In the second consecutive year, Lewis Hamilton has taken pole for McLaren, his 6th of the year, at the Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji. Kimi Raikkonen slots into 2nd and Heikki takes 3rd.Felipe Massa is facing the Grand Prix from 5th position on the grid and if it does rain on Sunday; it could spell disaster for the Brazilian if Lewis repeats his rain performance from Silverstone.
Fernando Alonso is 4th leaving one to think of light fuel loads and even considering the possibility that perhaps Felipe Massa could be heavier but with four cars in front him, catching Lewis may be ver difficult. Strange things can happen and there are 3 races left.
Interestingly BMW seemed to be struggling with Nick Heidfeld out in Q1 and Robert Kubica making it to Q3. Running a long first gear, as revealed by Speed TV’s Peter Windsor, they may have been banking on a wet race but hats have to come off to see how much BMW turned Roberts ca around getting him to Q3 and in a position for a good result.
Frustrtatingly Red Bull Racing couldn’t make it to Q3 while their less-funded and smaller sister team Scuderia Toro Rosso brought both cars home in Q3.
Should be an interesting race but the title could be Lewis’s to lose.
1. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:18.071 1:17.462 1:18.404
2. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1:18.160 1:17.733 1:18.644
3. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:18.220 1:17.360 1:18.821
4. Alonso Renault (B) 1:18.290 1:17.871 1:18.852
5. Massa Ferrari (B) 1:18.110 1:17.287 1:18.874
6. Kubica BMW Sauber (B) 1:18.684 1:17.931 1:18.979
7. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:18.501 1:17.541 1:19.026
8. Glock Toyota (B) 1:17.945 1:17.670 1:19.118
9. Vettel Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:18.559 1:17.714 1:19.638
10. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:18.593 1:18.102 1:20.167
11. Coulthard Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:18.303 1:18.187
12. Piquet Renault (B) 1:18.300 1:18.274
13. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:18.372 1:18.354
14. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1:18.640 1:18.594
15. Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1:18.740 1:18.672
16. Heidfeld BMW Sauber (B) 1:18.835
17. Barrichello Honda (B) 1:18.882
18. Button Honda (B) 1:19.100
19. Sutil Force India-Ferrari (B) 1:19.163
20. Fisichella Force India-Ferrari (B) 1:19.910
