A delighted Jarno Trulli led a Toyota lock-out of the grid for today’s Bahrain Grand Prix when he grabbed pole ahead of teammate Timo Glock in qualifying yesterday.
The veteran Italian celebrated his fourth career pole when he delivered a scorching final lap in a closely-contested qualifying session at the Sakhir circuit on a tense day of high temperatures and surprises.
Trulli, 34, and Germany’s Glock produced a first-ever Toyota front row sweep.
PHOTO: REUTERS
It was Trulli’s first pole since taking the prime starting spot in Japan in 2005 and he said: “Well, it has been a tough day and a tough job for everybody here in this heat, but I am delighted.”
“It is a great day for Toyota,” Trulli said. “An almost perfect day — now we have to win.”
Toyota’s success meant that they became the third different team in four races this season to take pole for the first time, following Brawn GP and Red Bull.
The Toyota pair will start on the grid ahead of German Sebastian Vettel, 21, winner of last Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix for Red Bull and championship-leading Briton Jenson Button of Brawn GP.
Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton was fifth for McLaren Mercedes, ahead of Brazilian Rubens Barrichello in the second Brawn, two-times champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Renault and Brazilian Felipe Massa, driving for Ferrari.
German Nico Rosberg was ninth for Williams and Finn Kimi Raikkonen 10th for Ferrari, a result that gives the team a chance of ending their worst start to a season since 1981. Trulli was fastest after the early running in Q3, which had the rarity value this year of seeing both Ferraris and a McLaren hunting high grid positions for the race.
As always, everyone saved a set of new super-soft tires for the final flying laps in the last two minutes. On another bone dry and very hot day, the air temperature was 38ºC and the track temperature was 51ºC as qualifying began and the drama unfolded.
One major casualty of yesterday’s qualifying was Vettel’s Red Bull teammate Mark Webber, who was blocked by German Adrian Sutil of Force India in his final flying lap on the approach to the final corner to finish 19th.
“It was the worst corner to be nailed on and, for me, it is an absolute disaster,” Webber said. “Protest? There’s not much point for me is there? My race is screwed.”
“It was a big confusion. I thought he was just on an out-lap so it is my fault. I am going to see him now, absolutely, to say sorry,” Sutil said.
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