23/05/2009
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's qualifying session, the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 46 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.
The Top 7 were covered by just 0.225s this morning, with Fernando Alonso saving the best till last. Whether the Spaniard can carry this pace into this afternoon's session remains to be seen, but never count him out.
On the face of it, Brawn GP appears to have the edge, however Ferrari and McLaren have taken an obvious step forward here, which is more than can be said for Toyota and BMW.
Red Bull have had a funny weekend thus far, with Webber and Vettel both losing vital track time on Friday. The Austrian team is using its new split level diffuser this weekend first time, and though the full effect of this won't be noticeable until Turkey and beyond, it is thought it will still have an impact here.
This morning, in particular, while the super-soft option appeared to be quicker, it was marginal, and in most cases drivers only appeared to get the most out of them for one lap.
As ever, traffic has been a problem and therefore don't be surprised to see a couple of 'big names' fall at the first hurdle.
While the row over the future of the sport rumbles on and one, for the next sixty minutes we can put all that aside a watch what the sport is really all about, twenty guys taking on a track that refuses to forgive even the slightest mistake.
We won't insult you by saying that a good qualifying position is absolutely vital here, because you've heard it a million times before. However, a good qualifying position…
Despite this being one of the most exciting sessions of the entire season, there are a lot of empty seats in the grandstands. Has the financial crisis hit the billionaires' playground, or is simply that this event attracts more than its fair share of poseurs.
Trulli and Glock lead the way when the lights go green, the Italian a previous winner here with Renault. Massa is also eager to get to work.
The Toyota's hot laps are running when the yellow flags are brought out when Massa clouts the barriers and rips the nose off his car on his out lap. The Brazilian heads back to the pits for a replacement as Fisichella goes quickest, ahead of Kubica and Heidfeld.
Next time around, however, Trulli goes quickest, only to be instantly demoted by Fisichella who posts 17.907.
A 17.225 sees Buemi go quickest, as Kovalainen goes quickest in the first sector. The Finn is quickest again the second sector, finally crossing the line at 16.543 to go quickest. Raikkonen can only manage tenth with a 19.839.
Vettel goes quickest (16.499), as Raikkonen improves to third. Next time around, Vettel improves to 16.045, as Button goes second and Nakajima goes quickest of all in the first sector.
A 6.157 sees Barrichello go second as Nakajima posts 16.180 to go third, splitting the Brawns.
As Hamilton goes fifth (16.264), Button goes quickest, crossing the line at 15.817. Moments later, despite getting horribly out of shape, Barrichello takes the top spot from his teammate with a 15.660.
Hamilton has a moment on the approach to Mirabeau and gets out of shape, clouting the barriers with his left rear. With just over eight minutes remaining, the session is red flagged as the Englishman slowly makes his way back to the pits, his helmet still on his head, which he is shaking in disbelief. It's all over for the McLaren driver. Ironically, he had been quickest of all in the first sector.
The session resumes and Massa is first out, on the super-softs. Moments later, the Brazilian is joined by his Ferrari teammate.
Massa's time of 16.540 is only good enough for eleventh, improving to ninth next time around. Raikkonen, however, goes second.
Vettel takes fourth with a 15.915 only to be almost instantly demoted by Massa who posts 5.870 to take fourth.
With just under two minutes remaining, both BMWs are in the danger zone, as is Alonso.
Button goes quickest with a 15.210, and teammate Barrichello second, as Heidfeld moves up to fifteenth.
It is fast and furious and the times are tumbling, Hamilton now down in fifteenth.
A late charge sees Massa go second splitting the Brawns, only to be demoted by Webber and then Rosberg, who takes the top spot with a 15.094.
Quickest in Q1 was Rosberg, ahead of Button, Webber, Massa, Barrichello, Kovalainen, Raikkonen, Buemi, Alonso and Vettel.
We lose Hamilton together with both Toyotas and both BMW, which means that both Force Indias are through to Q2.
Webber and Nakajima lead the way when the lights go green for what should be the quickest part of the entire weekend. Both Ferraris are out early also.
On his first flying lap, Nakajima suddenly slows, the Williams driver finally crossing the line at 24.187. Within moments, Raikkonen, Massa and Webber have all gone quicker, the Finn topping the sheets with a 15.332.
A 15.217 sees Vettel go quickest, the German, like all his rivals on the super-softs. Rosberg goes quickest in the second session, crossing the line at 14.846 to take the top spot.
Barrichello goes quickest with a 14.829 but is demoted to second by Webber who posts 14.825 before he too is eclipsed, this time by Kovalainen (14.809).
With eight minutes remaining, all but Alonso have posted a time, however, the Spaniard is now on track. Elsewhere, teammate Piquet spins at Anthony Noghes, but keeps it out of the barriers. Alonso goes eighth with a 15.553.
Fisichella is advised that his best times have been disallowed after he was found to have cut the chicane. Well, he was warned.
With just over three minutes remaining, Piquet is struggling to improve on eleventh. More surprisingly, Button, in tenth, is far from safe.
Raikk0onen goes quickest in the final sector, but remains sixth. Button takes sixth from the Finn with a 15.016, but the Ferrari driver immediately hits back by going quickest in the first sector. He's quickest again in the sector, crossing the line at 4.514 to go quickest.
Quickest in Q2 is Raikkonen, ahead of Kovalainen, Webber, Barrichello, Rosberg, Vettel, Massa, Button, Alonso and Nakajima.
We lose Buemi, Piquet, Fisichella, Bourdais and Sutil.
The lights go green for Q3, and Vettel leads the way. Within moments eight drivers are on track, all on super-softs, all on race fuel.
Vettel posts the benchmark (16.206), as Button goes second ahead of Raikkonen and Barrichello.
Rosberg takes provisional pole with a 15.602, as Massa goes second. However, a 15.395 sees Vettel re-take the top spot as Barrichello goes second.
Kovalainen posts 16.262 to go sixth ahead of Raikkonen, who is first to pit for fresh tyres.
Rosberg takes second with a 5.455, as teammate Nakajima remains ninth, ahead of Webber, who has yet to post a time. That said, the Red Bull driver goes ninth on his first flying lap.
Raikkonen improves to seventh (16.278), but what can he do on his second lap?
Rosberg goes quickest in the first sector, as Raikkonen goes second with a 15.422. Rosberg has a poor final sector, and therefore fails to improve, as Massa takes third, the two Ferraris split by Vettel.
Raikkonen takes provision pole but Button is on a very quick lap, going quickest in the first two sectors to post 14.902. Barrichello can only manage third, while Vettel has to settle for fourth.
The top ten is as follows: Button, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Vettel, Massa, Rosberg, Kovalainen, Webber, Alonso and Nakajima.
Consequently, Jenson Button takes his fourth pole of the season, which surely points to the Englishman extending his world Championship lead tomorrow.
A massive step forward for Ferrari, and in particular Kimi Raikkonen, however, it will be interesting to see the fuel loads.
It's a surprise to see Barrichello in third, because we had a feeling that was to be his day, indeed, his weekend. That said, let's see what he can do tomorrow.
Surely Red Bull have to be delighted with fourth and eighth, though they probably won't admit it. The fact is, that both drivers potential winner here tomorrow, given their current form, their cars and the unpredictability of this [particular circuit.
Rosberg will no doubt be disappointed, however, sixth is a lot better than most of would have predicted, indeed, how many of us foresaw two Williams in the Top 10?
After this morning's session, we expected a little more from Renault and Fernando Alonso, however, never rule out the two-time champion.
Other than the disappointing performances from BMW and Toyota, the other talking point from today's session has to be Lewis Hamilton's mistake, and don't fool yourself, it was a mistake, as his own body language following the incident made quite clear. The big worry now is, has Lewis fallen out of love with F1 again?