Practice had indicated a Ferrari front row was a foregone conclusion here at Magny Cours, and so it proved as Kimi Raikkonen did not even need his final – faster – run to edge out team-mate Felipe Massa on the front row.
The first session had seen us lose the inevitable Force India pair, and as is also becoming predictable, the Honda duo too. Kazuki Nakajima also fell at the first hurdle, the Williams man citing traffic as a particular problem.
The second session provided disappointment for both STR runners, Sebs Vettel and Bourdais having shone in practice and failed to capitalise on the pace of the car. They were in hardly obscure company, however, as Nick Heidfeld – who just managed to scrape through to the second session in a horribly under steering BMW – also did not progress, and Nico Rosberg and a no doubt very disappointed Nelson piquet also finished the day at that juncture.
For the record, the field was very close indeed, with Piquet missing out to Robert Kubica by a few one hundredths, and his fellow fallers also in very close contact.
Final qualifying was as interesting in respect of which Ferrari driver would take pole as it was regarding what McLaren would do with Lewis Hamilton.
As it happens, it seems they fuelled him light for Hamilton put in a desperate late charge to secure third, and hence will start thirteenth.
Fernando Alonso – fast all weekend in the Renault – took what will become third on the grid with a spirited and determined effort, while Jarno Trulli did his usual excellent qualifying job and will line up fourth, having spun on what looked like the better of his qualifying runs. Indeed, so poor was Trulli’s opening sector on his eventual qualifying lap that it’s possible he could have challenged for the front row had he made it stick first time.
Heikki Kovalainen put the McLaren in position to start fifth – this not a great performance by the young Finn in the circumstances – and Robert Kubica wrung all he could from a clearly not dialled-in BMW and will start sixth.
The Red Bull duo take row four, Mark Webber having his first flying effort spoiled when Trulli spun in front of him and David Coulthard having looked on form all weekend, and the final top ten qualifier was Timo Glock, who made a couple of small mistakes that may have masked his true pace.
A fascinating contest in prospect, then, but only for third place down. The Ferrari pair have this race to themselves barring problems.
Written: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:20:58
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