UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Button stuns in Monaco

Brawn and Ferrari fly

This weekend has looked like presenting a mixed up grid for the Monaco Grand Prix, but the final result was no surprise as Jenson Button put in yet another stunning effort in the closing seconds of the session to take a fourth pole of the season.

There was an element of surprise as the Brawn driver, current championship leader, had not looked to be on the ball in the earlier sessions, but Button is getting very good at delivering exactly when it mattered.

The story of the weekend had been the renewed pace of the McLaren, particularly in the hands of Lewis Hamilton, but the seasons disappointments continued as Hamilton made a clear error and destroyed the rear suspension on a barrier in the first session. Exit one McLaren, then, and one that had a genuine shot at pole position.

We almost lost one Ferrari, too, when Felipe Massa also had a brush with the barriers, but he managed to get the car back to the pits for a quick repair and progressed through to the second session.

For two of Formula One’s bigger teams this weekend has been a complete disaster, and the fall from grace of Toyota – front row runners a couple of races ago – has been spectacular; Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock will start on the final row, the Italian blocked on his fastest lap, albeit one that may not have helped him anyhow.
BMW fared little better, as Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica could only manage 17th and 18th, and thus joined the Toyota pair, and Hamilton, as spectators.

This meant that for the first time this season both Force India runners, Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella, made it through to the next session. True to form they duly failed to progress any further, although their lap times suggest they may be looking to run heavy. Fisichella was, however, quicker than the STR of Sebastien Bourdais, and these three were joined as losers in the second session by Nelson Piquet – no surprise there – and Sebastien Buemi.

The final stint proved to be a classic, all action qualifying session, and the top time changed hands time and time again. Ultimately it was the finesse and quality of Button and the Brawn that won the day, but for a short while it looked like we may have a Ferrari on pole – and one driven by Kimi Raikkonen; the Finn pulled his socks up here and got on with the job, and will start his KERS assisted Ferrari on the front row.

Rubens Barrichello is a man looking for a win here, but may have a difficult job from third on the grid, while Sebastian Vettel starts fourth in the Red Bull RB5.

Felipe Massa will share the third row with Nico Rosberg, the German having to abort a lap that should have seen him further up the grid, while Heikki Kovalainen is McLaren’s representative in seventh, with mark Webber alongside in the second Red Bull. The latter may well be disappointed, and choosing to send him out later in the session than all the rest could well have compromised his position. There have been suggestions that the Australian may be running heavier than those ahead, and given his pace in the previous sessions this looks entirely possible.

Fernando Alonso, for Renault, and Kazuki Nakajima make up the top ten. The verdict for tomorrow? All Button has to do is keep it on the road.

Written: Sat, 23 May 2009 13:28:58