2005 FIA Formula One World Championship Round 3: Bahrain Grand Prix
2
April: Michelin Saturday Qualifying Report - Michelin stays on top in fierce desert heat
World championship leader
Fernando Alonso (Renault/Michelin) has taken provisional pole position for tomorrow’s second Bahraini Grand Prix in Sakhir. With
track temperatures consistently topping 50 degrees, the Spaniard was the last driver to venture out for today’s single-lap
shoot-out and his 1m 29.848s lap put him 0.145s clear of Jarno Trulli (Toyota/Michelin). Defending world champion Michael
Schumacher was third – his best qualifying run of the campaign to date – but Michelin drivers annexed the next 11
positions.
Mark Webber (BMW WilliamsF1 Team/Michelin) set the fastest time in this morning’s final free practice
sessions. He lapped in 1m 29.527s, 0.184s quicker than fellow Michelin driver Ralf Schumacher (Toyota).
Troubled Ferrari
driver Rubens Barrichello failed to take to the track this morning. Transmission problems sidelined the Brazilian’s new F2005
chassis yesterday – and the team, which is short of spare parts for its latest car, did not want to expose the repaired unit to
further risk. Consequently, he had completed only a handful of laps of the track prior to the first qualifying session. After
locking his brakes at Turn One, he emerged 15th fastest.
Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve (Sauber/Michelin)
compromised today’s qualifying run when he ran off the track at the final corner. He ended the session in 16th position.
Minardi
driver Christijan Albers had a fresh engine fitted yesterday and his teammate Patrick Friesacher followed suit this morning. Both
are therefore due to have 10- position grid penalties imposed.
Michelin’s day Pierre Dupasquier, Michelin
motorsport director “Everything has gone to plan so far this weekend – but the hardest part is yet to come, particularly if
conditions remain this hot for tomorrow’s 57-lap race. Our main opposition has clearly upped its game, but Michelin and its
partner teams have retained the competitive edge that has been apparent since the start of the season.”
