Alonso sets stage alight in the night
Singapore, Sept. 25: Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso stormed to pole position for the high-stakes Singapore Grand Prix on Saturday, edging Sebastian Vettel to give his world championship hopes another timely boost.
It was a crucial drive by the Spaniard, with the front row of the grid likely to be decisive on the Marina Bay street circuit where overtaking is possible, but difficult.
He convincingly outpaced his title rivals under floodlights with a blistering lap of 1:45.390, which was enough to beat Red Bull’s Vettel into second place. Lewis Hamilton and his McLaren teammate Jenson Button will start on the second row after finishing third and fourth, respectively.
It was Alonso’s second pole in a row and followed his victory in Monza at the last Grand Prix, coming at a crucial stage of the season with just five races to go in a tight championship year.
There are five drivers still in contention for the title, making this race hugely important. Australian Mark Webber leads on 187 points, five ahead of Britain’s Hamilton, with Alonso third on 166. Defending world champion Button is still in the hunt with 164 points, while Germany's Vettel is fifth, a point further adrift.
“I was happy with my lap and got 100 per cent out of the car today,” said Alonso, who will be gunning for his 25th victory on Sunday.
“It’s going to be a tough race but we are in the best position,” he said.
Driving under lights in the sport’s only night race and on a circuit that demands total concentration, Red Bull’s Webber was fifth fastest and will line up on the third row alongside Rubens Barrichello in a Williams.
Then came Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes ahead of Renault’s Robert Kubica. But there was huge disappointment for Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari, which stopped with electrical problems during Q1, meaning he will start last on the grid after failing to post a lap time. Michael Schumacher, driving in the first night race of his two-decade career, starts ninth. Vettel was disappointed that he failed to snatch pole after an impressive performance in practice on Friday.
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