Motorsports

Raikkonen barely better than Alonso for F1 pole

By wire services
Published April 24, 2005

IMOLA, Italy - McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen led the opening qualifying session for today's San Marino Grand Prix, edging Renault's Fernando Alonso by 0.003 seconds.

Raikkonen completed a lap of the 3.06-mile Enzo e Dino Ferrari track in 1 minute 19.886 seconds. Ferrari's seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, who has scored two points in three races this season, was third.

Having limited himself to fewer practice laps than any of his top competitors, Alonso has a chance at his third straight pole in today's second qualifying session. Times from both days will be combined to determine the starting grid.

"He has not done a lot of running this weekend, and to be able to attack the circuit so well after a limited program is a credit to him," said Renault's engineering chief, Pat Symonds.

Schumacher logged 59 practice laps Friday and Saturday, Raikkonen ran 37 laps and Alonso just 20.

"We prepared for the race a little bit differently this weekend, not running many laps, but everything was ready for qualifying," Alonso said.

Schumacher, off to the worst start of his career, was 0.374 seconds back.

Williams driver Mark Webber was fourth, ahead of BAR's Jenson Button, who claimed pole at Imola last season.

SERIES DEBUTS: Heikki Kovalainen won the first race of Formula One's new feeder competition, GP2, in Imola, Italy. GP2 replaced Formula 3000 as the next step below F1. All cars have Bridgestone tires and Renault V8 engines that are 25 percent more powerful than F3000 engines.

[Last modified April 24, 2005, 01:03:20]