Australian Qualifying: Fifth for Rosberg

With Nico Rosberg able to secure the top spot in all the practice sessions for the 2009 Australian Grand Prix the big question was whether or not he could continue this form into qualifying. Qualifying is run under the same format with five cars been dropped after the opening twenty minute period. Another five would be dropped after period two. The final period will see the top ten have ten minutes in which pole position will be decided.

Nico Rosberg was in his car early but it would be Fisichella who would be first out joined by Nico, Kazuki Nakajima, and a rush of other drivers. ten of the twenty cars were out on the track. Nico was on the harder tyre. Fisichella was on the soft tyre. Fisichella's first time was a 1m:28.840. A 1m:27.833 from Nico. Buemi was in third. Massa moved into second with a 1m:28.346 but Sutil moved ahead of him, 1m:28.118. Piquet was fourth. Fisichella was back in second as Nico improved with a 1m:27.083. Kazuki was down in tenth with a 1m:30.483.

Massa was now second and Kovalainen third. Kazuki would improve with a 1m:26.752. Great effort. Nico would make a mistake running wide as Raikkonen moved in third, 1m:27.254. Nico would pit. Massa was fourth and Piquet fifth. Webber was sixth as Raikkonen went fastest with a 1m:26.615. Kazuki had also pitted. Barrichello was fourth as Nico returned on the soft tyres. Only the BMW's had yet to take to the track. Webber was now third, 1m:26.783. Alonso was now fastest with a 1m:26.474. Kazuki was third, 1m:26.752, while Nico was down in sixth.

Barrichello was now fastest with a 1m:26.247. Hamilton put in a quick time moving into second with a 1m:26.454, running on the soft tyres. Glock was now third as Button comes in second fastest. Barrichello sets a time of 1m:25.815. Nico was back up to second with a 1m:26.172. Kazuki was down in tenth. With seven minutes remaining Barrichello was fastest from Nico, Button, Hamilton, Glock, Alonso, Vettel, Webber, Raikkonen, and Kazuki in tenth.

Nico was down to a 1m:25.846 but remained in second. Heidfeld was up to eleventh. Kazuki would improve to be fourth, 1m:26.299. Kubica was fifth, 1m:26.386. Most of the field was back in the pits. It looked like the top three were not going to come back out. Heidfeld was now fourth, 1m:26.283. Kazuki would pit. Massa was slowest but he would move up to second with a 1m:25.844, using the soft tyres. Raikkonen was also on a quick lap being fastest in the opening two sectors. He would make a mistake in the final sector only moving up to fourth, 1m:25.899.

Kazuki was back out as we only had Massa and Nico in their pits. Webber was now fastest with a 1m:25.427. He was fastest in the final sector. Nico was now fourth and Kazuki ninth. As the period ended Glock would move into second, 1m:25.499. Barrichello's last lap was good enough to move back to the top of the times with a 1m:25.006.

So with the end of the period Barrichello was fastest followed by Button, Webber, Glock, Heidfeld, Massa, Nico, Raikkonen, Kubica, and Vettel in tenth. Kazuki was down in twelfth. Those not making the cut were Buemi, Piquet, Fisichella, Sutil, and Bourdais.

The second period was underway with Raikkonen first out on the softer tyre. Massa, Trulli, and Glock would also leave the pit lane. Barrichello was next out joined by Button. Raikkonen would set the first time with a 1m:25.380. Eleven cars were out on the track as Massa went second with a 1m:25.539. Glock was now fastest with a 1m:25.281. Both Nico and Kazuki were out on the track.

Kimi would pit as Barrichello moved into second, 1m:25.287, but Button was now fastest with a 1m:25.205. Trulli was sixth, 1m:25.608. Webber was second with a 1m:25.241. Nico and Kazuki had yet to set a time with seven minutes left. Vettel was now fastest with a 1m:25.121. Kazuki was tenth with a 1m:25.700.

Nico was now second with a 1m:25.123. Kazuki was now eleventh. It was announced that Hamilton was out of qualifying with a loss of drive in his car. Neither BMW had set a time with just over five minutes left. Nico and Kazuki had pitted. Heidfeld was now eleventh on his first lap with Kovalainen thirteenth. Kubica was now third, 1m:25.152. Button was back out joined by Barrichello. The Brawn GP cars were in fourth and seventh with Button fastest. Kazuki was also back out as Kovalainen failed to improve being in fourteenth. We now had everyone back out as the final minutes counted down.

Barrichello was on a quick lap, along with Button. Massa was eighth. Kovalainen would pit as Rubens went fastest with a 1m:24.783. Button was second, 1m:24.855. Vettel was now third followed by Nico. Kazuki was down in thirteenth and out of the running. Nico would finish with a 1m:25.123 while Kazuki was on a 1m:25.607. So the top ten was Barrichello from Button, Vettel, Nico, Kubica, Webber, Trulli, Glock, Massa, and Raikkonen. Those not making it through were Heidfeld, Alonso, Kazuki, and Kovalainen.

With Nico in the top ten the ten minute period started with the drivers running
on their race fuel. The Brawn GP cars were out first joined by Nico. Raikkonen was also out on the track. Trulli was next followed by Massa. Button was on the soft tyres as we now had all ten cars out on the track. Button was fastest with a 1m:26.600 followed by Barrichello with a 1m:27.161. Nico was in third with a 1m:28.110. Raikkonen was fourth with a 1m:28.798.

Trulli was up to fourth, 1m:28.464, as Massa moved into sixth. Raikkonen was in fifth. Nico would improve with a 1m:28.068. Webber was now third with a 1m:27.520. Kubica was in fourth and Nico fifth. Vettel moved ahead of the BMW to see the Red Bull cars third and fourth. Nico was down in sixth, followed by Glock and Trulli, Raikkonen, and Massa. Massa reported that he had a puncture.

Button had pitted as the final minutes counted down. After making their pit stops everyone was back out as Barrichello went fastest in sector one. He was just off pole pace in sector two. He would move to the top of the times with a 1m:26.505. Button was on a quick lap as Nico moved into third but was passed by Kubica. Button was now fastest with a 1m:26.202. Vettel was able to move up to third, 1m:26.830, with Kubica fourth and Nico fifth. Glock was sixth followed by Massa, Trulli, Raikkonen, and Webber in tenth. So we have a Brawn GP one-two.

Nico was seven tenths off the pace down in fifth but we don't know how much fuel that the Williams was running. We will find out soon as to what fuel the teams are running when it is announced. Given all the media hype with the announcement of the Brawn teams Virgin sponsorship it is not surprising that they would look at securing pole. It was fairy tale stuff.

The position that Williams was in with Nico was very encouraging for the race. The only disappointing thing to come out of qualifying was Kazuki's performance finishing in thirteenth.