Michael Schumacher will begin tomorros Austrian Grand Prix from pole position following a blistering lap at the end of the qualifying session. It is his 4th pole position of the 6 races so far this season. His Ferrari team mate Rubens Barrichello will begin the race in fifth spot.
With Austria demanding such a high percentage of wide-open throttle, fuel economy can become more important than at other circuits said Mike Copson of Shell Global SolutionsAdd to that the influence that altitude has on fuel consumption and the A1-Ring is a particular challenge for Shell. As the cars now have to qualify with the same fuel load with which they begin the race, Shell has supplied Ferrari with a fuel that gives them the widest range of strategic options for tomorrow
After an aborted run yesterday, Ralf Schumacher was the first car onto the track today. He lapped the A1-Ring in 1.10.27 to set the standard. As it happened, the Germas benchmark would last for nearly half the session until compatriot Nick Heidfeld was the first to set the times falling.
Minardi had a bad session, Justin Wilson made mistakes on his hot lap to stop the clock at 1.14.508 whilst his team mate, Jos Verstappen had to pull aside at the beginning of his lap with technical problems and will begin tomorros race from the back of the grid.
Fernando Alonso, the hero from the last race in Spain also suffered this afternoon. His Renault left the track at Turn Five and a trip through the gravel cost Alonso any chance of a front grid position. He will begin tomorros race from the last row of the grid.
Eventually, Heidfels lap time of 1.09.725 stole provisional pole from Ralf Schumaches Williams and a quick lap from Renauls Jarno Trulli saw a front three at the half way stage of Heidfeld, Trulli and Ralf Schumacher.
All that was to change though as more drivers came onto the circuit. Raikkonen made up for his poor qualifying in Spain two weeks ago to cut half a second from the Saubes time and take provisional pole. His team mate Coulthard couldt match the time and neither could Williams driver Montoya, so it was left for the remaining five drivers to mount their assault. Jenson Button made a quick lap, but only quick enough for fifth and both Jacques Villeneuve and Mark Webber ran wide at Turn One to cancel their challenge.
Second to last runner, Rubens Barrichello had a tidy lap, quick enough for fifth place on tomorros grid in fact. By his own admission it was a conservative lap (particularly with so many cars running wide at Turn One), but it was World Champion Michael Schumacher who stole the show this afternoon. Schumaches was the last lap of the day and was clocked at 1.09.105, a time that was 0.039 faster than Raikkonen and won him pole. At the first intermediate, Michael Schumacher was fourth fastest. He then locked his brakes into Turn Two to lose more time, but in the remainder of the lap he drove one of the finest laps his career to recover the lost time and grab the pole. Hammering his fist from outside of the cockpit, his joy was clear to see.
Michael Schumaches F2003-GA lines up on pole position then. Alongside him is Kimi Raikkonen who will sit in front of Juan Montoya and Nick Heidfeld. Rubens Barrichello is fifth (and importantly on the grippy side of the track) ahead of Jarno Trulls Renault in sixth.
As this may be the last Austrian Grand Prix, fans are keen to give the track a good send off and with Michael Schumacher, Raikkonen, Montoya and Barrichello all in the top five, then they may well have their wish granted. All will be revealed at 2PM tomorrow.
