Turkey 2009: Live Qualifying Notes

Round seven of the 2009 Formula One World Championship is upon us, and here are my live notes from all three qualifying sessions. As the 20 drivers battle it out for supremacy around Istanbul Park, any incident will be noted, and the qualifying result post will updated with times and positions following the end of each stint. Undoubtedly the Brawns will be up there, but Toyota are looking okay, and Robert Kubica surprised in the second practice session. McLaren and Ferrari are improving, and Red Bull are still maintaining reasonable form.

Q1

• Eddie Jordan is pipping Trulli for pole.
• FIS first out.
• With high track temperatures, Brundle thinks the harder compound may work better later on as the soft tyre will fall off very quickly.
• FIS: 30.004s
• SUT: 29.393s
• FIS: Did two laps, 29.565s
• TRU: 28.267s
• MAS: Got tow from BAR, slightly baulked though, maybe. 28.144s
• Williams are looking pretty good so far. NAK and ROS running well.
• VET: 27.330.
• TRU and RAI running well.
• BUT: P3, hard tyre.
• HAM: P13.
• ROS: P2, 27.517s
• BAR: P2, 27.371s
• BMW and Force India in bottom 5.
• KUB improves but still in danger.
• HEI improved in S2.
• HEI: P12.
• PIQ slid off the track at T8, but recovered.
• SUT (Force India-Mercedes) is currently faster than HAM (McLaren-Mercedes).
• HAM: Fumbled first attempt to improve. Made error at T1 on second run.
• HAM: Back end of MP4-24 trying to step away from him.
• HAM out in Q1. He does not go through.
• PIQ: Off track, again.
• BOU, FIS, BUE, PIQ, HAM – Out.

Q2

• NAK first out in Q2.
• MAS goes out as well, right behind KOV.
• Harder tyre on two lap run is better than soft at the moment. However, the drivers will need to save some hards for the race.
• NAK: 29.220s
• MAS: 27.462s
• Apparently PIQ had brake failure for his second off. Brundle reckons he just caught the white line and lost it.
• NAK: Ran wide.
• BAR: 27.418s
• BUT: P1, 27.322s
• VET: P2, 27.333s
• SUT in P12 at the moment.
• VET was 0.25s up, but backed right off and pitted. He has pace, watch him when he returns for the final run.
• HEI: P6, 27.521s on softs.
• KUB: P4, 27.455s on softs.
• WEB just goes out on softs to set first quick lap.
• NAK on hard and not improving. In P11.
• A lot of drivers on hard compound are backing off from first flyer to ensure a great final second flyer.
• WEB: P3, 27.416s
• KOV locks in final complex.
• RAI: P3, 27.387s on softs.
• GLO out.
• TRU: P1, 27.195s
• VET: P1, 27.016s
• ALO improves slightly to P9.
• SUT, KOV, GLO, NAK, HEI – Out.
• Looking at the replay again, PIQ wasn’t anywhere the white line as Brundle reckoned. Could have been brake failure, or he simply could have lost it under braking.

Q3

• VET for pole, me thinks.
• Eddie Jordan still pipping TRU.
• RAI first out.
• Brundle’s with me, VET’s the man to beat.
• Brawn say their cars are still very good and they shouldn’t be discounted. No complaints from drivers.
• RAI: 29.405s
• TRU: 28.858s
• BUT: P2
• WEB: P3 on softs.
• VET: P1, 28.801 on softs.
• BAR: Slow on first flyer, but is on hards so will go again.
• ALO slides off at T8, recovers.
• BAR: 0.7s down at S2.
• WEB: P1, 28.613s on softs.
• RAI: P2
• BUT: P1, 28.421s
• BAR: P2
• VET: P1, 28.316
• VET, BUT, BAR, WEB, TRU, RAI, MAS, ALO, ROS, KUB.

• The qualifying results can be viewed here: Turkey 2009: Qualifying Result.
• The grid (inclusive of penalties) can be viewed here once published: Turkey 2009: The Grid.
• The post-qualifying car weights can be viewed here once published: Turkey 2009: Post-Qualifying Car Weights.
• The qualifying report can be viewed here: Turkey 2009: Sebastian Vettel Takes Pole Position Ahead Of Brawns.