Alonso Claims Provisional Pole

[kiko01 0]

Malaysian GP winner, Fernando Alonso has taken the provisional pole position for Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix, the Spaniard one of only two drivers to break into the 1 minute 29 second bracket during the 1-hour session.

Alonso put in a near perfect lap in his Renault, and despite a minor mistake in the final corner, was around one tenth up on his old team-mate, Jarno Trulli, who again went well for Toyota, after giving the Cologne based squad their first podium result two weeks ago.

Michael Schumacher had to make do with the third quickest time in the new Ferrari, the German four tenths off the leading Renault, and while he looked to be fighting with the F2005, the car certainly had the speed, something that will no doubt give the Scuderia a boost, as it is still relatively untested.

Nick Heidfeld ensured it was an all German provisional second row, the former Jordan driver outpacing his Williams team-mate, Mark Webber, by two tenths, while Giancarlo Fisichella was fifth, sandwiched between the two FW27's.

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen was next up, just four hundredths in front of the Red Bull car of Christian Klien. The Finn was also just up on his team-mate for this event, Pedro de la Rosa, who was ninth. The Spaniard will have impressed though having virtually matched the time of the 'ice-man', especially as he had to go out first when the track was at its worst.

[kiko01 0]

I

[Senna 0]

Ferrari is a little close for comfort in my opinion. However, Alonso could have been even quicker but lost 0.3 sec to Jarno in the final sector.

[kiko01 0]

Ferrari is a little close for comfort in my opinion.  However, Alonso could have been even quicker but lost 0.3 sec to Jarno in the final sector.

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Yes mate, sadly Ferrari is a real threat again but i still think they are not quick enough to match FA but let

[Senna 0]

It

[Monty 0]

Alonso is just too perfect this season. His lap was flawless, and he knew that he had to come in with a clean slate to claim the provision pole and will all that pressure, he did it. He is something, race after race this guy seems to be emerging as the new champ.

Good luck to him for this season.

[kiko01 0]

Alonso is just too perfect this season. His lap was flawless, and he knew that he had to come in with a clean slate to claim the provision pole and will all that pressure, he did it. He is something, race after race this guy seems to be emerging as the new champ.

Good luck to him for this season.

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I think he

[Jenson_Rules 0]

a crap car dosnt make you a bad driver, its neither TS's or JB's fault BAR are unable to come up with the goods!

and ferrari have shocked me already as i didnt expect them to be quite that on the pace so early on!

[Taku 0]

quali 1 shows a car's real otright speed as it's on low fuel. toyota have maintained their level, and ferrari have upped theirs significantly. i am surprised as ferrari indicated at malaysia that the tyre's strength lies in it's consistentcy oevr a race distance. the fact that they are able to be so quick in quali 1 must give encouragement to their fans, and a bit of a warning to their opposition of things to come. this is it's first outing remember so the only way is up for them after being quick straight out of the box.

however renualt is still in a league of it's own, as having such a gap to the ferrari and the others straight away from quali 1 means that they have leeway to play with the fuel in quali 2. williams and particularly heidfeld also impressed. it's the first time he has beaten webber who is level with kimi. the mini-pack from m$ down is just so close!

[Buttonfan 0]

i think most of us for our PPP want alonso on poll, i know i do

[Taku 0]

and he takes pole too. a dominant performance, i'm a real believer in alonso now. i think i better start start picking him for pole in the ppp...

[nojvnof1 0]

that's 10 pts in the bag for PPP, well for Pole anyways, but it seems everyone went for him , he destroyed Fisi!! JB blew Sato away again, Ralf did well, whilst Webber gets beat by Nick again. Needless to say JV was crap....again, he did ok yesterday and would have gotten close to Massa looking at the sector times but ran very very wide in the last corner and today, either he is on a heavy fuel load, or he really has lost it big time. I honestly don't know what on earth is going on, I'm gobsmacked!!