Formula One news

Montoya blows it giving Raikkonen pole

Kimi Raikkonen is on pole position for the German Grand Prix after team mate Juan Pablo Montoya crashed on the final corner of his flying lap while looking likely to depose Raikkonen. Jenson Button qualified second and Fernando Alonso third.

Throughout the session it was a case of waiting for the Renaults and McLarens, which were clearly going to set the pace. Jenson Button sprung a surprise got among the two teams, but Raikkonen was always going to be quickest. The only driver with a chance was Juan Pablo Montoya. The Colombian had matched his team mate in the first two sectors and looked likely to beat Raikkonen, who had a big slide in the final sector. Only then the McLaren snapped away from Montoya and he spun into the barriers at the final corner.

Horrified on the pit wall, Ron Dennis could hardly believe his eyes and Montoya faced a short walk of doom back to the team garage where he can only hope that something broke on the car.

Giancarlo Fisichella took fourth behind Alonso ahead of Michael Schumacher who received a standing ovation from his local fans at taking fifth. The suspicion in the pit lane is that Michael is running three stops and Barrichello on a two-stop strategy tomorrow, but the Brazilian will start from fifteenth.

Williams enjoyed a better day with Webber sixth and Heidfeld seventh ahead of Sato, Trulli and Klien rounding off the top ten.

The double-Dutch line up of Albers and Doornbos scored a sweet result for Minardi boss Paul Stoddart by out qualifying both Jordans. Both Monteiro and Karthikeyan struggled to keep control of their cars, the Indian deciding to abort his lap and pull into the pits. 

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