The sun continued to shine as the cars took to the track for qualifying for the fourth Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sakhir circuit. With an air temperature of 33C and track temperature of 43C, qualifying wasn’t comfortable for either drivers or teams.
Q1
During Q1, a number of drivers opted to use the harder compound, protecting more sets of soft for the race. This led to a number of runners outbraking themselves into turn one. The Honda’s of both Button and Barrichello scraped through, while the Redbull of David Coulthard finished twentieth. The Scot, who stopped toward the end of this morning’s practice, suffered gearbox problems.
Drivers Knocked Out of Q1 include:
17. T. Sato
18. V. Liuzzi
19. S. Speed
20. A. Sutil
21. D. Coulthard
22. c. Albers
Q2
Hamilton contined to show his metal, beating Fernando Alonso once again this weekend. Massa also led Raikkonen for the second session in a row. Both Honda’s failed to advance despite completing 26 laps between them during Q1 and Q2. Davidson, who beat Massa during free practice this morning, finishing 13th and not progressing despite another great showing in the Super Aguri.
Drivers Knocked Out of Q2 include:
11. A. Wurz
12. H. Kovalainen
13. A. Davidson
14. R. Schumacher
15. R. Barrichello
16. J. Button
Q3
Lewis Hamilton led the queue out of the pits for Q3, with unusually, Fernando Alonso the last car to join the circuit. Hamilton, whose car sat at the end of the pits for three minutes before joining the track, looked as those he may have engine issues during Q2 and Q3, his McLaren puffing blue smoke as he braked for turn one. Early in the session Massa and Hamilton fought for pole, but it was Massa who finally parked his Ferrari on pole. Hamilton out doing his team-mate Alonso who finished fourth, behind the second Ferrari of Raikkonen in third.
1. F. Massa
2. L. Hamilton
3. K. Raikkonen
4. F. Alonso
5. N. Heidfeld
6. R. Kubica
7. G. Fisichella
8. M. Webber
9. J. Trulli
10. N. Rosberg
Click here for the Bahrain Qualifying Thread
