Improvement in form, but will it be enough?

By Huw Alban
March 11 2006

I’ll be honest I messed up the UK time difference this morning and didn’t catch up with the third practice until 40 minutes had already elapsed. What I saw on the timing sheets had me standing up in amazement!

It had been hinted to me yesterday that Midland F1 had more to offer, and my word was it showing. 40 minutes in and Tiago Monteiro was 9th on a 1.36.300, 1.806 slower than current leader Giancarlo Fisichella. Christijan Albers was a 10th behind on an 11th placed time. No sooner had I started to watch the times than both men pitted.

I couldn’t help but wonder at this point what else the team had to offer as the performance so far was streets ahead of the Friday times.

5 minutes later, Monteiro was back out on track. Even after such a short time his time had been pushed down the timesheets to 17th as the remaining competitors continued to improve their times. With only 4 other cars on the circuit Tiago’s first sector time was not so hot, but his second and third sector times the best that he had done yet, moving him up to 15th, 3.043 behind current pace setter Felipe Massa. Albers meanwhile chose this moment to join his team mate on the track.

Tiago’s next lap is green for all sectors, but it only manages an improvement to 14th. Remember that both drivers have to be in the top 16 in order to remain in the second part of qualifying, and this is what Midland F1 are aiming for.

7 minutes to go, and Monteiro pits leaving Albers who is struggling on his first flying lap; his sector times are not so good despite there being only 4 other cars out there.

5 minutes to go, and the timing board lights up as the majority of the field stream out for their final runs. Albers manages to improve to 16th, posting green sector times for sectors 1 and 3.

3 minutes to go and Albers puts in a scorcher to claim 13th. As he crosses the line Monteiro, who is now 17th, comes out again. 20 cars are now on the circuit all keen to improve their times and finalise their setup for qualifying later.

In the final minutes both Midland F1 drivers are posting green sector times again, but it’s not quite enough. Albers finishes 3rd practice 17th and Monteiro 18th, and now all eyes turn to the qualifying session where suddenly these lap times really do mean something.

Full list of times from final free practice in Bahrain:

1. 12 BUTTON Honda M 1'31"857 212.104 Km/h
2. 5 M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari B 1'31"868 + 0'00"011
3. 1 ALONSO Renault M 1'31"975 + 0'00"118
4. 2 FISICHELLA Renault M 1'32"050 + 0'00"193
5. 6 MASSA Ferrari B 1'32"826 + 0'00"969
6. 17 VILLENEUVE BMW Sauber M 1'32"913 + 0'01"056
7. 8 TRULLI Toyota B 1'33"038 + 0'01"181
8. 3 RAIKKONEN McLaren Mercedes M 1'33"262 + 0'01"405
9. 7 R.SCHUMACHER Toyota B 1'33"523 + 0'01"666
10. 9 WEBBER Williams Cosworth B 1'33"876 + 0'02"019
11. 15 KLIEN RedBull Ferrari M 1'33"944 + 0'02"087
12. 11 BARRICHELLO Honda M 1'34"009 + 0'02"152
13. 16 HEIDFELD BMW Sauber M 1'34"094 + 0'02"237
14. 14 COULTHARD RedBull Ferrari M 1'34"142 + 0'02"285
15. 4 MONTOYA McLaren Mercedes M 1'34"406 + 0'02"549
16. 10 ROSBERG Williams Cosworth B 1'34"434 + 0'02"577
17. 19 ALBERS Midland Toyota B 1'34"541 + 0'02"684
18. 18 MONTEIRO Midland Toyota B 1'35"026 + 0'03"169
19. 20 LIUZZI Toro Rosso Cosw. M 1'35"351 + 0'03"494
20. 21 SPEED Toro Rosso Cosw. M 1'35"532 + 0'03"675
21. 22 SATO S. Aguri F1 Honda B 1'36"994 + 0'05"137
22. 23 IDE S. Aguri F1 Honda B 1'41"889 + 0'10"032