2009 Grand Prix of Bahrain, Qualifying: Kimi P10

Pos Driver       Team                      Q1        Q2        Q3      
 1. Trulli       Toyota                (B) 1:32.779  1:32.671  1:33.431  
 2. Glock        Toyota                (B) 1:33.165  1:32.613  1:33.712  
 3. Vettel       Red Bull-Renault      (B) 1:32.680  1:32.474  1:34.015  
 4. Button       Brawn-Mercedes        (B) 1:32.978  1:32.842  1:34.044  
 5. Hamilton     McLaren-Mercedes      (B) 1:32.851  1:32.877  1:34.196  
 6. Barrichello  Brawn-Mercedes        (B) 1:33.116  1:32.842  1:34.239  
 7. Alonso       Renault               (B) 1:33.627  1:32.860  1:34.578  
 8. Massa        Ferrari               (B) 1:33.297  1:33.014  1:34.818  
 9. Rosberg      Williams-Toyota       (B) 1:33.672  1:33.166  1:35.134 
10. Raikkonen    Ferrari               (B) 1:33.117  1:32.827  1:35.380 
11. Kovalainen   McLaren-Mercedes      (B) 1:33.479 
12. Nakajima     Williams-Toyota       (B) 1:33.221 
13. Kubica       BMW-Sauber            (B) 1:33.495 
14. Heidfeld     BMW-Sauber            (B) 1:33.377 
15. Piquet       Renault               (B) 1:33.608
16. Sutil        Force India-Mercedes  (B) 1:33.722 
17. Buemi        Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B) 1:33.753 
18. Fisichella   Force India-Mercedes  (B) 1:33.910 
19. Webber       Red Bull-Renault      (B) 1:34.038 
20. Bourdais     Toro Rosso-Ferrari    (B) 1:34.159
Breaking News & Quotes:

Hamilton targets podium finish 
Button says Brawn no longer ahead 
Delighted Trulli fears more brake issues 

Bahrain Saturday quotes: Bridgestone 

Webber angry after qualifying ‘disaster’ 

Alonso stays realistic for the race 
Post-qualifying car weights – Kimi: 671.5kg, Massa: 664.5kg
Ferrari to use KERS on both cars : At Sakhir the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro’s

technicians decided in the usual meeting for the debriefing in the

evening after Friday’s free practice sessions that the F60s driven by

Massa and Raikkonen will be fitted with the KERS as of tomorrow. The

kinetic energy recovery system, the Scuderia has been testing during

the winter here in Bahrain, will be present on both cars as of

tomorrow, just as the two drivers have hoped for.

 

 



Ferrari Team Quotes: Kimi Raikkonen: "It would have been difficult

to do better than tenth. In the first two parts of qualifying, the car

handled better than we had expected, but in Q3 I no longer had any new

soft tyres, having already used all four sets. The car’s performance

has improved with KERS. Tomorrow, the race will be very tough because

of the high temperatures. Let’s see what we manage to do. The aim is to

finish in the points."

 
 

That was a really good day for Kimi I think, based on what the results

alone show. He showed good pace in both Q1 and Q2, lapping his times

infront of Massa. Both Kimi and Massa were using KERS and they will be for the race too. So that was pleasing to see!

Kimi’s doing well. For Q3, he definately took on a lot more

fuel than Massa for the race. Check the post-qualifying car weights! Apparently, this just in, according to

the Finnish media Kimi actually had to do his final run on used soft

tyres as the team made him use the rest in extra attempts during Q1 and

Q2. Oh dear. That’s not a good call by the team. They must have worried

about missing out on Q3 like Massa did in Malaysia? But Kimi wasn’t

Massa today, Kimi was actually showing better pace. So

on worn out soft tyres, Kimi couldn’t do better than 10th, obviously.

Thanks a lot Ferrari! Courtesy of Wolfie, here is what Kimi told

reporters after qualifying:


"I wouldn’t have wanted to come out to the track

for the second time in the 1st and 2nd stint but the team wanted me to

go. After that there wasn’t any new tyres left," Räikkönen said about

the Italians’ tactic in MTV3 Max."



Meanwhile, until further quotes and information are released, check out the high resolution pictures from Bahrain! Couple of cool shots in there. The

Toyota team must be so happy for getting an all front row, so congratulations to them. Hamilton did

a good job today by keeping his nose in the action at the front. The

Brawn GP cars are obviously not as powerful as we feared. I’m sure

Ferrari will join in the fun very soon. Looks like Kimi and the Robertsons met David Coulthard in the paddock today, I wonder what were the words being exchanged here? It looks pretty healthy: "Hey David, piss off!"

 


So,

both Ferraris made

it into the top 10. Massa has always been strong at Bahrain so it’s

good for him that he’s been able to show that today. But like I said,

Kimi was clearly outpacing him in the first two qualifying sessions, so

I don’t think Massa is that faster than Kimi at Bahrain actually! In

2007 and 2008, Kimi was always behind Massa, for various reasons

(tyres, understeer, set-up). But I think Kimi seems to perform much

better with the F60, handling wise – it has more oversteer and that

helps him in the slow corners that he struggled in before. Yes the

car’s slow anyway, but that’s different from telling whether the driver

is comfortable or uncomfortable with the car. Also, it’s hot and dry

and now we can see what the cars are really like, hopefully if the race

stays dry and hot too. The Ferrari isn’t that bad at all, and without

the mistakes and suitable conditions they can do quite well. Kimi and

Massa will start the race on the inside line of the straight, a bit

dusty there so not expecting an awesome get away towards turn 1. I

expect Kimi to try and get onto the outside line as soon as possible to

gain positions through turn 1 and 2. It’s now revealed that Kimi will

be using KERS tomorrow for the race, so that should help pass a few

cars on the first lap. Hoping for a podium isn’t asking

for a miracle, certainly if how the Ferrari are performing this weekend

is anything to go by. Whatever happens, I believe in Kimi and that

belief will never stop. Keep Flying Kimi ~