Brawn Immense in Qualifying….but Vettel Is Best

Saturday Qualifying, 6th June 2009

Qualifying One

Session One began with Fisichella’s Force India, who set the first time of 1:30:004.  Six minutes in, Jenson was out on track, and Rubens followed soon after.

Jens’s first time was 1:28:335, which got him P7 (Nakajima was first with 1:27:758).  Rubens’s first try saw the Brazilian take tenth (1:28:670).  At this stage it became clear that although he had looked relatively harmless so far in practise, Vettel, as ever, was very much the man to watch.  The young German stormed to the front of the grid.

Jensosn’s second run raised him to third (1:27:548), whilst Rubens could only get up to fifth.  However, not wishing to disappoint us all…the Brazilian put his foot down and set a great 1:27:371 which made him the first Brawn man on Pole.

With five minutes left, Vettel was once again the man to beat.  Jenson put in a great lap to lift himself from sixth to second (1:27:355) and his team mate ended up third (1:27:371).

Jenson Button: P2: 1:27:355
Rubens Barrichello: P3: 1:27:371


Qualifying Two

Qualifying one had been great, but Red Bull looked extremely threatening and although Brawn had gone well thus far, it looked as if we would have a real fight on our hands…..GREAT STUFF!

This time it was Nakajima that set the first time (1:29:220).  Four minutes in, Jenson recorded his first time, which put him ninth (1:34:475).  Rubens was on fire and stuck his BGP001 on the top spot with a 1:27:418.

As I was recording that time, Jens too was on a rocket lap! The Championship leader sped round the track and clocked in a fantastic pole time of 1:27:322.  However, both Webber and Vettel were looking very fast.  Strangely, Kubica even looked a bit threatening for the first time in ages!

With a minute left, Jens was still first and Webber had knocked Rubens down to fourth.  Right at the end Trulli put in a belter to take pole just as Glock failed to make the cut.  Just as I was writing down the pole time…that man Vettel joined the party and finished up on pole! (1:27:230). 

Jenson Button: P3: 1:27:322
Rubens Barrichello: P7: 1:27:418

Qualifying Three

By now I was thinking it was a straight fight between Jens and Vettel with Webber also looking scary.  Interestingly, Ferrari didn’t look particularly competitive, was this strategy? Or lack of speed?

Anyway, it was a Ferrari that started the session, Raikkonen set the first time of 1:29:405 four minutes in.  The 2007 World Champion was quickly dispatched by Trulli though.

Early on both Jenson and Webber were going very quickly, both on the softer compound.  In sectors one and two, Jens was fastest, but he lost time in sector three and therefore only managed P2 (1:28:868).  Although Webber and Jenson both struggled with the softs in sector three, the same tyres were working very well for Vettel, who took P1 (1:28:801).

On his first run (with only three minutes left), Rubens, on the hard compound tyres, only got up to P8, and his second run only raised him one place (1:28:341).  Rubens looked to be really struggling and I began to think perhaps he was running heavier.

As Rubens finished his lap, Jens was on an absolutely fantastic lap, it looked as if it was all over as Jens crossed the line in pole (1:28:421)!  Once again Jens has done the job!…..but wait…Vettel was going super fast!…..hang on a minute!….so was Rubens!

The Brazilian crossed the line in  second with a 1:28:569, but the day belonged to Vetel, who fantastically took pole with a 1:28:316.  

Jenson Button P2: 1:28:421
Rubens Barrichello: P3: 1:28:569

Well, Red Bull looked to be on the back foot as we entered today’s qualifying, but that new diffuser may well be working very well for the team.  Vettel was brilliant today and thoroughly deserved pole.  However, Brawn were definitely the best of the rest and a two, three finish was great.

Four of the last races in Turkey have been won from pole…..lets hope Jens or Rubens can spoil that statistic! Bring on Sunday!