German Grand Prix – Qualifying
Doornbos (first time out in a Minardi): Sector 1 = 17.0; S2=53.9; 1:18.313 = provisional pole, of course
Karthikeyan: barely keeping it on track! S1=17.6; S2=55.7; aborts the lap without a time
Albers: S1=17.0; S2=53.2; 1:17.519 for pP1 … and then runs wide
Monteiro: S1=17.3; S2=54.1; 1:18.6 = pP3
Sato: S1=16.4; S2=52.2; 1:15.501 = pP1
Klien: S1=16.7; S2=52.2; 1:15.635 = pP2
Villeneuve: S1=16.5; S2=52.4; 1:16.012 = pP3
Coulthard: S1=16.6; S2=52.2; 1:15.679 = pP3
Heidfeld: S1=16.6; S2=52.1; 1:15.403 = pP1
Webber: S1=16.5; S2=52.1; 1:15.070 = pP1
Massa: S1=16.9; S2=52.5; 1:16.009 = pP6
Trulli: S1=16.5; S2=52.1; 1:15.532 = pP4
R.Schumacher: S1=16.7; S2=52.3; 1:15.689 = pP7
Barrichello: S1=16.7; S2=52.5; 1:16.230 = pP10, 1.16s off the pole time!
M.Schumacher: S1=16.6; S2=52.0; 1:15.006 = pP1 by 0.064s – he’s running very light
Button: S1=16.5; S2=51.7; 1:14.759 = pP1 by 0.247s
Fisichella: S1=16.4; S2=51.8; 1:14.9 = pP2
Raikkonen: S1=16.3; S2=51.3; 1:14.320 = pP1 by 0.439s
Alonso: S1=16.7; S2=51.7; 1:14.904 = pP3
Montoya: S1=16.3; S2=51.4; …slides off on the last corner, through the kitty litter and into the tyre wall! Ouch! He was pushing hard to take pole from his teammate, and instead wipes out. Back of the grid for JM.
Interviews:
KR: oversteer in a few corners
JB: bit too much front-end; first time he’s qualified inside the top 12 (at Hockenheim)
FA: lost time in Turn 1 and T2; strategy-wise we’re in really good shape
KR: not happy with my qualifying lap
[Weekend schedule] [F1 calendar, 2005]
German Grand Prix – practice – plus news
Actually practice was pretty dull … a bit like the weather. 
“The seven teams who refused to race at the US Grand Prix in a row over tyres have had their guilty verdicts for bringing F1 into disrepute overturned.” [BBC]
Other recent news (since the British GP):
- Ecclestone says he doesn’t “take the threat of a breakaway seriously” [entry]
- F1 drivers to strike? [entry]
- ITV get their wrist slapped [entry]
- Red Bull sign the Concorde Agreement through to 2012 [entry]
- Doornbos replaces Friesacher at Minardi [entry]
- Jordan (soon to be Midland) also sign the Concorde Agreement through to 2012 [entry]
[Weekend schedule] [F1 calendar, 2005]
German Grand Prix – schedule
This weekend’s schedule:
| Circuit (local) time | EDT (GMT -4hrs) | TV coverage | |
| Friday Practice 1 | 1100-1200 | 0500-0600 | x |
| Friday Practice 2 | 1400-1500 | 0800-0900 | Live on Speed |
| Saturday Practice 1 | 0900-0945 | 0300-0345 | x |
| Saturday Practice 2 | 1015-1100 | 0415-0500 | x |
| Saturday Qualifying | 1300-1400 | 0700-0800 | Live on TSN & Speed |
| Race | 1400-1600 | 0800-1000 | Live on TSN (pre-race @ 0730); Speed not showing race on Sunday |
[sources: official F1 site; TSN; SpeedTV]
London bombs – the sequel
It’s interesting to see that BBC TV is a lot less “excited” about this than the N.American news feeds.
Police are investigating “minor incidents” at three Tube stations: Oval Station, Warren Street and Shepherd’s Bush. There was also an explosion on a bus in Bethnal Green, East London. No major injuries reported as yet.
OK, it’s becoming annoying – the BBC reporters are beginning to talk up the stories and trying to make more of it because almost everyone they interview is sounding calm and saying it’s all under control.
e.g. “London Transport have said that there have been incident teams checking for chemical hazards and have found nothing” (and then the reporter adds) “at least as far as they can tell” – that was unnecessary.
Yeah, and now they’re re-hashing the stories all over again. OK BBC, if there’s no new news, then move on to something else.
[BBC]
The police are also dealing with “an incident” at University College Hospital and armed police have been deployed. The suspicion is that a bomber is in the Accident & Emergency department.
Could just be a security measure; the “experts” they’re interviewing are suggesting a bomber is running loose in the hospital.
10:25(EDT) OK, that’s suddenly more interesting! Live camera at Downing Street shows man arrested by armed police! Reporter describes the scene as “chaotic” but it looks very organised to me – the police are very definitely in control of the situation. (Well, I saw it happen but the reporters seem to have missed half of it and sound confused!)
10:30 – The police have just instructed the TV crew (outside #10) to turn their cameras off and the BBC team are arguing with them! Morons! Just do as you’re told or don’t be surprised if you’re bundled into a van and driven away!
10:37 – BBC have found the footage and re-show it. One guy being arrested by armed police.
10:41 – OK, I’m getting really annoyed with the two BBC “news anchors” who just described one of the armed police officers who walked up to the guy on the ground as “edging” up to him. No, he walked straight up.
It’s interesting to see footage from another angle – the guy on the ground appears to be lot fatter as he lies down than when he’s led away – what was he wearing under his jacket? Or is it a rucksack?
11:00 – The police said the University College Hospital incident is over.
11:05 – Another repeat (and extra) of footage of the arrest @ Downing Street shows it was a rucksack.
11:35 – Suggestion that St.Albans railway station closed because of a suspect package
11:40 – Police confirm only one casualty and no fatalities.
The house of cards starts to fall
After Red Bull signed the Concorde Agreement yesterday, Jordan (or Midland, as they will be next season) have signed up to 2012. [BBC]
It looks like the breakaway from the FIA is less and less likely. 
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