25/04/2009
NEWS STORY
 |
Ahead of today's all-important qualifying session, the air temperature is 38 degrees while the track temperature is 51 degrees. Hot and sunny, as ever, however, the wind is picking up.
This morning's session, in particular, didn't really give us any sort of clear idea as to who's hot and who's not. Timo Glock was quickest but suffered a technical failure that left him stranded by the side of the track. Meanwhile, the Brawns were well down the timesheets with both drivers being told to go easy on their engine for fear of overheating.
Ferraris were on the pace this morning, but one feels that this is not a true indication of the Italian team really lies in terms of the opposition. The same can almost certainly be said of BMW.
Renault are clearly being very cagey, and something tells us that Fernando Alonso will be attempting the same strategy we saw in China, i.e. running on fumes in order to be at the front.
As for the Shanghai winners, Red Bull, while they didn't exactly set the timesheets alive this morning, we feel that in terms of true form, the Brackley outfit is behind the Brawn GP cars, but just a little. Despite Glock's technical problem earlier, watch out for the Toyotas this afternoon, particularly qualifying whiz-kid Trulli.
As for Williams, which thus far have been unable to convert their practice pace into qualifying or race results, maybe this is the weekend when things will go right for the Grove outfit.
Four teams are using KERS this weekend - Renault, BMW, McLaren and Ferrari - while the tyre options are medium and super-soft, which we will refer to as hard and soft.
The moment the lights go green, Fisichella slips out of the Force India garage, keen to get to work. The Silverstone-based outfit, which has a raft of upgrades on the car this weekend, including an interim diffuser, has looked good in all three practice sessions.
Kovalainen is another the first of the big guns to go out, joined by Sutil, Bourdais and Piquet.
Fisichella crosses the line at 1:35.931 to post the first time of the session, with Sutil going second with a 38.779. Moments later, Kovalainen crosses the line at 35.542.
As more and more cars go out the times begin to tumble. As Vettel begins his first flying lap, the order is Bourdais, Rosberg and Trulli.
Vettel goes fourth, the Red Bull looking very, very good. Elsewhere, Trulli goes quickest in the first two sectors, crossing the line at 34.117 to quickest overall. Vettel goes second with a 34.159.
Raikkonen goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 33.648, as Webber takes seventh courtesy of a 4.534. A big lock-up for Kovalainen at the notorious Turn 9/10 combination.
Button goes fourth as Raikkonen continues to set a blistering pace, the Finn raising the benchmark with a 33.524. However, Massa posts 33.512 to go quickest, a 1-2 for Ferrari.
Hamilton goes quickest in the first sector, going on to post a 33.290 to go quickest, despite only being fastest in that one sector.
Buemi goes quickest in the first sector, crossing the line at 3.856 to go fifth, as Barrichello takes tenth with a 34.158. Both BMWs are on track, neither driver having posted a time yet.
Nakajima goes fourth with a 33.798, as Heidfeld posts 34.093 to go ninth. Moments later, Kubica goes sixth with a 33.946.
With just over six minutes remaining, Piquet goes fourth, as Glock, Kovalainen and Webber remain in the danger zone. Alonso, Rosberg and Barrichello are far from safe.
Interestingly, many drivers are already on softs rather than simply saving them for the final shoot-out.
Heidfeld improves to fifth, only to be demoted by Rosberg who posts a 33.672.
As Webber and Kovalainen seek to improve, Trulli goes quickest in the first sector. Kovalainen goes second with a 33.479, as Trulli continues to set an amazing pace, as does his Toyota teammate. The German goes quickest but is immediately leap-frogged by the Italian who crosses the line at 32.779.
Both Brawns still in danger, as are Alonso and Webber. Elsewhere, Vettel goes second with a 2.912 as Webber loses time behind Sutil. Bad news for the Australian.
Barrichello goes third, only to be demoted by his Brawn teammate. Hamilton on a very fast lap as Vettel goes quickest with 32.680.
Hamilton improves to third, as Alonso steals thirteenth at the death, Buemi fails to improve and consequently misses the cut.
Quickest in phase 1, was Vettel, Trulli, Hamilton, Button, Barrichello, Raikkonen, Glock, Nakajima, Massa and Heidfeld.
Alonso confirms that he lost time behind Sutil and Kubica, as did Webber a lap earlier. There is a good chance, looking at the replays, that the stewards will look into both incidents.
Along with Webber, we lose Sutil, Buemi, Fisichella and Bourdais.
Phase 2 gets underway, with Kovalainen first out. As the Finn begins his flying lap, Massa, Raikkonen, Trulli, Glock, Button and Barrichello leave the pits.
Kovalainen crosses the line at 1:33.273 to set the benchmark, as Barrichello gets out of shape at Turn 1.
Barrichello goes quickest (33.250), as Raikkonen and Trulli go quickest in various sectors. The Finn goes quickest with a 32.827, ahead of Trulli, Glock and Button.
All eyes on Hamilton who goes quickest in the first sector, while Vettel goes quickest in the second. The World Champion can only manage seventh, while Vettel goes quickest with a 32.474.
A 32.860 sees Alonso go third, Renault continuing to surprise and confuse. Nakajima and the BMW drivers have yet to post a time.
Nakajima goes tenth with a 3.348, as Kubica goes thirteenth and Heidfeld fourteenth.
Kovalainen is back on track as the final charge gets underway. Four minutes remaining.
The Finn improves to eighth, which hardly makes him secure.
All but Vettel on track, the German clearly satisfied with his time, and why wouldn't he be?
Hamilton goes quickest in the first sector, as Massa improves to fifth with a 33.014. Barrichello takes third with a 2.842 as teammate Button goes fourth.
Trulli pops in a 32.671 to go second, only to be leapfrogged by his Toyota teammate. Both BMW drivers fail to improve ad does Piquet, who gets it all wrong at Turn 14.
Vettel tops the timesheets ahead of Glock, Trulli, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Button, Alonso, Hamilton, Massa and Rosberg.
We lose Piquet, Heidfeld, Kubica, Nakajima and Kovalainen, the McLarens clearly not having made as big a move forward as suggested by yesterday's practice times.
Vettel looking very good, but so too do the Toyotas, not to mention Raikkonen and, of course, the Brawns.
Timo Glock is first out for Phase 3, followed by Rosberg, as Kazuki Nakajima walks to the weigh-station. Piquet walks through the paddock looking very forlorn.
Glock (softs) posts the benchmark time, crossing the line at 34.366. Trulli, also on softs, posts 34.297 just moments later.
Button goes third as Vettel is shown really throwing the Red Bull around. Hamilton takes fourth with a 5.042. Alonso goes sixth.
Vettel (34.810) can only manage fourth, as attention shifts to Barrichello and the Ferraris. The Brawn driver go fifth, as Rosberg runs wide at Turn 13. Massa goes eighth and Raikkonen ninth.
Just over two minutes remaining and all ten drivers are on track as the final assault on pole gets underway.
Button goes quickest in the first sector, but Hamilton goes even quicker. The Brawn driver goes quickest in sector two, however, this time Hamilton cannot match him.
Button takes provisional pole with a 34.044, as Hamilton goes second with a 34.196.
Glock goes quickest in the final two sectors to take provisional pole, as Vettel can only mane second. Moments later, however, qualifying specialist Trulli crosses the line at 33.431 to make it a Toyota front row. Barrichello can only manage sixth.
A superb performance from both Toyota drivers giving the Japanese team its third pole but its first ever front row lock-out.
Vettel finishes third, ahead of Button, Hamilton, Barrichello, Alonso, Massa, Rosberg and Raikkonen.
While the fuel loads will put everything into perspective, at this stage we see no reason to change our opinion, feeling that in terms of the race it will be Brawn ahead of Red Bull (Vettel) and Toyota.
Hamilton will be delighted with fifth, while Alonso is at least ahead of the Ferraris, the Italian outfit having got both cars into the final shoot-out. Another good performance from Rosberg also.
With no chance of rain tomorrow, it remains to be seen whether the predicted sandstorm will make an appearance.
A great qualifying session, let's hope the race can live up to it.