17/03/2007
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of this afternoon's all-important qualifying session the air temperature is 22 degrees C, while the track temperature is 38 degrees. The sun is shining, but it remains unseasonably cool, though windy.
While it looks as though the fight for pole will be between Ferrari, McLaren and Renault, with BMW also in with a good chance, the real interest lies in what's happening a little further down the grid.
The customer car row has been rumbling on for some time, with Spyker and Williams both warning that things would develop once the circus arrived in Melbourne.
While Red Bull/Toro Rosso has been treating the issue as a joke, making light of the saga at every turn, there's no doubt that Anthony Davidson's performance in this morning's free practice session - when he finished fourth quickest - will not help matters.
It isn't only Williams and Spyker that will be unamused at the prospect of being shown up by a team seemingly doing F1 'on the cheap'. Furthermore, the fact that the Super Aguri is outpacing Honda is unlikely to go down well with the legendary Japanese manufacturer.
That said, we don't expect the row to erupt 'proper' this weekend, indeed, as we previously reported, a high level source has told us that there will be no disruption to this weekend's season opener. However, that does not mean that there will not be a protest, merely that it will be delayed. Should Super Aguri to continue to show the sort of form it has shown in the previous sessions, Spyker, Williams and several other teams will not have a choice, they will have to protest.
The lights go green and first out is Albers, followed, a minute later, by Davidson. Button, Schumacher, Sato, Trulli and Barrichello are next out.
Albers' Spyker is sliding all over the place, it looks a real handful. The Dutch driver posts the benchmark time, crossing the line at 1:32.300. Moments later, Davidson goes quickest, before he too is demoted, by Trulli.
As Button slides all over the place, Rosberg goes quickest in the first sector. As Coulthard goes quickest (28.579), Hamilton goes quickest in the first sector.
Sure enough, Hamilton goes quickest (26.674), ahead of Webber, Coulthard and Rosberg.
Seven minutes remaining, and the Ferraris head down the pitlane.
Scott speed goes third, as Alonso goes quickest in the first sector. As the Spaniard goes second (26.697), Raikkonen goes quickest in the second sector. Despite a minor moment at Turn 15 the Finn goes quickest, crossing the line at 26.644.
Massa can only manage fourth (26.712), as Webber goes wide. No times as yet from the BMW or Renault drivers, with just over three minutes remaining.
Kovalainen goes ninth, as Kubica goes quickest in the first sector. Button is still in the 'danger zone'.
Kubica goes third, as Davidson goes quickest in the second sector. The Super Aguri driver posts 265.986 to go seventh. Elsewhere, Button is on a do or die effort, with less than forty seconds remaining. Both Toyotas still in the 'danger zone'.
Trulli goes quickest in the first sector, as Button posts 27.540 to go eleventh. The Italian posts 27.014 to go ninth, as Schumacher takes eleventh with a 27.328.
Out at the first phase are Albers, Sutil, Liuzzi, Coulthard, Speed and Barrichello, with Rosberg and Button just making the cut.
Top ten: Raikkonen, Hamilton, Berger, Alonso, Massa, Heidfeld, Webber, Davidson, Trulli and Fisichella.
The second phase gets underway, but nobody is keen to get the session underway. Finally, an engine fires up, it's Rosberg. Just over twelve minutes remaining.
Trulli leaves the pits with the rear jack still attached to the back of his car. Sloppy work from the Toyota crew. In the garage, Barrichello looks crestfallen.
More bad news for Toyota? Schumacher appears to be limping around the track.
Rosberg goes quickest, predictably. However, moments later its Davidson that takes the top spot, as Schumacher continues to make his way back to the pits, his gearbox apparently having given up the ghost. That's his day's work at an end.
Fisichella goes quickest ahead of Webber, Sato and Trulli. Lewis Hamilton posts a 'banker' lap, which nets him ninth, as Kubica goes quickest in the first sector.
As Kubica goes quickest in the second sector, Hamilton goes quickest in the first. The Pole takes top spot (25.882), but is quickly demoted by Hamilton, who crosses the line at 1:25.577.
Alonso is on track, as is Raikkonen. With just under five minutes remaining, Alonso goes second with a 25.602.
As Raikkonen and Heidfeld begin their flying laps, Massa waits in his garage. The German goes third (25.855), as Massa leave the pits.
Raikkonen takes third with a 25.644, having gone quickest in the final sector. Moments later, Massa begins his flying lap, however, halfway through the second sector his Ferrari slows down, he has a problem.
The Brazilian climbs from his car, his session at an end.
With the session in its final moments, Button, Rosberg and Kovalainen are all on track, trying to make it through to the final phase.
Button fails at the second hurdle, as do Davidson, Rosberg, Wurz and Rosberg… not forgetting Massa.
Alonso quickest, ahead of Heidfeld, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Kubica, Fisichella, Webber, Trulli, Schumacher and Sato.
Admit it, who would have thought that a Super Aguri would out-qualify the Spykers and Toro Rossos, never mind the Williams and Hondas?
Perhaps it is only fitting that neither of the 'earth cars' is running duel the fuel burn phase, after all what would the sceptics say?
At the end of the pitlane, Raikkonen heads the queue, followed by Fisichella and Webber.
The timing screen light up with greens and purples, but the fast times will come in the final couple of minutes. The question now is who will be first to blink, who will be first to stop for fresh rubber and really go for it?
Hamilton, is the answer, followed by Fisichella and Alonso. Seven minutes remaining.
Fisichella is really hammering the kerbs on his way to posting the fastest time in the third sector. Meanwhile, Hamilton goes quickest in the first sector. The Englishman and his teammate trade fastest times in various sectors. Fisichella takes top spot but is quickly beaten by Hamilton and then Alonso (27.050).
However, Raikkonen is on a fast lap, crossing the line at 1:26.072, as Heidfeld goes second.
Kubica goes fifth, as Fisichella and Hamilton both pit. Sato almost comes to grief in the pitlane as he pits at the same time as Webber and Schumacher.
Less than two minutes remaining, and though Raikkonen appears to have pole position sewn up, the fat lady isn't singing yet.
Fisichella loses time behind a BMW, as Hamilton sets a personal best in the first sector. Alonso and Fisichella are also on quick laps.
The Spaniard goes quickest in the second sector, as Hamilton improves to second (26.493). Moments later however, the English rookie is bumped down to third by his McLaren teammate.
There's further bad news for Hamilton when Heidfeld posts 26.556 to go third, behind Raikkonen and Alonso.
Kimi Raikkonen gets his Ferrari career off to a perfect start, taking pole at the first attempt. Back in the Ferrari garage, Massa looks thoroughly despondent.
The final order: Raikkonen, Alonso, Heidfeld, Hamilton, Kubica, Fisichella, Webber, Trulli, Schumacher and Sato.
An interesting session that not finally confirms much of what we thought had become apparent during pre-season testing, be it bad or good.
McLaren, Ferrari, Renault and BMW are the front runners, even if there are some reliability issues. Red Bull has Webber to thank for sparing its blushes, while Toyotas can count itself as one of the big surprises.
A disappointing performance from Williams, while there is little to say about Honda. Spyker admits that it has work to do, while Toro Rosso will simply need to focus on development as opposed to PR.
Finally, Super Aguri, which in some ways must have been dreading the possibility of Sato (or Davidson) doing so well in qualifying. Leaving aside the customer car row - and that is a might big issue to leave aside - this was a remarkable performance from the Japanese team, and it is good to see Sato with a smile in his face again.
Now we look forward to the prospect of a thrilling Australian GP, complete with a fully-charged Felipe Massa.
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