Zaina
October 21st, 2003, 06:24 PM
http://www.suttonimages.com/fotoweb/posters/itvpreview.asp?d03aus923.jpg.jpg
NEW RULES CAN'T STOP SCHU
Last Updated: Saturday, 08 March , 2003, 19:53
Formula 1’s first new-look qualifying shoot-out resulted in a decidedly familiar grid.
Ferrari duo Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello made it a straightforward 1-2.
Schumacher, who had looked out of sorts for much of the weekend, hooked it all together when it counted to clinch the 51st pole position of his amazing career.
The sport’s lawmakers have spent most of the winter dreaming up ways of holding back Ferrari but, just like last season, there was no stopping the red machines.
However, the new qualifying format did throw up a few surprises – and the day’s biggest losers were the team billed as Ferrari’s biggest rivals, McLaren.
Neither of the team’s cars made the top 10 and Kimi Raikkonen is languishing down in 15th after a huge moment in the last sector of his lap.
In an abrupt reversal of fortunes, it was Williams, strugglers all weekend, who came through to offer the stiffest challenge to Ferrari. Yet Juan Pablo Montoya was still almost a second slower than pole man Schumacher.
The new qualifying format got off to an almost farcical start when both Minardis peeled into the pits without setting times, thus meaning the cars would not be impounded in parc ferme and giving the team vital time to work on them before the race.
With the 107 per cent rule still standing in Formula 1, Minardi are reliant on the goodwill of the stewards to start Sunday’s race – but team boss Paul Stoddart claimed he had cleared the strategy with the authorities.
With refuelling banned between qualifying and the race, there had been speculation before the weekend that one of the smaller teams might sacrifice race performance for a run at a top grid slot. But, in the event, all the cars appeared to take to the track with a sensible level of fuel on board.
It is all speculation at the moment, but most drivers look set for a two-stop strategy with a handful seemingly opting for three.
Chief amongst these was Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who celebrated his return to Sauber with a fine run to fourth. Olivier Panis clinched Toyota’s best ever grid slot on his first appearance for the team with fifth.
BAR could not quite match their explosive pace of Friday but sixth and eighth still represents a good day’s work for the Brackley team.
Renault, fastest in Saturday practice, could not match that level of performance – but that was due largely to errors from drivers Fernando Alonso and Jarno Trulli. They start 10th and 12th, sandwiching the McLaren of David Coulthard.
Australian Grand Prix qualifying times
1 M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari 1m27.173s 2 BARRICHELLO Ferrari 1m27.418s 3 MONTOYA Williams BMW 1m28.101s 4 FRENTZEN Sauber Petronas 1m28.274s 5 PANIS Toyota 1m28.288s 6 VILLENEUVE BAR Honda 1m28.420s 7 HEIDFELD Sauber Petronas 1m28.464s 8 BUTTON BAR Honda 1m28.682s 9 R.SCHUMACHER Williams BMW 1m28.830s 10 ALONSO Renault 1m28.928s 11 COULTHARD McLaren Mercedes 1m29.105s 12 TRULLI Renault 1m29.136s 13 FISICHELLA Jordan Ford 1m29.344s 14 WEBBER Jaguar 1m29.367s 15 RAIKKONEN McLaren Mercedes 1m29.470s 16 DA MATTA Toyota 1m29.538s 17 FIRMAN Jordan Ford 1m31.242s 18 PIZZONIA Jaguar 1m31.723s 19 VERSTAPPEN Minardi Cosworth no time 20 WILSON Minardi Cosworth no time
NEW RULES CAN'T STOP SCHU
Last Updated: Saturday, 08 March , 2003, 19:53
Formula 1’s first new-look qualifying shoot-out resulted in a decidedly familiar grid.
Ferrari duo Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello made it a straightforward 1-2.
Schumacher, who had looked out of sorts for much of the weekend, hooked it all together when it counted to clinch the 51st pole position of his amazing career.
The sport’s lawmakers have spent most of the winter dreaming up ways of holding back Ferrari but, just like last season, there was no stopping the red machines.
However, the new qualifying format did throw up a few surprises – and the day’s biggest losers were the team billed as Ferrari’s biggest rivals, McLaren.
Neither of the team’s cars made the top 10 and Kimi Raikkonen is languishing down in 15th after a huge moment in the last sector of his lap.
In an abrupt reversal of fortunes, it was Williams, strugglers all weekend, who came through to offer the stiffest challenge to Ferrari. Yet Juan Pablo Montoya was still almost a second slower than pole man Schumacher.
The new qualifying format got off to an almost farcical start when both Minardis peeled into the pits without setting times, thus meaning the cars would not be impounded in parc ferme and giving the team vital time to work on them before the race.
With the 107 per cent rule still standing in Formula 1, Minardi are reliant on the goodwill of the stewards to start Sunday’s race – but team boss Paul Stoddart claimed he had cleared the strategy with the authorities.
With refuelling banned between qualifying and the race, there had been speculation before the weekend that one of the smaller teams might sacrifice race performance for a run at a top grid slot. But, in the event, all the cars appeared to take to the track with a sensible level of fuel on board.
It is all speculation at the moment, but most drivers look set for a two-stop strategy with a handful seemingly opting for three.
Chief amongst these was Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who celebrated his return to Sauber with a fine run to fourth. Olivier Panis clinched Toyota’s best ever grid slot on his first appearance for the team with fifth.
BAR could not quite match their explosive pace of Friday but sixth and eighth still represents a good day’s work for the Brackley team.
Renault, fastest in Saturday practice, could not match that level of performance – but that was due largely to errors from drivers Fernando Alonso and Jarno Trulli. They start 10th and 12th, sandwiching the McLaren of David Coulthard.
Australian Grand Prix qualifying times
1 M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari 1m27.173s 2 BARRICHELLO Ferrari 1m27.418s 3 MONTOYA Williams BMW 1m28.101s 4 FRENTZEN Sauber Petronas 1m28.274s 5 PANIS Toyota 1m28.288s 6 VILLENEUVE BAR Honda 1m28.420s 7 HEIDFELD Sauber Petronas 1m28.464s 8 BUTTON BAR Honda 1m28.682s 9 R.SCHUMACHER Williams BMW 1m28.830s 10 ALONSO Renault 1m28.928s 11 COULTHARD McLaren Mercedes 1m29.105s 12 TRULLI Renault 1m29.136s 13 FISICHELLA Jordan Ford 1m29.344s 14 WEBBER Jaguar 1m29.367s 15 RAIKKONEN McLaren Mercedes 1m29.470s 16 DA MATTA Toyota 1m29.538s 17 FIRMAN Jordan Ford 1m31.242s 18 PIZZONIA Jaguar 1m31.723s 19 VERSTAPPEN Minardi Cosworth no time 20 WILSON Minardi Cosworth no time