Zoom Softer option worth a few tenths in qualifying...

Kimi Raikkonen set pole position on Bridgestone’s medium compound Potenza at the Circuit de Catalunya for the fourth round of the championship in Spain.

On a day of exceptionally close times, Raikkonen’s pole lap of 1:21.813s was just under a tenth quicker than second fastest driver, Fernando Alonso (Renault). Felipe Massa (Ferrari) qualified in third, and BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica set the fourth fastest time.

Track conditions are improved from yesterday as more rubber has been laid on the track. Both the medium and hard compound Potenza tyres have delivered very close performance here today, under glorious sunshine and blue skies.

Hirohide Hamashima, Tyre Development Director
“Congratulations to Kimi Raikkonen on his first pole of the year and congratulations also to Fernando Alonso for returning to the front row in of his Spanish supporters."

"It was a very difficult qualifying session today for drivers with only a second separating the top 15 cars in both Q1 and Q2. The teams have clearly found the optimum setups to get the best out of both the hard and medium compound Bridgestone Potenza tyres we have brought, after testing here last week."

"Tyre performance is returning to what we saw in the test as the track improves. Performance is so close that tomorrow will be a very interesting race. So far, there has not much difference between the two compounds, which means many strategy options for tomorrow’s race.”

E.A. © CAPSIS International