Formula One news

Ferrari locks out Indy front row

Ferrari staged a determined championship stand against Renault in qualifying for the US Grand Prix today at Indianapolis, locking out the front row in dominant style. Schumacher took his 67th career pole ahead of Massa and Fisichella. Fernando Alonso will start from fifth.

The heat was truly oppressive during qualifying. Air temperature climbed to 34 degrees Celsius and the track was a baking 53 degrees.

Ferrari carried through its final practice pace to dominate the early part of qualifying. Midland also seemed to have its Bridgestone tyres in the zone as Monteiro and Albers went eleventh and twelfth fastest in the first knockout session. At the back of the grid Coulthard, Sato, Rosberg, Trulli, Liuzzi and Montagny all took an early bath at the end of the first knock-out.

Ferrari continued to dominate the second knock-out session while Montoya, Webber, Speed, Albers, Monteiro and Klien dropped out. There were smiles at Midland, however - the team's best qualifying result since taking over from Jordan.

In the final showdown Nick Heidfeld saw his chances disappear early on when his engine just cut out in the final sector. Team mate Jacques Villeneuve was left carrying the BMW mantle and did the team proud taking sixth.

Ferrari locked out the front row easily with Michael Schumacher taking his 67th career pole position and his third of this season. Schumacher and Massa raced each other right until the end, but the German was untouchable, ending 0.6s ahead of his team mate.

Giancarlo Fisichella took third while Rubens Barrichello went fourth in the final seconds, relegating Fernando Alonso to fifth. Villeneuve was sixth ahead of Button, Ralf Schumacher, Raikkonen and Nick Heidfeld getting tenth by default.

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