Rosberg excellent sixth in Monaco Qualifying

After being setting encouraging times in the practice sessions in the lead up to
qualifying Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima would be hopeful of securing a good grid position for the 2008 Monaco Grand Prix. There had been morning rain showers but the session would be run under dry conditions with the threat of rain low. A good grid position is crucial at the tight and twisty Monaco circuit.

The opening twenty minutes Q1 period would get under way with Coulthard out first. Coulthard was on the harder tyre. His time was a 1m:18.539. Vettel had also come out. His time was a 1m:17.862. Coulthard would go fastest with a 1m:17.732. Bourdais, Glock, and Sutil had also left the pit lane. Vettel would set an improved time with a 1m:16.955. Kovalainen and Raikkonen had also come out with fifteen minutes remaining. Coulthard was still second.

Kovalainen was now fastest with a 1m:16.806. Raikkonen was now second with a 1m:16.839. Massa was now fastest with a 1m:16.604. But Rosberg was able to move ahead with a 1m:16.116, continuing his good showing. Most drivers were on the harder of the two options. Kazuki was also out on the track. Despite improving Kovalainen would remain in second. Kazuki was running with the softer tyre. Kazuki was down in thirteenth. Massa was in third followed by Alonso, Raikkonen, and Vettel.

Raikkonen would go fastest with Hamilton quickly passing him with a 1m:15.582. With eight minutes remaining Massa was still in third. Only five cars would be dropped at the end of the session. The drivers were now taking on the softer tyre. Kazuki was currently in seventeenth. Coulthard would improve to seventh with a 1m:16.390. Kubica was now in fourth ahead of Nico in fifth, 0.534 behind Hamilton. Kovalainen would go fastest with a 1m:15.295, still on the harder tyre.

Kazuki was able to improve with a 1m:16.756 to be fourteenth. Piquet was in sixteenth after nearly hitting the barrier in the run-up to the tunnel. Trulli would improve to tenth. Kazuki had dropped to fifteenth as the period came an end. But Massa would put in a last minute quick lap with a 1`m:15.190. The order was Massa from Kovalainen, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Nico, Kubica, Webber, and Coulthard in eighth.

The next fifteen minute period would start with Kazuki would comment that the prime was more stable so his two runs would both be on the harder tyre. Alonso was first out on the softer tyre. Kazuki was also out on the track. Alonso would set a 1m:16.511. Raikkonen was also out on the track on the softer tyre. Nico was also out while Raikkonen would set a 1m:15.404 to go fastest. Nico was now third. Kazuki was down in seventh. Massa was now fastest with a 1m:15.110. Hamilton was now third with a 15.420. Webber was now fifth
followed by Coulthard, and Glock. Nico was now eighth.

Kazuki had dropped to eleventh. Hamilton was now second with a 1m:15.374. Raikkonen was now third followed by Kovalainen. Kubica was now sixth. Nico was ninth and Kazuki fifteenth. Kubica would improve to fifth with a 1m:15.700. Nico's first time was done of the softer tyre and he would come back out on the harder tyre for his next run. Kazuki was only able to set a time of 1m:17.438 and was looking to be dropped. Hamilton was out and fastest in the first sector. But he would lose time in the middle sector finishing with a 1m:15.322. In an awesome lap Nico would finish with a 1m:15.287 to move into second.

Kazuki was 1.2 seconds behind Nico's time and down in thirteenth. Trulli would move into seventh. There would be a lose wheel rolling down the road. It was shown that Coulthard crashed coming out the exit of the tunnel, smashing the right side of his car against the barrier. His qualifying was over. With the end of the period those not making the cut were Glock, Button, Heidfeld, Kazuki, and Barrichello. Nico was still in an excellent second.

Patrick Head would talk to Kazuki while the final ten drivers would start the final period with Kazuki looking resigned to his lkow grid position.. Nico was out on the softer tyre, following Kovalainen. Kovalainen was fastest with a 1m:16.621. Nico was second followed by Trulli. Hamilton was now fastest with a 1m:16.313. Raikkonen would able to move ahead with a 1m:16.112.

Alonso was fourth with five minutes remaining. Massa was now third as Webber moved into sixth. Nico was now seventh. Most drivers were pitting as Kubica went second. Drivers were using both of the two options. Alonso was out on the harder tyre.

Raikkonen was able to improve with a 1m:15.815 while Kovalainen was now second. Hamilton was now second with a 1m:15.839, while Massa was able to move ahead of Raikkonen with a 1m:15.787 to give us an all Ferrari front row. Nico was in a fantastic sixth. The order was Massa, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Kovalainen, Kubica, Nico, Alonso, Trulli, and Webber. Coulthard despite his crash was in tenth.

With his sixth position on the Monaco grid Nico's prospects for the race were looking good but there is always the element of luck that seems to take a major role in any Monaco Grand Prix result. From fourteenth on the grid it would be a difficult race for Kazuki with strategy playing a significant role in his race and any hope of scoring points. The race will be interesting to see what fuel levels the teams are running. There was also the possibility of rain on the Sunday which will add an extra dimension to the race.