coulthard going second and Bourdais third.
Glock is on track on softs, the German taking the top spot with a 20.258, one of the fastest laps of the weekend. Bourdais (hards) improves to second.
As Nakajima goes third (21.405), Kovalainen, Raikkonen and Massa head down the pitlane, followed, shortly afterwards, by Hamilton.
Of the four, it is Kovalainen who goes quickest in the first sector, the Finn maintaining the pace in the second. He goes quickest with a 20.156, as Massa (soft) goes third and Raikkonen (hard) fourth. Hamilton (hards) goes quickest in the first two sectors and again in the third, stopping the clock at 19.376 to go quickest.
Raikkonen improves to third, as Piquet goes sixth with a 20.798. However, both are demoted as Jarno Trulli posts 19.993 to snatch third.
As Webber (softs) goes seventh, Alonso (softs) begins his first flying lap. A small mistake means the Spaniard can only mange eighth (20.655).
All eyes on Kubica, who is running with the soft option. The Pole momentarily goes tenth (20.671), but is soon demoted as others improve. Next time around, a 20.625 sees the BMW driver improve to sixth. Elsewhere, his teammate goes fifteenth.
With five minutes remaining, Massa is back on track, on softs again.
Both Williams well off the pace in seventeenth and eighteenth.
While the top three - Hamilton, Kovalainen and Trulli - seem content with their times, Raikkonen, Massa, Kubica and Heidfeld clearly feel that there is room for improvement. All four are on track just before the final rush begins.
Massa goes second with a 19.578, however, Raikkonen remains fifth. Prior to what we previously said, Trulli is back on track.
Heidfeld gesticulates, feeling he was impeded by Bourdais as he began his final flying lap.
Rosberg (hards) improves to thirteenth, but is it enough? Nakajima improves but it isn't enough, as Button goes fifteenth bumping Heidfeld down and out of the session. There will surely be repercussions later, since the German will claim he missed the cut thanks to Bourdais.
Therefore, we lose Heidfeld, Nakajima, Barrichello, Fisichella and Sutil.
Quickest was Hamilton, ahead of Massa, Trulli, Kovalainen, Glock, Raikkonen, Kubica, Webber, Vettel and Alonso.
The second phase gets underway, with McLaren looking increasingly comfortable.
It is a couple of minutes before a car heads down the pitlane, it is Glock (hard), who is (surprisingly) followed by Raikkonen. Unusual to see a Ferrari out so early.
As Jarno Trulli (hard) head down the pitlane, his teammate posts the benchmark, crossing the line at 19.246. Moments later, Raikkonen crosses the line at 19.622, the Ferrari almost 0.4s down on the Toyota. Trulli goes third with a 19.666.
Alonso goes fourth and Piquet fifth, as Hamilton (softs) begins his flying lap. The Englishman is quickest in the first sector, nut his teammate is also on a very hot lap. Hamilton goes second and Kovalainen fourth, however, all eyes are on Massa (hard).
The Brazilian raises the benchmark with a 19.068, as BMW confirms that the earlier incident involving Heidfeld and Bourdais is under investigation.
Kubica (softs) begins his flying lap, he and Rosberg being the only drivers yet to post a time. The Pole goes seventh with a 19.776, but still no sign of Rosberg.
With three minutes remaining, Kovalainen and Raikkonen are both back on track, while Hamilton, Glock and Massa appear to have settled for what they have.
Rosberg has climbed out of his car, either he has a problem or else feels he cannot improve on fifteenth. Coulthard, Piquet, Button and Bourdais are also in the danger zone.
Vettel improves from tenth to ninth, as Coulthard fails to improve. Piquet goes ninth but is instantly demoted by Webber.
Trulli goes fifth with a 19.486, thereby leapfrogging Raikkonen, as Button misses the cut despite a heroic last minute charge.
Therefore, we now lose Vettel, Button, Coulthard, Bourdais and Rosberg.
Quickest was Massa, ahead of Glock, Hamilton, Kovalainen, Trulli, Raikkonen, Kubica, Alonso, Webber and Piquet. Both Toyotas and Renaults through to the final shoot-out.
The lights go green for phase three and it is the Toyotas that lead the way, Trulli leading his teammate Glock into battle. Both are on hards.
Glock crosses the line at 21.326 to set the benchmark, and as his teammate goes second (21.991), the remaining eight drivers head down the pitlane.
Alonso goes quickest in the first sector, but then Kovalainen eclipses him, only for Hamilton to go even quicker.
Kubica goes third and Alonso fourth, but both are demoted as Massa and Raikkonen go second and third. However, Hamilton takes provisional pole with a 20.974, ahead of Glock and Massa. Surprisingly, Kovalainen can only manage ninth.
Just over two minutes remaining and all ten drivers are on track, all appearing to be on the harder option tyre. Massa is the last driver to come out, leaving the pits behind Hamilton, thereby setting up a grandstand finish to the session. It's Kubica that leads the pack.
Glock and Kubica both post personal bests in the first sector, the Pole going quickest in the second.
Kubica improves to second with a 21.281, however, Hamilton has gone quickest in the first sector.
Kovalainen goes second with a 21.140, as Hamilton improves with a 20.899 to consolidate his position at the top of the timesheets, making it an all-McLaren front row, the first of the season.
Massa finishes third, ahead of Kubica, Glock, Raikkonen, Alonso, Webber, Trulli and Piquet.
A superb performance from Hamilton, but then again, did we expect anything less? As we said before the start of the session the Englishman has looked supreme all season.
A last-minute charge sees Kovalainen take second, leading one to suspect that we may well witness a McLaren 1-2 tomorrow afternoon.
With Raikkonen looking increasingly out of it, Ferrari's hopes appear to rest on Massa, but the looks on the Ferrari crew for much of the weekend appear to suggest that this is all about damage limitation.
A great performance from Glock, especially considering his horrendous accident at Hockenheim just two weeks ago. With Trulli qualifying ninth, it appears that the Japanese team is finally making progress, a fact that will not be lost on great rivals Honda.
Another stoic performance from Alonso, which could well lead to another point or two tomorrow, while Webber takes a well-deserved eighth.
With no real prospect of rain tomorrow, much will depend on how the drivers treat their tyres. However, whatever way one looks at it, only a very brave man would bet against a McLaren victory tomorrow, with only an even braver man betting on Kovalainen.