Bahrain: First qualifying goes to Williams

Pressing on...
By pitpass.com (03/04/2004)
April 3 2004

Jenson Button topped the timesheets in both of today's free practice session, with teammate Takuma Sato not far off the pace. Also looking strong were the two WilliamsF1 drivers Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya.

Unusually, the Ferraris failed to set the pace in either session, though only a fool, or a well connected insider, would bet against the red cars being at the right end of the grid tomorrow afternoon.

McLaren's nightmare weekend continues, and no matter where Kimi Raikkonen qualifies today, he'll lose ten grid spaces as a result of his engine change yesterday. At this rate the Finn will be starting from the car park. Teammate, David Coulthard also had problems this morning, the Scot losing track-time as a result of a brake problem.

First out for today's first session will be Malaysia winner Michael Schumacher, who will be followed by Juan Pablo Montoya and Jenson Button. Under the rules of the 'revised' format there will not be a break after each fifth car in this session. Last out will be Mark Webber, who is preceded by Ralf Schumacher.

Air temperature is now 32 degrees while track temperature is 49. Humidity is 15%.

At 13:00, Michael Schumacher drives his red Ferrari out of its garage and heads off down the pitlane. It begins.

The German begins his flying lap, completing the first sector in 29.6s. As he heads off towards the second split, Montoya pulls out of his garage. 38.9 at the second split for the German, followed by a 1:30.751 at the line. The benchmark for this first session has been set, although it is slower than his best time this morning.

Montoya is 0.2s up on the German at the first split, the Colombian pushes hard. At the second split he's quickest again, posting 38.6, 0.3s quicker than Schumacher. At the line it's 1:30.247, Juan Pablo is quicker by 0.504s.

Button completes the first sector in 29.6, he's already lost ground to Montoya. At the second split he's lost even more time, going on to cross the line in 1:31.131, that's 0.88s down on the Colombian.

Next out is Rubens Barrichello, who set the pace in yesterday's second free practice session. The Brazilian posts a disappointing 29.7 at the first split followed by a 39.1 at the second. At the line the Ferrari driver posts 1:31.283, which puts him fourth behind Button.

Jarno Trulli had his moments this morning, what can he do now? At the first split it's 29.5, he's only marginally down on Montoya. He loses half-a-second in the second sector, but makes up enough in the final sector to go third with a 1:31.103.

David Coulthard is next out, the Scot failed to post a time in this morning's second session. He's slowest of the lot through the first sector, crossing the beam at 29.9, 0.5s down on Montoya. He makes up a little time in the second sector but can still only manage a disappointing 1:31.364 at the line, over a second off the pace.

Fernando Alonso is on track, the Spaniard is already 0.3s down on Montoya by the end of the first sector. At the second split it's 38.7, he's made up a little. 1:31.040, he leapfrogs his teammate to go third behind Montoya and Schumacher, albeit 0.793s off the pace.

Felipe Massa is next out, the last of the point winners in Malaysia. It's 30.1 at the first split, that's the slowest so far in this session. At the second split the Brazilian posts 39.3, he's still losing ground. At the line it's 1:32.152, 1.905s off the pace and only good enough for eighth.

Fellow Brazilian Cristiano da Matta is next out, the Toyota driver completing the first sector in 29.6, just 0.2s down on Montoya. He loses ground in the next sector, posting a 39s, going on to cross the finish line in 1:31.329 which puts him seventh.

Christian Klien has out-paced his illustrious teammate for much of the weekend, what can he produce now? At the first split the Austrian posts 30.1 followed by a 39s at the second. The Jaguar driver crosses the line in 1:31.868 to ninth, of ten.

Giancarlo Fisichella is next out, the Italian has been out-qualified by his teammate in both previous races. At the first split the Sauber driver posts a respectable 29.6, followed by a 39s at the second. He crosses the line at 1:31.203 to go sixth, a great effort from the former Jordan driver.

The second of the Toyota drivers is on track, Olivier Panis will be eager to out-pace his teammate da Matta who is currently eighth. At the first split it's 29.8 followed by a 38.8s at the second. The Frenchman crosses the line in 1:31.001 to go third, a remarkable performance from the veteran.

Jordan's Giorgio Pantano is next out. The Italian completes the first sector in 30.4s, that's a full second down on Montoya. He loses even more time in the second sector, finally crossing the line in 1:33.598, which puts him last, 3.351s off the pace.

Gianmaria Bruni has been doing plenty of speeding in the pitlane this year, let's see if he can do it on the track. At the first split it's 30.6 followed by a 40.8 at the second, he's already 2.2s off the pace. At the line it's 1:34.879, 4.632s slower than the WilliamsF1.

Takuma Sato has looked good for much of the weekend, what can he pull out of the hat now? At the first split the Japanese driver posts 29.8, he's already 0.2s down on his teammate. He makes up time in the second sector and finally crosses the line in 1:31.135, that's 0.004s slower than Button, a great performance.

Zsolt Baumgartner is on track, the Hungarian completing the first sector in 30.9, 0.3s slower than his teammate. At the second split it's 41.3, he loses another half-a-second. 1:35.632 puts him last, 5.385s off the pace.

All eyes on Kimi Raikkonen, who needs a good grid position -despite the penalty - and a good race result. At the first split it's 29.4, he's neck-and-neck with Montoya. At the second split it's 38.7, he's lost time, but it's marginal. At the line it's 1:30.353, he goes second having posted best time of the session in the final sector.

Nick Heidfeld takes to the track in the second Jordan, the German gave a spirited performance in Malaysia. At the first split it's 30.5, he's down on his teammate. He makes up a stack of time in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 1:32.640, fifteenth but a full second quicker than Pantano.

Ralf Schumacher is on track, can he outpace his Colombian teammate? He's fastest of the lot through the first sector, the FW26 looking great, as if on rails. At the second split he's still quickest, 0.2s faster than his teammate. At the line it's 1:29.968, a superb lap from the German, who has yet to secure a seat for 2005.

Last out is Mark Webber, can he produce one of his specials? At the first split it's 29.9 followed by a 39.1 at the second. At the line he posts 1:31.945, once again he's out-paced by his Austrian teammate, but it's marginal.

Under the new format there's now a break of fifteen minutes before the second session begins. First out will be Jordan's Zsolt Baumgartner followed by Bruni, Pantano, Heidfeld and Felipe Massa. Quickest in this session was Ralf Schumacher who finished ahead of Montoya, Raikkonen, Michael and Panis.

This article was written by pitpass.com and is used with permission.