Italian veteran Giancarlo Fisichella produced the biggest qualifying shock of the season yesterday when he delivered Force India’s first-ever pole position in a stunning qualifying session for today’s Belgian Grand Prix.
Fisichella, 36, clocked his best time in the final five minutes of a tense session that produced several shocks, including both world championship leader Jenson Button of Brawn GP and defending champion Lewis Hamilton of McLaren failing to make it into the top 10. Fisichella outpaced fellow Italian Jarno Trulli of Toyota, who was second, ahead of third-placed German Nick Heidfeld of BMW Sauber and Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello of Brawn GP, who was fourth.
Polish driver Robert Kubica was fifth for BMW ahead of Germans Timo Glock and Sebastian Vettel, for Toyota and Red Bull respectively, with Australian Mark Webber ninth in the second Red Bull and German Nico Rosberg 10th for Williams.
It was an extraordinary conclusion to a crazy session run in unpredictable conditions with most teams appearing to be left scratching their heads over the performances.
On another day of capricious-looking weather in the Belgian Ardennes, Q1 produced a late drama with Webber escaping an early cut in the final minutes. The Australian, wearing a black armband in honor of Frank Gardner who died earlier yesterday, managed a fast lap to climb to second and out of trouble.
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