Bahrain Grand Prix – Sakhir,
Qualifying session
Q1: MS 6th 1.33.310 5 laps FM 9th 1.33.579 5 laps
Q2: FM 5th 1.32.014 3 laps MS 6th 1.32.025 3 laps
Q3: MS 1st 1.31.431 12 laps FM 2nd 1.31.478 12 laps
Temperatures: air 21/22° C, track 29° C
 First
race of the season and first pole position for the Scuderia
Ferrari Marlboro team, with both the F248 F1 cars on the front
row. For the 180th time a Ferrari driver has set the fastest
time in an official F1 qualifying session. Michael will start
from pole for the 65th time in his career, and for the second
time on this circuit. Felipe starts from the front row for
the first time on his debut race for Ferrari.
Jean Todt: “Obviously this first
qualifying session of the season is very positive for us.
It’s been since the 2004 Hungarian Grand Prix that we
haven’t managed to put both cars on the front row of
the grid. I am particularly pleased for Michael because today
he has equalled Ayrton Senna’s record of pole positions,
and for Felipe who qualified on the front row for the first
time in his career. Over the last few months the team has
worked very hard and today we have seen the results of all
this effort. I would also like to thank all our partners,
especially the technical ones like Bridgestone and Shell.
Now we have to face the most challenging part of the weekend,
the race. During the 57 laps we will have to deal with all
kinds of changing circumstances. Reliability will be the crucial
factor. Even if it is undoubtedly early days yet before one
can come to any kind of conclusion, it is certainly a matter
of fact that now we have a competitive car-engine-tyre package
that can compete at the highest level.”
Michael Schumacher: “Amazing result.
To be honest I wasn’t expecting to be on pole, I thought
we might be in touch with the leaders but not in front of
everybody, so it really is a wonderful surprise. I’m
so happy for the team because they all worked so hard to achieve
this result, especially when one considers where we were at
the end of last season. What happened in 2005 really hurt
and it forced us to react. We have worked very hard and I
would also like to thank all the test team for what they have
done during the winter months. It is always very difficult
to reverse a negative trend but last year’s troubles
have had the effect of making the team even more closely knit
together: this is the mentality that makes Ferrari such a
special team. Today I’ve also equalled a rather special
record, that of the number of pole positions set by Ayrton
Senna: something I’m very proud of.”
Felipe Massa: “This is a day that
won’t be easy to forget. To qualify on the front row
at my first race with Ferrari makes me feel very proud of
myself and for what the team has managed to achieve. It’s
a pity that the traffic on the last lap prevented me from
perhaps improving on my time: these are things that happen
with this new qualifying format. Maybe next time it might
be my turn to take advantage of the situation ! What is important
is that now we have a competitive package right from the start
of the season. Tomorrow it’s going to be a difficult
race: we know that our rivals are very strong but we’ll
give it everything we’ve got to try and bring home the
best result possible.”
Ross Brawn: “Obviously the final qualifying
session was with race fuel so until the race starts to develop
nobody can be sure where they are in the sense that we don’t
know what strategy the others were on. Knowing the fuel we
have and the strategy that we have chosen, I’m quite
encouraged by the performance today. It’s a good start.
If we can hold our positions on the front of the grid tomorrow,
then I think we can expect a good race.”
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