| Australian Grand Prix News: |
| Italy's Giancarlo Fisichella has grabbed the provisional pole for Sunday's 2005 Formula One season-opener the Australian Grand Prix.
The Renault driver posted a best time of one minute, 33.171 seconds around the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne Saturday. Fisichella managed to get on the track at just the right time, in between two separate rain storms, to post his winning time. Fisichella's time beat Toyota's Jarno Trulli, who posted a second-best time of 1:35.270. Mark Webber (1:36.717), Jacques Villeneuve of Iberville, Que., (1:36.984) and Christian Klien (1:37.486) completed the top-five. Others, like five-time defending series champion Michael Schumacher and Juan Montoya were not so lucky. Their runs took place in the middle of downpours. "I'm really happy about my qualifying session," said Fisichella. "We were very lucky because we went out in the right moment and as soon as I finished my flying lap it started raining." But unlike in 2004, Saturday's pole winner, Fisichella, has not clinched the top spot on the grid. |
| More Australian Grand Prix News: |
| Aerodynamics have been severely curtailed (downforce reduced by 25 per cent) and engines must last for two entire race weekends. A driver who blows an engine during practice will be relegated 10 places on the grid. If the change takes place after the first qualifying session, he will start from the back of the field.
Montoya was 11th quickest, while Schumacher was the slowest driver of the 18 who completed their qualifying laps. Felipe Massa and Takuma Sato failed to complete their laps and will start the race at the back. The field will return for round two on Sunday morning and then four hours later will take to the track for the first event of 2005. |