(Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
Jenson Button produced a stunning lap to take his third pole of the 2009 season.
The Brit drove beautifully through the final sector to pip Sebastien Vettel to pole by a mere tenth of a second, bringing silence to the red bull garage who thought that they had secured pole only moments earlier.
He lay as low as 8th before the pole lap and only just made it across the line before the chequered flag fell to begin his all important lap. "I only just got across the line [to go out on my last lap] with a couple of seconds to spare". "It was by far the best lap I've had all weekend".
It must have been made even more pleasurable by the importance of Pole Position at the Barcelona circuit, with overtaking virtually limited to turn one, and the past eight pole-sitters going on to victory.
Coming into the session many were tipping other Brawn GP driver Rubens Barrichello to secure his first pole for five seasons, having seemingly been happier with the cars balance than teammate Button through the opening practice sessions, but third place will have to suffice.
Felipe Massa continued his form from morning practice to claim a well deserved 4th place, ahead of Mark Webber, the two Toyota's and Spanish hero Fernando Alonso.
Sebastien Buemi made minor contact with the barrier after losing the car on the entry to turn nine during Q2 but was able to recover the car and complete another lap.
Both McLaren's looked disappointing, finishing 14th and 18th, and can now only reasonably hope for the lower points. Lewis Hamilton declaring "a point would be great", and when asked whether the upgrade package to the Mclaren had improved its performance, he replied with a fairly blunt "no".
Kimi Raikkonen and Ferrari made yet another tactical error, believing that they had produced a lap quick enough to earn a place in Q2, they sat in the garage anticipating that the other cars would not find enough of an improvement to push him outside the top 15. They did.
Even the possibility of rain on Sunday will not please the McLarens and Raikkonen. Once where it was welcomed to eradicate a poor qualifying performance, it only appears that following Malaysia and China, it will leave them with even more of a performance deficit.
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