Japan: In the lap of the Gods

Sato in action
By pitpass.com (11/10/2003)
October 11 2003

WilliamsF1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya was quickest in the fifteen-minute warm-up session this afternoon ahead of Cristiano da Matta, Rubens Barrichello, Fernando Alonso and Takuma Sato.

Neither World Championship protagonist Michael Schumacher or Kimi Raikkonen posted a time nor did Jarno Trulli or Olivier Panis.

First out this afternoon, for the final qualifying session of the 2003 season, will be Nicolas Kiesa, followed by Jos Verstappen, Giancarlo Fisichella, Ralph Firman and Jenson Button.

Conditions are overcast as the Dane prepares to go out and get the session underway, the was some light drizzle after this morning's practice sessions leaving the track a little damp. This will surely play into the hands of the late runners.

At 14:00 Kiesa heads out of his garage, the session is underway. At the first split the Minardi star posts 34s followed by 43.3 at the second. The youngster has had difficulty learning the circuit and doesn't seem happy here. At the line it's 1:37.226, slower than yesterday, probably due to the damp track.

Jos Verstappen begins his flying lap, the Dutchman is currently being linked with the second seat at Jaguar. At the first split it's 32.8 followed by a 42.5 at the second. 1:34.975 is 2.2s quicker than his team-mate, a good lap from the Dutchman.

Giancarlo Fisichella is on track, the Italian in his last qualifying session for Jordan. At the first split the Italian posts 32.6 followed by a 42.6 in the second sector. At the line it 1:34.412, he goes quickest but only just, beating Verstappen's time by a mere 0.063s.

Ralph Firman hasn't looked too bad this weekend, can he out-pace his vastly experienced team-mate? At the first split it's 32.5, he's quickest so far. Again in the second sector he's unable to match Verstappen, what can he do in the final sector? At the line it's 1:34.771, the Anglo-Irish driver goes quickest by 0.141, a great lap.

Last out before the break is Jenson Button, the Englishman under pressure from his new team-mate this week-end. He's quickest of all in the first sector posting a 31.9s. In the second sector he's still quickest with a 42.1s. At the line it's 1:33.474, the BAR driver goes quickest by 1.297s, a good lap though it remains to be seen how it compares once the 'big guns' go out.

At the first break it's Button ahead of Firman, Fisichella, Verstappen and Kiesa.

Next out is Justin Wilson, this is one driver that really needs to deliver something special this weekend, though in all honesty Jaguar has probably already made its mind up, indeed who's to say that Wilson was never part of the team's long-term plan?

At the first split the Yorkshireman posts 32.5, he's unable to match Button's pace, indeed he's half-a-second off the pace. At the second split it's 41.7, which is the best time of the day. At the line it's 1:33.558 following a great third sector. Other than the first sector that was a great lap from Justin.

Cristiano da Matta is on track, Toyota really wants to upstage its Japanese rivals Honda here. At the first split it's 31.6, quickest of the day thus far. Quickest of the day in sector two too for the Brazilian. At the line it's 1:32.419 as the Toyota star goes quickest by over a second, a superb lap.

Team-mate Olivier Panis is next out, the Frenchman qualified well at Indianapolis. At the first split it's 31.6 followed by a 41.9 at the second, he's down on da Matta but it's marginal. At the line it's 1:32.862 which puts him second.

This could well be one of the last times that F1 fans get to see Heinz-Harald Frentzen in action, which is rather sad, he's a nice guy and still a very fast racer. At the first split the German posts 31.8, he's down on da Matta but not by too much. At the second split the Sauber driver posts 42.7, he's lost a whole heap of time in that sector. Over the line he registers 1:33.896 which puts him fifth behind Wilson.

The Japanese flags are waved as Takuma Sato comes out for his lap, who will ever forget the scenes here last year when he finished fifth in the Jordan? At the first split it's 32.2, he's over half-a-second down on da Matta. At the second split it's 42s and 1:33.924 as he crosses the line. The Japanese star is sixth, 1.5s slower than da Matta and 0.5s slower than his team-mate. The BAR looked a real handful, and this wasn't helped by a couple of silly mistakes, most noticeably at the final chicane.

One has to wonder what sort of strategy the Toyotas are on, are we witnessing what we used to see Ferrari doing at Monza?

Nick Heidfeld is next out, the German is one of a number of drivers looking for a drive for 2004. At the first split the former F3000 champion posts 32.1 followed by a 42 at the second. The Sauber driver pushes hard and a strong final sector sees him go fifth with a 1:33.632.

Mark Webber has had a topsy-turvy weekend, the Jaguar clearly not suited to this track. At the first split the Australian posts 32s followed by a 41.6 at the second split, that quickest of the session. At the line it's 1:33.106 which puts him third, a great recovery after a poor first sector.

Now it's Juan Pablo Montoya's turn, we're looking for something very special here. At the first split it's 31.7 which is disappointing, and not the quickest we've seen. At the second split it's 41.5 the Colombian finds some pace and posts best time of the day in that sector. At the line it's 1:32.412, the Colombian takes provisional pole but by a mere 0.007s, and we've still got seven cars to go.

Rubens Barrichello is next out, some have tipped the Brazilian to win here tomorrow, including his team-mate. At the first split the Brazilian posts 31.4, that's quickest we've seen so far. He maintains the momentum in the second and third sectors crossing the line at 1:31.713 to go quickest by 0.699s.

Last out before the final break is Fernando Alonso who had a major engine problem in free practice. At the first split it's 31.8s followed by a 41.8 at the second. At the line the Spaniard posts 1:33.044 to go fifth, he'll be disappointed with that.

With five cars left to run, including the two title protagonists, the order is Barrichello ahead of Montoya, da Matta, Panis, Alonso, Webber, Button, Wilson, Heidfeld and Frentzen.

Next out is Kimi Raikkonen who is running in team-mate David Coulthard's car, having crashed his own in this morning's first free practice session. In many ways this the most important qualifying session of the Finn's career to date, he can't afford any mistakes. That said there's a fine drizzle coming down and consequently it's a disappointing 32.3 at the first split, he's almost a second down on Barrichello. At the second split it's 41.9 and 1:33.272 as he crosses the line. Kimi will be devastated he's seventh, with his team-mate, the Schumachers and Trulli yet to run. That said, if it rains any harder it will play into the Finn's hands.

David Coulthard posts 32.1s in the first sector, he's already 0.7s down on Barrichello when something appears to fall off of the McLaren, remember Silverstone when the cockpit surround fell off? At the second split the Scot posts 41.9, crossing the line at 1:33.137 to go seventh edging out his team-mate.

All eyes on Michael Schumacher as the German begins the lap that could result in F1 history being made. It's 32.4 at the first split, he's slower than Raikkonen. He's slow again at the second split posting a 42.2. At the line it's 1:34.302, the German is fourteenth over 2.5s off the pace as the rain begins to fall even harder.

Brother Ralf is next out. WilliamsF1 really wants the Constructors' Championship. At the first split the German posts 34s, there are big spots of rain on his camera lens, Ralf is really struggling to control the car as the rain continues. Finally he loses it and spins off failing to post a time.

Jarno Trulli goes out but by now it is raining even harder and as a result the Italian returns to the pits at the end of his 'out' lap.

This is the sort of scenario that Ecclestone had been dreaming of, a mixed up grid with Montoya and Barrichello out front battling for the Constructors' Championship, while Raikkonen is back on the fourth row and Michael Schumacher back on the seventh row alongside local hero Sato - the guy with the certain reputation.

Lets not forget also that Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli, two of the fastest men we've seen here this weekend, will be starting behind the Minardis.

Of course with team-mate Rubens up font, not to mention Montoya, this is to Michael's advantage since Raikkonen must win. Therefore rather than get involved in any 'monkey business' tomorrow Michael would be well advised to keep out of trouble and avoid potential trouble-makers.

Could be a classic.

This article was written by pitpass.com and is used with permission.