Post by v/\v on May 24, 2008 8:44:59 GMT -5
Felipe Massa snatched pole as Ferrari sprang a suprise to lock out the front row for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.
Massa overhauled team-mate Kimi Raikkonen at the last with a blistering lap of one minute, 15.787 seconds.
Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen start on the second row for McLaren, who saw their traditional dominance in Monte Carlo undermined by Ferrari.
Red Bull driver David Coulthard will start from 10th despite a high-speed crash during second qualifying.
Massa collected his second straight pole and third of 2008 in the dying seconds of qualifying as he edged out Raikkonen by less than five tenths of a second.
The Brazilian had made no secret coming into qualifying that Monaco did not suit his driving style; saying "I don't like Monaco, I am not having fun driving here."
But Massa could not contain his surprise and excitement after taking Ferrari's first pole in the principality for eight years.
"I still cannot believe I'm on pole," he said. "It's unbelievable.
"I was pushing very hard to try and learn how to drive here because everytime I come here I'm struggling.
"I tried to improve and learnt some tricks in some corners and I did a perfect lap, which is almost impossible in Monaco."
Massa seized pole from Raikkonen, who went to Monaco with the intention of building on his seven-point lead at the top of the drivers' standings.
"I managed to do a good lap," said the reigning world champion. "But it was not enough and being here is not a good thing.
"The team came here not 100% sure of what to expect but it looks like we have made a good step and can challenge for wins."
Qualifying result from the Monaco Grand Prix:
1 Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 1min 15.787secs
2 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1:15.815
3 Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren 1:15.839
4 Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren 1:16.165
5 Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 1:16.171
6 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams 1:16.548
7 Fernando Alonso (Sp) Renault 1:16.852
8 Jarno Trulli (It) Toyota 1:17.203
9 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull 1:17.343
10 David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull 1:15.839
11 Timo Glock (Ger) Toyota 1:15.907
12 Jenson Button (GB) Honda 1:16.101
13 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 1:16.455
14 Kazuki Nakajima (Jpn) Williams 1:16.479
15 Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Honda 1:16.537
16 Sebastien Bourdais (Fr) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:16.806
17 Nelson Piquet Jr. (Brz) Renault 1:16.933
18 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:16.955
19 Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India 1:17.225
20 Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Force India 1:17.823
Copy & Pasted from BBC Sport.
Should be a cracker, rain expected......
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Massa overhauled team-mate Kimi Raikkonen at the last with a blistering lap of one minute, 15.787 seconds.
Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen start on the second row for McLaren, who saw their traditional dominance in Monte Carlo undermined by Ferrari.
Red Bull driver David Coulthard will start from 10th despite a high-speed crash during second qualifying.
Massa collected his second straight pole and third of 2008 in the dying seconds of qualifying as he edged out Raikkonen by less than five tenths of a second.
The Brazilian had made no secret coming into qualifying that Monaco did not suit his driving style; saying "I don't like Monaco, I am not having fun driving here."
But Massa could not contain his surprise and excitement after taking Ferrari's first pole in the principality for eight years.
"I still cannot believe I'm on pole," he said. "It's unbelievable.
"I was pushing very hard to try and learn how to drive here because everytime I come here I'm struggling.
"I tried to improve and learnt some tricks in some corners and I did a perfect lap, which is almost impossible in Monaco."
Massa seized pole from Raikkonen, who went to Monaco with the intention of building on his seven-point lead at the top of the drivers' standings.
"I managed to do a good lap," said the reigning world champion. "But it was not enough and being here is not a good thing.
"The team came here not 100% sure of what to expect but it looks like we have made a good step and can challenge for wins."
Qualifying result from the Monaco Grand Prix:
1 Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 1min 15.787secs
2 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1:15.815
3 Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren 1:15.839
4 Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren 1:16.165
5 Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 1:16.171
6 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams 1:16.548
7 Fernando Alonso (Sp) Renault 1:16.852
8 Jarno Trulli (It) Toyota 1:17.203
9 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull 1:17.343
10 David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull 1:15.839
11 Timo Glock (Ger) Toyota 1:15.907
12 Jenson Button (GB) Honda 1:16.101
13 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 1:16.455
14 Kazuki Nakajima (Jpn) Williams 1:16.479
15 Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Honda 1:16.537
16 Sebastien Bourdais (Fr) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:16.806
17 Nelson Piquet Jr. (Brz) Renault 1:16.933
18 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:16.955
19 Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India 1:17.225
20 Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Force India 1:17.823
Copy & Pasted from BBC Sport.
Should be a cracker, rain expected......
.
.