So, I was browsing the depths of my computer - looking for that one good felt tip pen which had never run out when I came across a really old dusty folder labelled 'W300 S3 Australian GP Qualifying'; I took a look inside and was pleasantly surprised with what I found, it kept me amused for a couple of hours as I polished it up so I thought you lot might like a look at the finished version?
Australian Grand Prix QualifyingWelcome back to round 8 of the World 300 series, unfortunately Bernie Ecclestone stole our TV rights at the last minute and sold them to some company called the 'BBC' (apparently they could do it better or something) anyways, I decided persevere and went out with my old polaroid camera to take some pics of the Qualifying session instead.
Janis Eglitis is out first for Italian Thunder, now it's been bloody ages since we last saw the race drivers turn a wheel in anger so this session may see some mistakes, especially considering the stupidly hot weather out here. I for one am one sweaty Pomme.
Will Wood is also out in this first gaggle of cars, showing off Team Shadow's one off livery. Remember each driver gets just one timed lap in qualifying to show what they can do.
Tom Pellatt is really attacking his out lap! Spirit Subaru bring an all new car here after over a months worth of testing in a Norfolk marshland, I'm not entirely sure it was the best preparation for the ultra dry Aussy tarmac but we'll see how they do...
As the first group of cars start their flying laps we already have a mistake! Adam Merway forgets to use the brakes through turn three! It's a good job they got rid of the gravel trap after the F1 Grand Prix - that'll cost him a few tenths however.
Eglitis sets a solid time, I don't think it'll stay fastest for long though.
Those pyschic lessons I've been having appear to have worked! Smirren immediataly goes faster than the ITM and that lap looked flawless, could it take pole position?
Will Wood follows the dutchman across the line and he's not too far down. That time puts him second so far but more importantly it shows Team Shadow have the pace to match TOr this weekend.
Keeley Grant is just over a second down, it's still too early to say where that'll put her on the grid but it definately won't be last which is good for the struggling KBRs
RaltWest Mercedes of course took a one-two last time out in Oschersleben and Stoffels looks fast here too, he goes just 0.273 down on Smirren's time, what can his team mate, Mike seymour, do however?
Seymour does a less stella job than his team mate, the Englishman is nearly a second down. The heat today may have just got to him.
Adam Merway's time was quite badly affected by that mistake we saw earlier and as a result he goes over two seconds down on Smirren's time, slowest at the moment.
James Barrington is unable to match his team mate's pace and goes 0.069 seconds down on Eglitis too.
Tom Pellatt took pole position last time out, he won't take it again this weekend but I'm sure he'll be quite satisfied with that time, just 0.156 down and good enough to put him third so far.
Ruben Greidanus may well be taking over the coverage rights of the W300 for the next race in Malaysia, this weekend though he's just got to focus on his racing. That's the 7th best time so far, just behind Keeley Grant.
Raymond Buijs had a pretty scruffy lap in the Scolari, the dutch squad are having a disappointing season so far and that won't help it to improve, he slots into 7th but the majority of cars have yet to set their times.
Francisco Fapitalle gained a lot of Aussy fans last year when he took 3rd place for SCR Holden, this year, although the team may have changed hands, he still has the pace to go fourth. A very strong lap from him.
After 12 cars have set times then the top eight look like this:
Smirren is fastest but it is very tight at the top with five different teams seperated by just 1/4 of a second and with some big names still to come it could all change.
Andrew Fuh leads out the second group of cars, can the American knock Smirren off the top today? We'll soon find out.
Josh Rayman is just eight points behind Smirren in the Driver's Championship, he needs to beat his team mate this weekend if he is to continue his strong run of finishes.
Fuh was unable to do anything special on his hot lap and is even slower than his Scolari team mate!
Bobby Neil sets a strong time but even that is only good enough for 6th place! That just highlights how tight the battle for pole is.
Mark Hampson goes fourteenth, a very poor lap from the Team Greianus driver, he may have made a mistake but unfortunately my polaroid didn't catch it as I stopped for a cool beer in the shade of the s/f line in true Aussy fashion - well you wouldn't want a warm beer would ya?
Mathieu Briere gives something for Gee to bark about as Briere sets a very respectable time to put himself 7th so far. I'm sure the Senninha Manager's sunbathing has helped them find some pace as it meant the mechanics could get to work without the Brazilian humping their legs for once.
Josh Rayman storms across the line - is this pole?! NO! Rayman is a long way off the pace, that's just made this grid extremely exciting.
Kevin Schroder is in his first qualifying session for Scuderia Minardi as he looks to gain a permanent race seat for the rest of the season. That's not gone very smoothly however, he's only two places off of last.
Ryan Gault goes faster than the German, that's not bad for the former TDC leader, three tenths off of his team mate.
Paul Willins proves the circuit is simply too hot at the moment either that or the paint fumes have finally got to him, he just clears the Italian Thunder's time and is over a second down on his far superior team mate.
Dean Kittleson manages to haul his Scuderia Minardi into 13th place. There's just one car left now, surely there's no chance of Smirren losing pole.
Once again my pyschic abilities are spot on! Gary Chester is the last man to set a time and it's equally unimpressive as they guys before him, 18th is all he can manage.
And so another thrilling qualifying session is over with a huge ten cars making it on to the first five rows of the grid - almost as many as in the last race and eleven teams managing to get their cars out on track to set times. It all adds up to a very exciting race tomorrow where we're sure to see most cars going forwards and many of whom are guaranteed to cover some distance. Join us (meaning me and my camera) then!