Magical Mystery Tour Continues. San Marino GP Qualifying Resuts
Written by George Katinger · April 22, 2006
The tour is the continuing F1 racing season. The continuing magic and mystery refers to the amazingly different starting lineups race to race. Tomorrow will see a Honda “blue plate special”; two slabs of Honda between two slices of Ferrari. Can you make that to go please?
speedtv.com: Schumacher Breaks All-Time Record with Imola Pole
homeofsport.com: Alonso back-paddles on ‘no help’ claim
f1racing.net: Both Toyotas in top ten
speedtv.com: Barrichello Comes to Terms with Honda Brakes
Michael Schumacher delighted his team, fans and the sport in general by claiming pole, breaking Ayerton Senna’s record (Schumi’s 66th pole) and hopefully showing competitive promise for the rest of the season.
But his pole as well as the top four lap times leaves many questions to be answered. With the top Ferrari and fastest Honda (Button) both cracking the 1:23 barrier, how much fuel can these cars be laden with? I would be surprised if they managed twelve laps. Strategy for a two stop race? Try and break away to an early lead, pit early with new tires and a longer middle stint, and then with a large lead a short third stint, maybe another twelve laps.
I for one would not be upset with seeing Michael on the top step of the podium. It would thoroughly put a twist in both title chases.
Does Ferrari’s vast improvement today signify a quantum leap in the Scuderia’s general performance? I’m not sure if it’s an advancement or just a one track wonder. One must keep in perspective Ferrari’s wicked pace last year at Imola and general fade there after. If it is an all around improvement then Bridgestone has made major gains in their tire performance. It would appear they have solved their initial grip issues, now we have to see if they can maintain it for a race duration.
If they have done all of the above and solved their engine issues, then I will call Schumi as the winner.
Guessing the next two finishers is where the fun begins. Have Honda and Jenson Button solved their initial pace questions? Starting 2nd and 3rd would lead the observer to believe, yes they can maintain. But with Felipe “Mad Dash” Massa behind them, I am skeptical of both Honda’s completing the first lap. Massa is desperate to prove his worthiness to wear the red next year and may go for all or nothing to advance to second or third before the first turn. But it’s great to see Rubens starting in the top three. His comments after qualifying lead me to believe the team is finally crafting the car to his race winning style of driving. Watch out Jenson, my prediction of Rubens beating you to a win this year may come to pass, but not tomorrow.
And what of the Renault’s and Mclaren’s, not to mention the continuing hollow threats of team Williams? Fisichella continues to puzzle, with an improved, new, and more powerfull engine he couldn’t advance past the second knockout round of qualy and is starting 11th. Fernando will make his usual standing start flyer but will go somewhat conservative and just try to hold his P5. He is one second off Schumi’s qual time which has to indicate a much heavier fuel load. With a big points lead I think the Renault team is hoping for a conservative podium finish as opposed to an outright run for the win. Especialy because he has the Australian race engine behind him.
McLaren leaves me totally at sea. With JPM in 7th and Kimi in 8th could a one stop race be in the offering? With the degree of difficulty of passing at Imola, we may just see that strategy unfold.
And my call for Nico Rosberg to gather up a podium this year is being continualy thwarted by bad luck in conjunction with bad judgement. Not Nico’s but mine. I guess regardless of the promise one shows, a rookie is still a rookie and requires additional experience. Take one promising rookie, lightly season with bumps and lumps, insert into the F1 oven for two years, and out pops a champion. Maybe!
So who will take 2nd and 3rd places tomorrow? I’m thinking a Honda and Alonso. I’m giving 2nd to Rubens and 3rd to Alonso. With Rubens’ propensity to suck in bad luck like a black hole in space it could just as well be Button. But it would be great to see the former teammates share the podium as well as qualifying honors. And Fernando will be there just to keep the pressure on, and because he’s that steady and attracts good luck the way Rubens draws bad.
San Marino GP Saturday Qualifying Session
POS DRIVER NATIONALITY ENTRANT TIRE TIME
1. Michael Schumacher Germany Ferrari 1:22.795
2. Jenson Button Britain Honda 1:22.988
3. Rubens Barrichello Brazil Honda 1:23.242
4. Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari 1:23.702
5. Fernando Alonso Spain Renault 1:23.709
6. Ralf Schumacher Germany Toyota 1:23.772
7. Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia McLaren-Mercedes 1:24.021
8. Kimi Raikkonen Finland McLaren-Mercedes 1:24.158
9. Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota 1:24.172
10. Mark Webber Australia Williams-Cosworth 1:24.795
11. Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Renault 1:23.771
12. Jacques Villeneuve Canada Sauber-BMW 1:23.887
13. Nico Rosberg Germany Williams-Cosworth 1:23.966
14. David Coulthard Britain Red Bull-Ferrari 1:24.101
15. Nick Heidfeld Germany Sauber-BMW 1:24.129
16. Vitantonio Liuzzi Italy Toro Rosso-Cosworth 1:24.520
17. Christian Klien Austria Red Bull-Ferrari 1:25.410
18. Scott Speed United States Toro Rosso-Cosworth 1:25.437
19. Tiago Monteiro Portugal MF1-Toyota 1:26.820
20. Christijan Albers Netherlands MF1-Toyota 1:27.088
21. Takuma Sato Japan Super Aguri-Honda 1:27.609
22. Yuji Ide Japan Super Aguri-Honda 1:29.282
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Interesting speculation on fuel loads-& I think your right-if your wrong McLaren are really in trouble.
For the sake of the championship it would be nice to see somebody other than a Renault driver on the top step of the podium.
The real mystery is Toyota, where are they on a) fuel load & b) performance on the Bridgestones.