Brazil: Tough race ahead after disappointing Quali

By Luke Stanton
September 25 2005

The Panasonic Toyota Racing team had a disappointing Qualifying session by it's 05 standards, and a tough race is ahead. Ralf Schumacher will line up 10th on the grid after doing a 1m13.285, a lap which was only just quicker than Sauber's Jacques Villeneuve and Monteiro in the Toyota powered Jordan

 Jarno Trulli had a ten-place grid penalty after a engine change in Saturday morning practice caused by a pneumatic leak, he will line up 18th. Trulli's engine change was a precaution, rather change the engine than let the other one go bang.......

Fernando Alonso will line up on pole for the 2005 Brazilian Grand Prix. The champion-elect did a lap of 1m11.988s, to edge out Mclaren star Juan Pablo Montoya who starts 2nd. The second Renault of Giancarlo Fisichella will start 3rd, he is in a position to help Alonso win the title, it could all be decided at the start, Fisi has to get ahead of Montoya. Fisichella will line up just ahead of Britain's Jenson Button who has recently been released from his Williams contract so he can stay at his B.A.R Honda team, the Brit had to put his hand  in his own pocket to do so though! He set a time of 1m12.696s. But Mclaren's Kimi Raikkonen wll start from 5th on the grid. The Finn locked up at turn 1 and lost a handfull of tenths which handed Alonso pole position and maybe the World Championship. Starting in 6th position.......Christian Klien! The Red Bull Racing driver from Austria put in a super effort, he out-qualified team mate David Coulthard and this was possibly the best lap of young Klien's career, he set a time of 1m12.889s. He is fighting with Vitantonio Liuzzi to keep his seat at Red Bull seat next season and if translates this pace to the race he will have the seat all bought and paid for!

Felipe Massa was top Brazilian at his home race for the Sauber team, he edged out fellow Brazilian Rubens Barrichello who is competing in his last Brazilian GP for Ferrari, it wasn't a bed of roses for Barrichello he was out-qualified by team mate Michael Schumacher, who's crown looks all set to be taken by Fernando Alonso at the end of tommorow's race. Another suprise from qualifying was Tiago Monteiro in the Jordan, the Portuguese driver will line up 12th just behind Jacques Villeneuve and ahead of the two Williams' of Mark Webber and the third Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia! Scot David Coulthard will start a disappointing 16th, ahead of Narian Karthikeyan, Christijan Albers, Jarno Trulli, Takuma- who also had a engine change and on top of that a penalty after a collision with Michael Schumacher at Spa. Robert Doornbos will start last after a spin on his hot lap. It's not the first time the 24 year old Dutch driver has made a mistake under the pressure cooker enviroment of one-lap qualifying.