Magny-Cours, 30th June 2007

These are the numbers that say it all, as Felipe Massa secured his fourth pole position of the season, the seventh of his F1 career and Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro's fifth this season in eight races. As statistics show that every race this year has been won from the front row, the Brazilian's performance today can allow him to tackle tomorrow's French Grand Prix in confident mood. Kimi Raikkonen in the other F2007 starts right behind his team-mate in third spot, so both our drivers will benefit from getting off the line from the clean side of the track.

With the two Prancing Horse drivers topping the time sheets all weekend, this afternoon's exciting session confirmed that Ferrari seems to have a slight edge over its closest rivals, after being slightly behind them over the past three races. It is still very close however and the McLaren-Mercedes of current championship leader Lewis Hamilton splits the two red cars, the Englishman lining up alongside Felipe. The other McLaren experienced problems this afternoon and Fernando Alonso, although making it through to the final third of the session was unable to complete a lap and thus starts on the outside of row five in tenth place.


Kimi Raikkonen shares the second row, for what is supposed to be the last French GP to be held at Magny-Cours with the BMW-Sauber of Robert Kubica, the position proving he has indeed fully recovered from his big accident in Montreal. Row three is an all-Renault affair here at the French company's home race, as Giancarlo Fisichella is fifth with Heikki Kovalainen in sixth place. For a while this morning it seemed as though Sebastian Vettel would get his second grand prix start in a row, after replacing Kubica in Indianapolis as the other BMW driver, Nick Heidfeld was complaining of back pains. However, he is fit to drive and qualified seventh. The big unknown for tomorrow's race is the weather, as although temperatures have increased today, there is an apparent threat of afternoon thunderstorms for this area.