Germany’s Sebastian Vettel put Red Bull on pole position for the Turkish Grand Prix yesterday after pushing Formula One championship leader Jenson Button off his pedestal.
Button’s Brawn GP teammate Rubens Barrichello qualified third for today’s race, with Red Bull’s Australian Mark Webber completing the second row.
The pole was Vettel’s career third and established the 21-year-old as race favorite at a circuit where the winner has always started from the top slot on the grid since Turkey joined the calendar in 2005.
PHOTO: EPA
“Finally we made it; in the last couple of races we tried very hard and now we are ahead of these white cars,” said Vettel, the only driver other than Button to have won this year.
“I think we have a very good chance here, a very good car. I expected more difficulties in qualifying, it wasn’t easy but we made it,” added the German, whose two previous wins came from pole position.
“As you say, every pole man has won here,” said Button, who had been going for his third pole in a row after winning five of the season’s six races. “We’re going to try and change that tomorrow.”
The Briton’s team boss Ross Brawn reserved judgement.
“Obviously we would’ve liked pole position, but it will be interesting to see what the fuel loads are,” he told reporters. “If early season form is anything to go by, the Red Bulls are lighter than we are, but we will have to see.”
Only a sprinkling of spectators turned out to enjoy a gloriously sunny afternoon at the Istanbul Park circuit, with rows of empty seats in the grandstands reflecting the credit crunch and an apparent lack of interest among locals.
Italian Jarno Trulli qualified fifth for Toyota, a boost for the Japanese team after a dismal Monaco Grand Prix weekend, with Ferrari’s 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen alongside him.
Ferrari’s Brazilian Felipe Massa, who is chasing his fourth successive Turkish Grand Prix after taking pole position for the past three years, qualified seventh.
McLaren’s world champion Lewis Hamilton had another difficult afternoon and will start 16th after failing to make it through the first qualifying session.
The Briton was beaten by Force India’s Adrian Sutil, who will start 15th after reaching the second part of qualifying for the second race in a row.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care