April 26, 2009

Australian Formula One driver Mark Webber says his Bahrain Grand Prix has been "screwed" following an incident in qualifying on Saturday.

Webber was blocked by German Adrian Sutil approaching the final corner of his flying last lap in the day's opening qualifying session.

Sutil claimed innocence but was judged by stewards to have "unnecessarily impeded another driver" and penalised three grid places, relegating him from 16th to 19th.

"I didn't know Mark Webber was on a flying lap. I was trying to leave space for Alonso, there was a little misunderstanding," Sutil said.

It meant Webber, who was left with the 19th fastest time from an earlier lap, will start in 18th on the grid for Sunday's Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver was fuming after the qualifying session.

"It was the worst corner to be nailed on and, for me, it is an absolute disaster," Webber, who finished second in last week's Chinese Grand Prix, said.

Force India driver Sutil later apologised to Webber for his role in the incident.

"It was a big confusion. I thought he was just on an 'out-lap' so it is my fault," he said.

"I am going to see him now, absolutely, to say sorry."

The day was a much better one for Toyota's Jarno Trulli, who claimed pole position with a scorching final lap in the third qualifying session.

The Italian veteran will line-up alongside Toyota teammate Timo Glock in a one-two for the Japanese manufacturer.

Webber's teammate Sebastian Vettel, who won the Chinese GP, will start third, with championship leader Jenson Button of Brawn GP in fourth position.

For Trulli, it was the fourth pole of his career.

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, 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.

On another bone dry and very hot day, the air temperature was 38 degrees Celsius and the track temperature was 51 degrees as qualifying began and the drama unfolded.

In the opening part of the session, the McLaren Mercedes were swiftly out and into their rhythm using the super-soft tyres while others - notably Brawn and Toyota - were more cautious in their choice of rubber - a recipe that ensured last-minute tension as they pushed for a time in the closing minutes.

In the scorching conditions it was predicted that the drivers would lose two or even three kilos in weight during the session through dehydration.

The McLarens were overhauled by the two Toyotas as the session unfolded and then Vettel, the 21-year-old German who won last Sunday's maiden victory for Red Bull in China.


Bahrain GP Grid
1. Jarno Trulli, Italy, Toyota
2. Timo Glock, Germany, Toyota
3. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Red Bull
4. Jenson Button, Britain, Brawn GP
5. Lewis Hamilton, Britain, McLaren
6. Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Brawn GP
7. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Renault
8. Felipe Massa, Brazil, Ferrari
9. Nico Rosberg, Germany, Williams
10. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Ferrari
11. Heikki Kovalainen, Finland, McLaren
12. Kazuki Nakajima, Japan, Williams
13. Robert Kubica, Poland, BMW Sauber
14. Nick Heidfeld, Germany, BMW Sauber
15. Nelson Piquet Jr., Brazil, Renault
16. Sebastien Buemi, Switzerland, Toro Rosso
17. Giancarlo Fisichella, Italy, Force India
18. Mark Webber, Australia, Red Bull
19. x-Adrian Sutil, Germany, Force India
20. Sebastien Bourdais, France, Toro Rosso

x-denotes penalised three grid places for blocking another driver in qualifying.