Webber seventh in Australian GP Qualifying
Mark Webber
By Andrew Hooper
April 1 2006
WilliamsF1's Mark Webber would finish in seventh after qualifying for the 2006 Australian Grand Prix. TTeam-mate Nico Rosberg would not make his past the second period of qualifying been caught out by trafffic and rain in the closing part minutes of the period. He would finish in fifteenth.
| Australian GP Qualifying |
|
The opening
session for today's' Australian Grand Prix session would be run under clear
conditions. But it was very windy, which may make conditions difficult for
the drivers. Villeneuve will have to contend with a ten place grid penalty
after qualifying. They would be followed by Massa
and Alonso. Seven minutes were left in the opening session of qualifying.
Mark and Nico wee also out onto the circuit. Kimi was till in his garage.
Everyone was out to set a quick time. Alonso, Fisichella, Raikkonen,
Coulthard, Heidfeld, Villeneuve, Montoya, Michael Schumacher, Felipe Massa,
Nico Rosberg, Rubens Barrichello and Mark Webber had yet to set a time. |
| The start of the second
period would see both of the BMW Sauber's come out followed by Liuzzi. Trulli and Ralf Schumacher were also out, joined by Klien. Red Bull team-mate Coulthard was also out. Heidfeld would set the firsts time, 1m:26.651, to go fastest. Liuzzi was second followed by Villeneuve. Trulli was now fastest with a 1m:26.472. Ralf was now in third and Coulthard was now in fourth. Trulli would improve with a 1m:26.327 to again be fastest.  Fisichella was now out on the circuit, joining Raikkonen and Alonso. Kimi
would move to the top of the times with a 1m:26.161. Heidfeld, Ralf
Schumacher, Coulthard, Klien, and Villeneuve would all head for their pits.
Nico was out on the track, joined by Button. Alonso was now fastest with a
1m:25.729. Montoya was now second with a 1m:25.902.Massa would crash his car removing the rear wing at Turn twelve with five and a half minutes remaining in period two. This would see the red flag come out again. Neither Mark or Nico were in the top ten. There was frantic activity in the WilliamsF1 garage as the mechanics changed Mark's and Nico's tyres. Button was also faced with having not yet set a time. The top ten order was Alonso, Montoya, Raikkonen, Fisichella, Trulli, Heidfeld, Michael Schumacher, Ralf Schumacher, Coulthard and Liuzzi. Massa's accident started the corner before when he lost control of his car and could not gather it up going into the next turn. With new tyres all the drivers would come out onto the circuit in the final five minutes. Mark would run over debris coming out of the pit lane. It looked like it came off Michael's Ferrari. All the drivers were fighting for a clear space on the track with just three minutes remaining. Mark and Button were on a flying lap, setting the fastest second sector. Mark was able to move in third with a 1m:26.075. He would be beaten by Heidfeld. Button was in eighth.
The top ten were Alonso, Montoya, Heidfeld, Webber, Raikkonen, Fisichella,
Trulli, Button, Ralf and Villeneuve. |
It was found that what Mark
had driven over was a fan unit used to cool the brakes. Mark was very lucky not to damage his car. With the final twenty
minute period commencing there would be a flood of cars coming out onto the track.
Mark was one of the first cars out on the track. It looked like the Renault
drivers were out to set a time early. Alonso would set the first time, 1m:28.942, to
go fastest. Nico explained by he was caught out by traffic and then caught out by the
light rain in the closing minutes of the second period. Button was now in second
with a 1m:29.690. Alonso was even faster with a 1m:27.290. Villeneuve was in
third followed by Raikkonen, Fisichella, and Ralf. Montoya was behind the Toyota.
Trulli was yet to leave his pit with thirteen minutes remaining. Kimi was now in second with a 1m:29.568, only to be passed by Button with a 1m:28.120. Mark was in fifth with a 1m:30.590. Twelve minutes remaining and Heidfeld and Villeneuve were now in third and fourth. Mark was now down in seventh, but he would improve with a 1m:29.865 to be in sixth. Villeneuve was back in the pit lane. The drivers were all trying to manage their laps to put them on a clear part of the track. Montoya was in the pit lane getting new tyres. Ralf was now fourth with a 1m:29.028. We had yet to see Trulli. Mark was on a quick lap but he would run wide at the exit of Turn twelve. Kimi was now in second with a 1m:27.594, with under seven minutes remaining. Mark would continue on his next lap while Montoya was on a quick lap, finishing with a 1m:26.391. mark was now in the pit lane getting new tyres. They would also make a small adjustment to the front wing. Four and a half minutes remaining and everyone was in for new tyres. mark was currently in ninth. mark was asking on his radio as to who was behind him. Everyone was on it looking to set a quick time. Marks next alp would see him in second with a 1m:26.937. Alonso was fastest with a 1m:25.778 joined by Fisichella in second. But Button would take pole with a 1m:25.229. Montoya would spin his car. Mark was now in sixth. Kimi was in fourth with a 1m:25.822. Mark was back in his pit ending his session. Montoya was on a flyer but would cross the line with a time of 1m:25.976 to be only fifth. Mark would finish in seventh with the end of the session. Trulli would fail to set a time after having his car damaged by what was believed to be a bird that hit his car. |
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Button Honda (M) 1:25.229 25 2. Fisichella Renault (M) 1:25.635 23 3. Alonso Renault (M) 1:25.778 24 4. Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:25.822 22 5. Montoya McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:25.976 22 6. R.Schumacher Toyota (B) 1:26.612 28 7. Webber WilliamsF1-Cosworth (B) 1:26.937 22 8. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (M) 1:27.579 30 9. Villeneuve BMW-Sauber (M) 1:29.239 19 10. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:26.327 14 11. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:26.718 11 12. Coulthard Red Bull-Ferrari (M) 1:27.023 11 13. Liuzzi Toro Rosso-Cosworth (M) 1:27.219 18 14. Klien Red Bull-Ferrari (M) 1:27.591 14 15. Rosberg WilliamsF1-Cosworth (B) 1:29.422 11 16. Massa Ferrari (B) 1:28.868 8 17. Barrichello Honda (M) 1:29.943 6 18. Albers MF1-Toyota (B) 1:30.226 8 19. Speed Toro Rosso-Cosworth (M) 1:30.426 9 20. Monteiro MF1-Toyota (B) 1:30.709 7 21. Sato Super Aguri-Honda (B) 1:32.279 7 22. Ide Super Aguri-Honda (B) 1:36.164 7 |
 |
Liuzzi was fastest with a 1m:30.403. Albers was in third followed by Klien.
Both Heidfeld and Villeneuve were out for their first laps. Both Renault's
were also out. Ide would spin three times in just the first five minutes of
the opening session. Barrichello was now out on the track. Klien was now in
second. Ide would stall his car after his final spin causing the red flag to
come out, stopping the clock. Button was in seventh behind the two Toyota's.
With Ides' car been able to return to the pits Montoya and Michael
Schumacher would come out from the pit lane.