03/07/2004
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of the first part of today's qualifying session, the ambient temperature is 22 degrees C, while the track temperature is 35 degrees. There are a few clouds, but it's unlikely to rain.
As ever, the drivers will go out in the order they finished the previous, therefore, not for the first time, Michael Schumacher will take to the track first, followed by teammate Rubens Barrichello.
At 13:00 precisely, Schumacher heads off down the pitlane. At the first split the German posts 23.6, followed by a 25.7 at the second. At the line the World Champion posts 1:13.541, a staggering time, the first time anyone has been in the 1:13s this weekend.
Ferrari don't have reason to celebrate though, Barrichello fails to leave his garage and therefore forfeit his run, instead Sato is next out.
As the Ferrari mechanics swarm over Barrichello's Ferrari, Sato begins his flying lap. At the first split the BAR star posts 23.9, followed by a 26s at the second. At the line it's 1:14.130, a good effort, but 0.589s down on Schumacher.
Jarno Trulli is next out, the Renault's looking good, but that lap of Schumacher's was a stunner. The Italian completes the first sector in 23.9, he's already 0.3s down on the German. At the second split it's 25.6, he's faster than Schumacher in that sector. At the line it's 1:13.949, he goes second as the pace well and truly hots up.
Next out is Olivier Panis, the Toyotas have been looking good this weekend. At the first split the Frenchman posts a disappointing 24.3, followed by a 25.7 at the second. The F1 veteran crosses the line at 1:14.540, exactly 0.999s off Schumacher's time.
All eyes on the MP4-19B of Kimi Raikkonen, this morning's pace-setter. At the first split the Finn posts 23.8s, he's down on Michael, but it's marginal. At the second split it's 25.8, it's still neck-and-neck. At the line the McLaren star posts 1:13.736, to go second, 0.195s off the pace.
David Coulthard is next out in the second MP4-19B. At the first split the Scot posts 23.9, followed by a 25.6 at the second. DC pushes hard, finally crossing the line at 1:13.649, to go second, leap-frogging his teammate.
Indy hero Zsolt Baumgartner is next out, the last of the US GP point scorers. At the first split the Minardi driver posts 25.1, not too bad, considering. At the second split it's 27.1s, followed by a 1:18.108 at the line.
Sauber's Giancarlo Fisichella is next out, he went off this morning. At the first split the Italian posts 24.4, followed by a 26.6s at the second. At the line 'Fisi' posts a disappointing 1:15.793, which puts him seventh.
All eyes on Mark Webber, who some are predicting could be in a WilliamsF1 in the near future. At the first split the Australian posts 24.2, followed by a 26.4 at the second. At the line the Jaguar driver posts 1:15.332, which puts him ahead of Fisichella.
Nick Heidfeld is next out, we hear that Eddie Jordan is offering the German to WilliamsF1 as replacement for Ralf.. for a price. At the first split the former F3000 champion posts 24.4, which he follows with a 26.7s at the second split. At the line it's 1:16.366, he splits Fisichella and Baumgartner.
Jenson Button had been having a quiet weekend, until the final moments of this morning's session, what can he do now? At the first split the English youngster posts 23.8, followed by a 25.7 at the second. The BAR star is pushing it to the limit, crossing the line at 1:13.772, to go fourth. A good lap.
Cristiano da Matta is next out in the Toyota. At the first split the Brazilian posts 24.1, he's already 0.2s up on his teammate. At the second split it's 25.7, followed by a 1:14.245 at the line, he's seventh.
Fernando Alonso really needs a good result this weekend, a good grid position would be a start. At the first split the Spaniard posts 24s followed by a 25.6 at the second. The Renault star is pushing hard, crossing the line at 1:13.750 to go fourth. He was fastest of all in the final sector.
Christian Klien, fully recovered from his close encounter with a fan, is next out. At the first split the Austrian posts 24.4, he's slightly down on his teammate. At the second split it's 26.2 as he makes up ground. At the line it's 1;15.205, he goes tenth, ahead of Mark Webber.
Felipe Massa is next out, the Brazilian has been losing ground to his teammate in recent outings. At the first split it's 24s, he's already 0.4s up on his Sauber teammate. At the second split it's 26s followed by a 1:14.627 at the line. The Brazilian goes tenth.
Giorgio Pantano is next out, like Massa he was involved in the four-car crash at Indy. At the first split the Italian posts 24.1s, he's around 0.3s up on his teammate. At the second split it's 26.7 as he loses a little pace. At the line it's 1:15.913, which puts him fourteenth, ahead of Heidfeld.
Gianmaria Bruni is next out, can he out-pace one of the Jordans? Probably not, at the first split it's 25s, he's only marginally quicker than his teammate. At the second split it's 27s, he's made up a little ground. At the line it's 1:18.070.
Juan Pablo Montoya is next out, the Colombian having precious little track time this morning. At the first split it's 23.6, he quickest of all, thus far. He's still quickest at the second split, posting 25.4. At the line it's 1:13.377, the WilliamsF1 driver goes quickest by 0.164.
Last out is teammate Marc Gene, what can he do? At the first split the Spaniard posts 23.8, he's off the pace, but it's marginal. At the second split Marc posts 25.8, followed by a 1:14.133 at the line. Sadly it's only good enough for ninth, he'll be bitterly disappointed.
That said, this isn't the first time we've seen a Montoya top the timesheets in pre-qualifying this season, though we've yet to see him convert it into a pole.
Ahead of the second, and main, part of the qualifying session, the ambient temperature is 22 degrees C, while the track temperature is 36 degrees.
First out is Rubens Barrichello, who did not go out in the pre-qualifying session due to a hydraulics problem.
The lights go green and on cue Barrichello exits his garage. Following a cautious out-lap the Brazilian turns up the heat, completing the first sector in 24s. At the second split it's 49.8, followed by a 1:14.478 at the line.
Next out is Zsolt Baumgartner in the Minardi. The Hungarian completes the first sector in 25.06, and the second in 52.3, as he fights a car that clearly has its own ideas as to what it wants to do, and where to go. At the line it's 1:18.247.
Next out is Gianmaria Bruni. At the first split the Italian posts 25.1, he's down on his teammate. At the second split it's 52.25, he makes up a little time. At the line it's 1:17.913, he goes second.
Nick Heidfeld is next, he was disappointing in the first session. At the first split the German posts 24.701, he's 0.69s down on Barrichello. At the second split the Jordan driver posts 51.53, followed by a 1:16.807, he goes second, 2.3s off Barrichello's time.
Last out before the first break is Pantano. He loses a mass of time at Estoril, going on to complete the first sector in 25.14. At the second split the Italian posts 52.04, followed by a 1:17.462, which puts him third. Under the circumstances, not too bad.
Therefore, at the first break, it's Barrichello ahead of Heidfeld, Pantano, Bruni and Baumgartner.
Giancarlo Fisichella comes out in the Sauber. At the first split the Italian posts 24.72, he's already 0.7 down on Barrichello. At the second split it's 51.09, he's now 1.25 down on the Brazilian. At the line it's 1:16.177, he goes second, ahead of the two Jordans.
Next out is Mark Webber in the Jaguar. The Australian completes the first sector in 24.28, he's 0.28s down on the Ferrari. At the second split the Jaguar star posts 50.30, going on to complete the lap in 1:14.798, which puts him second. A good lap from the Aussie, who was quickest in the final sector.
Christian Klien completes the first sector in 24.35s, he's off his teammate's pace, but it's marginal. At the second split it's 50.57s, followed by a 1:15.065, he goes third, behind Barrichello and Webber.
Felipe Massa is next out. The Brazilian completes the first sector in 24.54, he's already 0.5s down on his fellow-Brazilian. At the second split it's 51.07, followed by a 1:16.200, which puts him fifth, behind Fisichella.
Last out before the second break is Olivier Panis. At the first split the Frenchman posts 24.23, he's 0.22s down on Barrichello. At the second split the Toyota driver posts 50.390 followed by a 1:15.130 at the line. He goes fourth.
At the second break, the order is: Barrichello ahead of Webber, Klien, Panis, Fisichella, Massa, Heidfeld, Pantano, Bruni and Baumgartner.
Next out is Panis' Brazilian teammate Cristiano da Matta, who will be keen to upstage the Frenchman in his home race. At the first split Cristiano posts 24.18, only 0.18s off Barrichello's time. At the second split it's 50.18, he's now 0.34s down. At the line it's 1:14.553, which puts him second, 0.075s down on Barrichello, a superb lap.
Marc Gene is on track in the WilliamsF1. At the first split the Spaniard posts 23.97, he's 0.03 up on the Ferrari driver. At the second split it's 49.744, he's still up on the Ferrari driver. At the line it's 1:14.275, provisional pole for the popular Spanish driver. A great effort.
Indy hero Takuma Sato is next out, what can he do? At the first split it's 23.99, he's 0.016 down on Gene. At the second split it's 49.95, he's now 0.2s down on the williamsF1. At the line it's 1:14.240, he's on pole having done a brilliant final sector. Amazing!
Jarno Trulli is the first of the Renault drivers to go out. At the first split the Italian posts 24.05, he's 0.06 down on Sato. At the second split the Monaco winner posts 49.79, he's up on the BAR by 0.16. It's a little messy, but he crosses the line at 1:14.070 to take provisional pole. He was quickest in both the final sectors.
Jenson Button is on track, could it be pole number two? At the first split the BAR star posts 24.069, he's 0.017s down on Trulli. At the second split the English youngster posts 48.85, he's still in with a chance. At the line it's 1:13.995, he takes provisional pole, the fourth successive driver to do so, and the first driver to break the 1:13s barrier.
At the final break, it's Button ahead of Trulli, Sato, Gene, Barrichello, da Matta, Webber, Klien, Panis and Fisichella.
Next out is Fernando Alonso in the Renault. At the French outfit's home race, pole would be a massive confidence boost. At the first split the Spaniard posts 24.01, he's 0.05 p on Button. At the second split it's 49.65, he's now 0.200 up on the BAR driver. It's an untidy lap but nonetheless he takes provisional pole by 0.297, crossing the line at 1:13.698. Quickest of all in the final two sectors.
All eyes on Kimi Raikkonen in the new McLaren MP4-19B. He goes a little wide at Estoril, completing the first sector in 24.29, he's down on Alonso. At the second split it's 50.25, he's 0.59s down on the Renault. At the line it's 1:14.346, sixth for the Finn. Not a brilliant lap.
Teammate David Coulthard is next out. At the first split the Scot posts 23.97, he's 0.04s up on Alonso. The McLaren driver is really pushing, completing the second sector in 49.79, he's lost time to the Renault. At the line it's 1:13.987, he goes second by 0.289. A great lap from the man who has yet to secure a drive for 2005.
Michael Schumacher is on a blinder of a lap, the German completing the first sector in 23.816, he's 0.2 up on Alonso. The Ferrari appears to be on rails, as it completes the second sector in 49.53, he's still up on the Spaniard. At the line it's 1:13.971, he goes second having lost heaps of time in the final sector.
Can Alonso hold on to pole on Renault's home track, only Montoya can stop him. At the first split the Colombian posts 23.834, he's quickest by 0.18s. At the second split the williamsF1 star posts 49.586, he's still up on the Renault driver. The WilliamsF1 driver is messy in the final sector, he losing time, consequently at the line it's 1:14.172, Alonso has pole!
Fernando Alonso takes his third ever pole position, his first of 2004, ahead of Schumacher, Coulthard, Button, Trulli, Montoya, Sato, Gene, Raikkonen and Barrichello.
da Matta is eleventh ahead of Webber, Klien, Panis, Fisichella, Massa, Heidfeld, Pantano, Bruni and Baumgartner.
The top eleven are covered by 0.855, in what has to be one of the closest, and hard-fought, sessions of the year.
Tomorrow Renault will have the edge in their home Grand Prix, though McLaren and BAR both appear to have the means to spoil the part. Then again there's that man Schumacher.
Finally, let's not forget that the rain showers that caused havoc on Friday are scheduled to make a reappearance on Sunday, and we all know who excels in the wet.
Man of the moment however is Fernando Alonso, who has had a difficult season thus far, could this be the turning point?