20/06/2009
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's qualifying session, the air temperature is 16 degrees C, while the track temperature is 25 degrees. It remains overcast, with some dark clouds in the distance, but it remains dry.
Williams topped the timesheets this morning, but nobody seriously expects them to be challenging for pole here this afternoon, not unless condition deteriorate.
For much of the weekend Red Bull has led the way, with Sebastian Vettel, in particular looking good. However, while the Brawn's have not come anywhere near to matching the pace of the Milton Keynes cars we don't believe for a minute that the Brackley team has run out of steam, let's not forget that ace strategist Ross Brawn is at the helm.
Therefore, while we believe that it will be a Red Bull on pole, the Brawn will be up there, with the Toyotas, Ferraris, Alonso and those nippy Williams.
The best times posted this morning were on the soft option, however, if the temperature rises the hard tyres could look more attractive.
Remarkably, despite the massive investment, said to be as much as half-a billion between the ten teams - only Ferrari is using KERS this weekend. So much for cost cutting.
The lights go green, and Kubica - slowest this morning - is first out, followed by Fisichella, Bourdais and Heidfeld.
Fisichella posts 1.732 and Heidfeld 21.431, while Kubica can only manage 25.145.
Bourdais goes quickest with a 21.105, only to be eclipsed by Sutil, who has looked impressive all weekend thus far. Glock goes second with a 21.073.
The crowd erupts as Button begins his first flying lap of the session, posting 21.235 to go fifth. Within seconds however, he's bumped down to seventh as Rosberg goes second and Raikkonen sixth.
It's a Toyota 1-2 as Trulli goes quickest (19.915) ahead of his teammate. However, moments later Button splits the duo, posting an impressive 19.967. Next time around, Trulli goes quickest in all three sectors, crossing the line at 19.356. Nakajima goes second.
A 19.228 sees Rosberg go second, as Raikkonen improves to fourth. Meanwhile, Trulli goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 18.886.
Webber goes second, however, all eyes are on teammate Vettel who can only manage fourth (19.382).
Next time around, Webber goes quickest in the first sector, and again in the second, crossing the line at 18.763 to go quickest. Moments later, however, Vettel steals his thunder with a 18.685, as Hamilton gets all out of shape in Becketts.
Alonso goes fourth with an impressive 19.167, his teammate is currently twentieth.
BMW still struggling, Heidfeld fourteenth and Kubica sixteenth. Elsewhere, Webber re-takes the top spot with an 18.674.
With just over six minutes remaining, Kovalainen, who was on pole here last year, is the first driver to switch to the oft option. He is currently twentieth. Elsewhere, Heidfeld takes to the grass at Stowe.
With less than five minutes remaining, Raikkonen, Massa, Heidfeld and Kovalainen are all in the danger zone, with Hamilton hovering in fifteenth.
Raikkonen improves to sixth, while fellow-Finn Kovalainen can only manage seventeenth. A mistake by Massa at Brooklands doesn't stop the Brazilian improving to ninth.
Kovalainen has less than two minutes to improve, as does teammate Hamilton.
The Finn goes fourteenth, as Hamilton has a poor first sector as he begins his final out lap.
Disaster for Hamilton, as Sutil crashes heavily at Abbey. The car is destroyed, however, the German is out of the car and clearly OK. However, the subsequent red flag means that Hamilton will not be able to improve and therefore will start the race from nineteenth.
At the first hurdle we lose Fisichella, Bourdais, Sutil, Buemi and the hapless Hamilton.
Quickest was Nakajima, who posted a superb 18.530 just as Sutil was going into the barriers, ahead of Webber, Vettel, Trulli, Button, Raikkonen, Massa, Alonso, Glock and Rosberg.
Replays show it was a massive accident, with it looking like a mechanical - moist likely brakes - as opposed to driver error.
Unbelievably, though there are 17s of Q1 remaining, when the clock is re-started Buemi goes out for a lap, even though he is effectively out of the running.
The lights go green for Q2, and as ever there's a short wait before anyone takes to the track, as it happens, pole favourite Vettel is first out. Maybe his team knows something we don't, weather-wise. Massa and Raikkonen also out early. While Vettel is on the hard compound, both Ferraris are on softs.
The German aborts his first flying lap and instead uses the final sector in which to generate heat into his tyres for his second attempt. Meanwhile, Webber (hard) goes quickest ahead of Massa, Rosberg and Raikkonen.
Alonso posts 18.904 to go second, as Webber consolidates his top spot with an 18.209.
Trulli goes second (18.649), only to be demoted by Nakajima, who continues to impress this weekend. Vettel goes third with an 18.636.
Trulli re-takes second (8.512), as Barrichello goes sixth and Button eleventh. Heidfeld and Piquet yet to post a time.
With just over five minutes remaining, Heidfeld and Piquet both have moments. Both BMWs are in the danger zone, as are Kovalainen, Piquet and World Championship leader Button. The Ferrari duo are hovering just above the drop zone.
All but Alonso and Webber are on track as the final assault begins.
Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector, as Kovalainen fails to improve. Raikkonen goes third, crossing the line at 8.566.
Less than two minutes and Button and Massa are on good laps, not brilliant, but good. The Brazilian goes eighth and the Brawn driver seventh. However, Barrichello is on a good lap, going quickest in the first sector. The Brazilian goes third with an 18.335.
Massa and Button are both looking to improve, having been pushed back into danger following improvements from rivals.
Vettel pops in a late stunner to go quickest, while Massa fails to make the cut having been pushed into the drop zone.
At the second hurdle we lose Massa, Kubica, Kovalainen, Piquet and Heidfeld.
Quickest was Vettel, ahead of Webber, Trulli, Barrichello, Raikkonen, Nakajima, Rosberg, Button, Alonso and Glock.
Q3 gets underway, and within moments all but Alonso are on track. Raikkonen and Barrichello are immediately on the pace, as are the Red Bull duo.
Vettel goes quickest, Button second and Trulli third, ahead of Raikkonen and Glock.
Vettel is pushing hard, however Barrichello goes quickest, the Brazilian crossing the line at 20.536. Vettel goes quicker but Webber goes quicker still, the Australian posting 20.040. Button is up to fifth.
The driver pit to make their final changes, the assault gets underway.
Vettel goes quickest in the first sector, while Barrichello goes quickest in the second.
Barrichello crosses the line at 19.856 to take provisional pole, but moments later Vettel posts 19.509. Webber fails to improve, but he has time for another lap. Trulli is fourth ahead of Button and Rosberg.
Webber loses timer in traffic in the first sector, while his second sector is poor. He fails to improve and remains third.
Nakajima improves to fifth, edging out Button, Rosberg and Glock.
Sebastian Vettel takes his third pole position of the season, and its probably fair to say that the German will fancy his chances tomorrow whatever the weather.
Rubens Barrichello spoils the Red Bull party, a combination of a faultless drive by the Brazilian veteran and a difficult final lap for Mark Webber.
A typically dogged performance from Jarno Trulli while Kazuki Nakajima lives up to the promise he's been showing all weekend, out-qualifying his teammate for the first time since Brazil 2008.
World Championship leader Jenson Button will be hoping for warmer conditions tomorrow, however, we remain convinced that he'll give a good account of himself whatever the conditions.
Due to the usual uncertainty over strategy, not to mention the typically British weather, it would be pointless to continue hypothesizing as to what might happen tomorrow, all that really matters is that we get a race worthy of the name and that for a couple of hours we can forget the political bull that's been dominating the headlines in recent weeks.