Hülkenberg Takes Surprise Pole

NICO HÜLKENBERG (Williams) took his first ever pole position in yesterdays Qualifying session for this afternoons Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. He was the driver who got the maximum number of laps on a drying track in Q3, when the conditions on the track where not quite right for either dry tyres of inters.

The reigning GP2 Champion’s fastest Q3 time was 1:14.470 (129.411 mph). Apart from being Hülkenberg’s first pole, it is also Williams’ first pole since the 2005 European Grand Prix and Cosworth’s first pole since the 1999 French Grand Prix.

The two Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber took second and third on the grid respectively, over a whole second behind Hülkenberg!

The rest of the top ten from fourth to tenth are: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), Rubens Barrichello (Williams), Robert Kubica (Renault), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes), Felipe Massa (Ferrari) and Vitaly Petrov (Renault).

Reigning World Champion Jenson Button (McLaren) could only manage 11^th place on the grid, and must surely be out of title contention now. But he did qualify down in 14^th last year and still came fifth.

Breaking News: Jenson Button was almost carjacked in São Paulo last night. Six armed men approached the car he, his manager and trainer were travelling in. But all of them escaped unhurt after an armed policeman got them away in an armoured vehicle. Lucky boys indeed.

Anyway back to the racing. Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg also missed the Q3 cut and starts down in 13^th place. Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso) and Adrian Sutil (Force India) will start 20^th and 23^rd respectively after taking five-place grid drops for their actions in South Korea. Bruno Senna – who is racing in São Paulo for the first time ever – will start the race from the back of the grid.

With regards to the start of the race, let’s face it Hülkenberg is a rolling road block if it is dry. He has: fourth, second, third and first in the championship all sitting behind him. He can hold up both Red Bulls and Alonso all he likes. Just don’t get in Hamilton’s way!