WilliamsF1 maintains grid positions with 4th & 9th

For the BMW WilliamsF1 team the final qualifying for the San Marino Grand Prix would see both Mark and Nick maintain their positions from Saturday, Mark in fourth while Nick was down in ninth.

The second qualifying session would be run under clear conditions, despite rain earlier in the day. Minardi's Patrick Friesacher would be the first driver out on the track, the drivers running in reverse order to their Saturday qualifying.

The PS05 would start its qualifying lap and would finish with a time of 1m:30.464. It may still have been damp out on the track as Patrick's time was over four seconds slower than his time from Saturday. Team-mate Albers was next. Christijan was immediately quicker in the first sector but would lose his car coming into the Variante Alta and spin off, his lap over.

Next came Jordan's Tiago Monteiro and he would finish his lap with a time of
1m:29.152 to go fastest overall by 1.3 seconds. Jordan team-mate Narain Karthikeyan was out and his lap would see him finish with a time of 1m:28.976 to be 1.9 seconds overall ahead of Monteiro. The final driver of the first group was Red Bull Racing's Tonio Liuzzi. The Italian would complete his lap with a time of 1m:26.351 to be fastest overall.

The next group was made up of Fisichella, Coulthard, Villeneuve, Ralf Schumacher, and Barrichello. While they waited the Minardi of Albers was removed with his front wing missing. Fisichella was out on the circuit and was three tenths up after sector one, eight tenths after sector two, and he would finish his lap with a time of 1m:25.002, 1.3 seconds quicker than Luizzi, to move into the top spot. Coulthard was next and his lap would see him 1.2 seconds down after sector two. He would finish his lap with the second fastest time, a 1m:26.438, to be second overall.

Jacques Villeneuve was out on his lap and would finish with a time of 1m:25.260 but was fastest overall having a 0.7 second lead prior to his lap. Jacques total time was 2m:46.259. Ralf Schumacher was next and the Toyota driver would set an impressive time of 1m:24.422 to easily go fastest overall. His combined time was 2m:45.416. Now it was Rubens Barrichello's turn. The Brazilian was down on Ralf after the first sector, matching Ralf in the second, to finish with a time of 1m:24.351 to go fastest overall. His total time was 2m:45.243.

The next group would see Sato lead out Nick Heidfeld, Wurz, Massa, and Trulli. The BAR driver would start his lap wand was 0.2 up after sector two. He would finish his lap with a time of 1m:23.807, 0.5 faster than Rubens, to easily be fastest overall with a combined time of 2m:44.648. Now it was Nick's turn to qualify. Nick was just ahead of Sato in the opening sector but the rest of his lap would see him only set a time of 1m:24.389 to finish in second, a combined time of 2m:45.196. Wurz was next and the McLaren driver was a tenth ahead after sector two. He would finish with a time of 1m:24.057 to move into second.

Massa was next, bearing in his the fact that he will lose ten places on the grid due to an engine change. He would finish his lap with a combined time of 2m:44.930 to be in third. Trulli in the second Toyota was next out and was 0.3 up on Sato after sector two. He would finish his lap with a time of 1m:24.026 but would go fastest with a combined time of 2m:44.518.

That would leave us with just five drivers left to run. They were Button, Mark Webber, Michael Schumacher, Alonso, and Raikkonen. Mark was just a tenth ahead of Trulli in the opening qualifying so it would be interesting to see if he hols onto his position.

Button would start his lap and the BAR driver was ahead but less than a tenth at sector one, 0.3 ahead at sector two, and would finish his lap with a time of 1m:23.641 to go fastest overall. His combined time was 2m:44.105. Mark would start his lap and was three tenths down after sector two. He would finish his lap with a time of 1m:24.069 to move into second. His combined time was 2m:44.511.

Now it was the final three. Michael Schumacher was first out and he was a tenth down after sector two. Michael was to run wide into the gravel at Rivazza. This error would be costly as he would finish with a time of 1m:26.984 to be in twelfth. Alonso was next and the Renault driver was easily fastest with a time of 1m:23.552. With his lead Fernando would go fastest with a combined time of . Now it was down to Raikkonen. The Finn was able to set the fastest lap of the morning with a time of 1m:22.994, after an excellent second sector, to be half a second faster.

So for the first time this year we would have another car apart from a Renault on pole. Mark would finish in fourth while Nick was down in ninth, their qualifying positions from Saturday.