Last race of the season - 2003 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka!

[ales]

I hate having to watch qualifying 15 minutes delayed .... I see things that I already know about from live timing.

Q1 results:

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P. No Driver Team - Engine Tyres Times Ave/Gaps Laps
1. 7 TRULLI Renault M 1'30"281 231.557 Km/h 3
2. 4 R.SCHUMACHER Williams BMW M 1'30"343 + 0'00"062 3
3. 1 M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari B 1'30"464 + 0'00"183 3
4. 5 COULTHARD McLaren Mercedes M 1'30"482 + 0'00"201 3
5. 6 RAIKKONEN McLaren Mercedes M 1'30"558 + 0'00"277 3
6. 8 ALONSO Renault M 1'30"624 + 0'00"343 3
7. 2 BARRICHELLO Ferrari B 1'30"758 + 0'00"477 3
8. 3 MONTOYA Williams BMW M 1'31"201 + 0'00"920 3
9. 14 WEBBER Jaguar Cosworth M 1'31"305 + 0'01"024 3
10. 9 HEIDFELD Sauber Petronas B 1'31"783 + 0'01"502 3
11. 16 SATO BAR Honda B 1'31"832 + 0'01"551 3
12. 10 FRENTZEN Sauber Petronas B 1'31"892 + 0'01"611 3
13. 20 PANIS Toyota M 1'31"908 + 0'01"627 3
14. 21 DA MATTA Toyota M 1'32"256 + 0'01"975 3
15. 15 WILSON Jaguar Cosworth M 1'32"291 + 0'02"010 3
16. 17 BUTTON BAR Honda B 1'32"374 + 0'02"093 3
17. 12 FIRMAN Jordan Ford B 1'33"057 + 0'02"776 3
18. 11 FISICHELLA Jordan Ford B 1'33"313 + 0'03"032 3
19. 19 VERSTAPPEN Minardi Cosworth B 1'34"836 + 0'04"555 3
20. 18 KIESA Minardi Cosworth B 1'36"181 + 0'05"900 3

Nice one Sato! Although I'd have thought Honda's "Suzuka special" would be more special. Maybe thy'd have put more effort in had they known beforehand that their boy will be in the car.

Firman outqualified Fisico for some reason

Rubens was on a flyer at the first sector, but something must have happened and he lost that time.

Everyone up to and including Kimi can be happy with today's session - starting Q2 in the last group is what Q1 is all about. Montoya didn't do as well as he could have though, but it's still early days.

[Layla's Keeper]

Jos Verstappen 4.555 and Nicolas Kiesa 5.900 behind. I know it's only Minardi, but it really makes me hope they'll do something drastic for next year since they blew their budget on last year's Arrows chassis.

[crayzayjay]

Firman is very familiar with Suzuka having raced there several times in the past. Still, a very good effort outqualifying Fisi, it certainly won't do his chances of staying in F1 any harm at all.

[ales]

Originally Posted by ales

Everyone up to and including Kimi can be happy with today's session - starting Q2 in the last group is what Q1 is all about. Montoya didn't do as well as he could have though, but it's still early days.

I stand corrected big time! Everyone in the last group completely lost out due to rain starting to come down rapidly. Alonso driving back to pits slowly didn't help them either - I think he did that on purpose!

Kimi 8th, M.Schumacher 14th, DC 7th, Ralf spun on his flying (in more ways than one!) lap and aborted the run, Trulli didn't even bother doing the flying lap and came back to pits at the end of the out-lap. Toyota occupy the 2nd row!

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P. No Driver Team - Engine Tyres Times Ave/Gaps Laps
1. 2 BARRICHELLO Ferrari B 1'31"713 227.942 Km/h 3
2. 3 MONTOYA Williams BMW M 1'32"412 + 0'00"699 3
3. 21 DA MATTA Toyota M 1'32"419 + 0'00"706 3
4. 20 PANIS Toyota M 1'32"862 + 0'01"149 3
5. 8 ALONSO Renault M 1'33"044 + 0'01"331 3
6. 14 WEBBER Jaguar Cosworth M 1'33"106 + 0'01"393 3
7. 5 COULTHARD McLaren Mercedes M 1'33"137 + 0'01"424 3
8. 6 RAIKKONEN McLaren Mercedes M 1'33"272 + 0'01"559 3
9. 17 BUTTON BAR Honda B 1'33"474 + 0'01"761 3
10. 15 WILSON Jaguar Cosworth M 1'33"558 + 0'01"845 3
11. 9 HEIDFELD Sauber Petronas B 1'33"632 + 0'01"919 3
12. 10 FRENTZEN Sauber Petronas B 1'33"896 + 0'02"183 3
13. 16 SATO BAR Honda B 1'33"924 + 0'02"211 3
14. 1 M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari B 1'34"302 + 0'02"589 3
15. 12 FIRMAN Jordan Ford B 1'34"771 + 0'03"058 3
16. 11 FISICHELLA Jordan Ford B 1'34"912 + 0'03"199 3
17. 19 VERSTAPPEN Minardi Cosworth B 1'34"975 + 0'03"262 3
18. 18 KIESA Minardi Cosworth B 1'37"226 + 0'05"513 3
19. 4 R.SCHUMACHER Williams BMW M 1'48"100 + 0'16"387 2
20. 7 TRULLI Renault M 1'59"200 + 0'27"487 1

Another proof that this year's qualifying format is not fair

[crayzayjay]

What a joke. As if to prove a point, the qualifying format proves how worthless it is by throwing into jeopardy the deciding race of both F1 titles - drivers' championship for Schumacher and Raikkonen and constructors' championship for Ferrari and BMW. Bernie, i tell you again, you are a f***ing idiot. Let's please go back to the original format, it was often so damn exciting and was always more interesting than the current rubbish we have now. The changes made for next year do nothing about weather scenarios such as we had today and make for seriously flawed grid positions

[RallyRaider]

Any wonder why the call it the F1 'circus'. The clowns are performing for the entertainent of the casual viewer.

[Veyron]

Disgusting!

[Layla's Keeper]

Honestly, I was most disappointed with the turn of events with qualifying when Trulli pulled off before making an attempt. It was sad because I really thought he'd had it this time.

I have every respect for what Toyota has accomplished (especially as they've accomplished it not by buying up other teams as Stewart-Jaguar and Benneton-Renault have done) but this shouldn't have been the way they grab the second row.

[Guido]

We can all think what we want, but we're in for another, "interesting" race tomorrow. Oh well, besides a championship is not won or lost in one race or qualifying. If it rains, MS will most certainly win it and the title. I'll be up watching it all happen.

[crayzayjay]

Interesting, certainly. But it's hard to argue for its fairness

about to go clubbing, im gonna try to make it home for 6am, thats when TV coverage starts. If i get home before then, ill go to sleep for sure and i dont want to risk sleeping through it!

c u guys in the morning!

[z33guy]

i feel bad for jarno, two weeks in a row he could have P1. The race should be interesting though.

[ales]

Originally Posted by z33guy

i feel bad for jarno, two weeks in a row he could have P1. The race should be interesting though.

What was Schumacher's 98 record of passing cars at the start? Jarno could beat it

[Veyron]

It's 2 am here, the chance of rain is the only thing keeping me awake!

[Veyron]

Oh no! MS wing gone!

[freakray]

Originally Posted by Veyron

Oh no! MS wing gone!

I'm wide awake and have no means to watch the GP.

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