This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/5415334.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ferrari duo leave Alonso trailing | Ferrari duo leave Alonso trailing |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Ferrari's Felipe Massa took a surprise pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix to steal the spotlight from the battle for the world championship. | Ferrari's Felipe Massa took a surprise pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix to steal the spotlight from the battle for the world championship. |
| The Brazilian set a lap of one minute 29.599 seconds to beat team-mate Michael Schumacher by 0.112secs. | The Brazilian set a lap of one minute 29.599 seconds to beat team-mate Michael Schumacher by 0.112secs. |
| Schumacher's title rival Fernando Alonso of Renault was only fifth fastest behind the two Toyotas of Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli. | Schumacher's title rival Fernando Alonso of Renault was only fifth fastest behind the two Toyotas of Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli. |
| Jenson Button's Honda was seventh behind Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella. | Jenson Button's Honda was seventh behind Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella. |
| Alonso was just under 0.8secs slower than Massa, and Ferrari's pace suggests the Spaniard will face an uphill battle trying to limit the damage to his title chances in the race on Sunday. | Alonso was just under 0.8secs slower than Massa, and Ferrari's pace suggests the Spaniard will face an uphill battle trying to limit the damage to his title chances in the race on Sunday. |
| Renault appear to be at a tyre disadvantage to Ferrari, judging from the unusual pace of the Toyotas. | Renault appear to be at a tyre disadvantage to Ferrari, judging from the unusual pace of the Toyotas. |
| The Japanese team - keen to make an impression in their home race at a circuit owned by arch-rivals Honda - use the same Bridgestone tyres as Ferrari, while Renault are on Michelins. | The Japanese team - keen to make an impression in their home race at a circuit owned by arch-rivals Honda - use the same Bridgestone tyres as Ferrari, while Renault are on Michelins. |
| Alonso's pace compared with the other Michelin teams is similar to at other races this season, but Bridgestone appears to have made a big step forward for Suzuka. | Alonso's pace compared with the other Michelin teams is similar to at other races this season, but Bridgestone appears to have made a big step forward for Suzuka. |
| Alonso is left pondering the secret to Ferrari's successRubens Barrichello made it an all-Honda fourth row, finishing 0.586 seconds behind team-mate Button, while Nick Heidfeld's BMW Sauber was ninth. | Alonso is left pondering the secret to Ferrari's successRubens Barrichello made it an all-Honda fourth row, finishing 0.586 seconds behind team-mate Button, while Nick Heidfeld's BMW Sauber was ninth. |
| In a testament to Bridgestone's dominance, even Nico Rosberg's Williams got in on the act, wrapping up the top 10. | In a testament to Bridgestone's dominance, even Nico Rosberg's Williams got in on the act, wrapping up the top 10. |
| But it was a miserable qualifying session for McLaren with neither Kimi Raikkonen - last year's winner at Suzuka - nor Pedro de la Rosa quick enough to make the final knockout stage. | But it was a miserable qualifying session for McLaren with neither Kimi Raikkonen - last year's winner at Suzuka - nor Pedro de la Rosa quick enough to make the final knockout stage. |
| Raikkonen was kept out by Barrichello, who clocked the 10th fastest time in the second session, while De la Rosa came in 13th with BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica splitting the two McLarens. | Raikkonen was kept out by Barrichello, who clocked the 10th fastest time in the second session, while De la Rosa came in 13th with BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica splitting the two McLarens. |
| It was also disappointment for Mark Webber in the Williams, who was 14th, just ahead of Vitantonio Liuzzi in the Toro Rosso and Midland's Christijan Albers. | It was also disappointment for Mark Webber in the Williams, who was 14th, just ahead of Vitantonio Liuzzi in the Toro Rosso and Midland's Christijan Albers. |
| In the first phase of qualifying, David Coulthard was an early casualty, falling outside the 16 fastest drivers, while Super Aguri's Sakon Yamamoto failed to even notch up a time as his car came to grinding halt midway through his first lap. | In the first phase of qualifying, David Coulthard was an early casualty, falling outside the 16 fastest drivers, while Super Aguri's Sakon Yamamoto failed to even notch up a time as his car came to grinding halt midway through his first lap. |
| Sunday's race will be the fifth time this season that Ferrari will cover both positions on the front row. | Sunday's race will be the fifth time this season that Ferrari will cover both positions on the front row. |
| Alonso is level on 116 points with Schumacher with the German on top of the drivers' standings by virtue of having won one more race. | Alonso is level on 116 points with Schumacher with the German on top of the drivers' standings by virtue of having won one more race. |
| Schumacher could therefore win an eighth title this weekend should he win on Sunday and the Spaniard fail to finish in the points. | Schumacher could therefore win an eighth title this weekend should he win on Sunday and the Spaniard fail to finish in the points. |
| Qualifying positions for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka: | Qualifying positions for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka: |
| 1. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari one minute 29.599 seconds2. Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari 1:29.7113. Ralf Schumacher (Ger) Toyota 1:29.9894. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 1:30.0395. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault 1:30.3716. Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault 1:30.5997. Jenson Button (GB) Honda 1:30.9928. Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Honda 1:31.4789. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 1:31.51310. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Cosworth 1:31.856 | |
| Eliminated after second 15-minute session11. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) McLaren 1:30.82712. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 1:31.09413. Pedro de la Rosa (Spa) McLaren 1:31.25414. Mark Webber (Aus) Williams-Cosworth 1:31.27615. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Ita) Toro Rosso-Cosworth 1:31.94316. Christijan Albers (Ned) Midland-Toyota 1:33.750 | |
| Eliminated after first 15-minute session17. David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull-Ferrari 1:32.25218. Robert Doornbos (Ned) Red Bull-Ferrari 1:32.40219. Scott Speed (US) Toro Rosso-Cosworth 1:32.86720. Takuma Sato (Jpn) Super Aguri-Honda 1:33.66621. Tiago Monteiro (Por) Midland-Toyota 1:33.70922. Sakon Yamamoto (Jpn) Super Aguri-Honda |