Australian GP - A tough day for the champion
Albert Park, 15th March
Massa fourth and Raikkonen sixteenth was the less than perfect result of the first qualifying session of the 2008 season. It was also the first qualifying session run under the new sporting regulations that meant there was no longer any need for the fuel-burning laps which were a rather dull feature of the 2007 Q3 session. This year, instead of adding fuel prior to the race based on the number of laps completed in Q3, the drivers simply all start the session with the fuel load that must then last them all the way to their first pit stop in Sunday's Grand Prix.
From an onlooker's perspective, the difficulty is in knowing what fuel loads everyone is running: run light, qualifying high up the grid, but make an early pit-stop, or run heavier, qualify a bit less well but running further in the race. It is a fascinating mathematical puzzle, further complicated here in Melbourne by the fact the circuit lap time is heavily fuel dependent.
Lewis Hamilton had the honour of taking the first pole of the season for McLaren Mercedes, with Robert Kubica joining him on the front row in his BMW-Sauber, despite almost going off the track on his quick lap. Row two sees McLaren new-boy Heikki Kovalainen secure his best ever F1 qualifying in third place just ahead of Felipe Massa for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, who struggled to get his Bridgestone tyres up to the correct operating temperature when stuck in traffic on his out-lap.
Row three features the second BMW Sauber of Nick Heidfeld in fifth spot with the Toyota of Jarno Trulli outside him. And what of Raikkonen? The reigning world champion had set a comfortable sixth fastest time in Q1, but then on his in-lap, a fuel pump issue meant he had stop prior to the entrance of pit lane. Technically, the Finn was banned from taking any further part in qualifying as the track marshals had to push his car after it stopped. But this had no effect on the final outcome, as the problem could not have been fixed in time for him to continue, even if he had returned to the garage under his own power.
So tomorrow, after months of speculation and analysis of winter testing results, the eleven teams and twenty two drivers finally line up on a race grid to establish the first real performance chart of the season.
Massa fourth and Raikkonen sixteenth was the less than perfect result of the first qualifying session of the 2008 season. It was also the first qualifying session run under the new sporting regulations that meant there was no longer any need for the fuel-burning laps which were a rather dull feature of the 2007 Q3 session. This year, instead of adding fuel prior to the race based on the number of laps completed in Q3, the drivers simply all start the session with the fuel load that must then last them all the way to their first pit stop in Sunday's Grand Prix.
From an onlooker's perspective, the difficulty is in knowing what fuel loads everyone is running: run light, qualifying high up the grid, but make an early pit-stop, or run heavier, qualify a bit less well but running further in the race. It is a fascinating mathematical puzzle, further complicated here in Melbourne by the fact the circuit lap time is heavily fuel dependent.
Lewis Hamilton had the honour of taking the first pole of the season for McLaren Mercedes, with Robert Kubica joining him on the front row in his BMW-Sauber, despite almost going off the track on his quick lap. Row two sees McLaren new-boy Heikki Kovalainen secure his best ever F1 qualifying in third place just ahead of Felipe Massa for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, who struggled to get his Bridgestone tyres up to the correct operating temperature when stuck in traffic on his out-lap.
Row three features the second BMW Sauber of Nick Heidfeld in fifth spot with the Toyota of Jarno Trulli outside him. And what of Raikkonen? The reigning world champion had set a comfortable sixth fastest time in Q1, but then on his in-lap, a fuel pump issue meant he had stop prior to the entrance of pit lane. Technically, the Finn was banned from taking any further part in qualifying as the track marshals had to push his car after it stopped. But this had no effect on the final outcome, as the problem could not have been fixed in time for him to continue, even if he had returned to the garage under his own power.
So tomorrow, after months of speculation and analysis of winter testing results, the eleven teams and twenty two drivers finally line up on a race grid to establish the first real performance chart of the season.
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