Alonso Splashes to Signapore GP Pole

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

Last racing at the high-speed, scenic course of Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, the 2010 Formula 1 cars challenge this week is a 3.148 mile street course in Signapore's Marina Bay. The only night race on the Formula 1 circuit, the Singapore Grand Prix adds the additional spectacle of artificial lighting shining down on the high-speed race machines.

Though an entirely different track from the historic Monza circuit, the results out of qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix saw Fernando Alonso and the Ferrari team repeating their pole-sitting efforts. Also unlike the Italian Gran Prix weekend, the wet track at Marina Bay led to longer than usual laps as teams were forced to rain setups. Posting fastest time in the Q1 session, Alonso's main opponent through the Saturday night time trial session came from Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel. Vettel took the Q2 fast time transitioning into the final session where the Ferrari posted a lap time at 1 minute, 45.390 seconds beating out Vettel's Red Bull-Renault by less than 7/100th of a second. The 2008 winner of the Singapore Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso would have his victory overshadowed by the conduct of his then-team Renault F1 which eventually led to the team's Team Principal being suspended.

In 3rd and 4th, the McLaren-Mercedes cars continue to show presentable into the late stages of the 2010 season as the team remains in tight constructor championship battle with Red Bull Racing separated by only 3 points entering Singapore. Defending Signapore Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton found an edge on the defending Formula 1 champion teammate Jenson Button. The second Red Bull-Renault driven by current F1 driver points leader Mark Webber placed 5th in qualifying promising a heated battle for Singapore Grand Prix points.

While success found one of the Ferraris in Formula 1 at Singapore, Felipe Massa suffered a gearbox failure immediately after taking to track for an initial timed run in the first qualifying session. Unable to post a time, Massa finds himself directly opposite of his teammate Alonso on the Formula 1 grid.

Starting Sunday at 8 P.M. in Singapore, the race time in the North American eastern time zone will be at 8 A.M. Sunday morning.

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

2010 Formula 1
Singapore Grand Prix
Qualifying Results

1. Fernando Alonso Ferrari
2. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault
3. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
4. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes
5. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault
6. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth
7. Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP
8. Robert Kubica Renault F1
9. Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP
10. Kamui Kobayashi BMW Sauber-Ferrari
11. Jaime Alguersuari STR-Ferrari
12. Nico Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth
13. Vitaly Petrov Renault F1
14. Sebastien Buemi STR-Ferrari
15. Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber-Ferrari
16. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes
17. Vitantonio Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes
18. Timo Glock Virgin-Cosworth
19. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth
20. Lucas di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth
21. Jarno Trulli Lotus-Cosworth
22. Christian Klien HRT-Cosworth
23. Bruno Senna HRT-Cosworth
24. Felipe Massa Ferrari