UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Button takes another pole

Brawn fights Toyota and RB

The upside down world that is Formula one, 2009 style, took another turn as qualifying in Malaysia began, for among the fallers at the first hurdle – the end of the opening 20 minute session – were the two Force India runners, Sebastien Buemi in the Toro Rosso, the increasingly out of his depth Nelson Piquet, and Felipe Massa.

Yes, you read it right: Felipe Massa in the Ferrari failed to make it through to the second part of qualifying. The reason given was a mistake: Ferrari clearly believed they were safe, but the pace up front was simply spellbinding as car after car stole top spot, the fastest time going to Rubens Barrichello in the Brawn BGP001, with Jarno Trulli a close second for Toyota.

Session two loomed with darkening clouds, but thankfully for all the rain held off for both this and the final session.

Fallers here were Nick Heidfeld – a disappointment for him in the BMW – Kazuki Nakajima, who has shown pace all weekend but seems unable to replicate it when it matters, and Sebastien Bourdais in the second STR. Plus, I almost forgot, the McLaren pair of Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton. The MP4-24 is clearly not on the pace, and much work will need to be done to make it anything other than an also ran.

The final top ten shoot out was one of those sessions where times tumble incessantly, and it ultimately boiled down to a fight between Brawns, Trulli’s Toyota and the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel.

First Barrichello – subject to a five place drop, remember, - and then Button took top spot, the Englishman coming around in a scintillating 1:35.181, and with the flag already shown both Trulli and Vettel were on hot laps. Neither, as it happened, would eclipse the flying Button, with the Italian missing out by just under one tenth of a second.

Vettel duly set third fastest, but will drop ten places thanks to the ludicrous penalty handed to him for his clash with Kubica in Australia, and the second row will now feature Timo Glock, a man looking better and better with each outing, and Nico Rosberg in the Williams.

Row three sees Mark Webber line up alongside Robert Kubica, while behind them will be Kimi Raikkonen, never a threat with the Ferrari, and the penalised Barrichello. The top ten, thanks to Vettel’s demotion, will be Fernando Alonso in the Renault and Heidfeld.

The weights of the cars are due to be published very soon, and should make interesting reading.

Written: Sat, 04 Apr 2009 10:49:35