AP
Ferrari drivers Finland's Kimi Raikkonen (left) and Brazil's Felipe Massa react after clocking the fastest and second fastest times in the qualifying session of the French Formula One Grand Prix at the Magny Cours yesterday.
MAGNY COURS, France (AP):
KIMI RAIKKONEN led a Ferrari 1-2 in qualifying yesterday for today's French Grand Prix.
Raikkonen finished 0.041 seconds ahead of teammate Felipe Massa to give Ferrari their 200th pole and third 1-2 start of the season. The defending world champion set a fastest lap of one minute, 16.449 seconds around the Circuit de Nevers.
"The main thing is to be fastest ... and that worked out very well for us," said Raikkonen, who also won here last year. "The car has been working very well all weekend."
Massa, who set the fastest time in the practice session, will start on the outside of the front row.
"I was a little bit overdriving (in the final session) trying to get the best out of the car and lost a bit of time in the corners," the Brazilian said. "We had a lot more fuel compared (to the first two sessions) and lost a bit of time. But front row is good."
Lewis Hamilton qualified third in 1:16.693 but will drop 10 places on the grid for causing an accident at the preceding Canadian GP.
Hamilton, one of several drivers to slide off the smooth 4.411-kilometre (2.741-mile) circuit during the final session, has lowered his expectations for today.
"We'll just do the best we can, take it on the chin and try to take the best out if it," the 23-year-old McLaren driver said.
Misery compounded
McLaren's misery was further compounded when race stewards penalised teammate Heikki Kovalainen five places for driving too slowly to hinder the qualifying lap of Red Bull's Mark Webber.
It is the second time that Kovalainen, who had qualified sixth, had been penalised for such an offence this season.
"I was just trying to stay out of people's way," the Finnish driver said.
Kubica holds a four-point advantage over Massa and Hamilton and seven over Raikkonen in Formula One's standings.
