Fisichella delivers Force India’s first ever pole

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium: Italian veteran Giancarlo Fisichella on Saturday claimed the most stunning pole position of the season when he came out on top for Force India in an amazing qualifying session for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.

It was the Force India team’s first-ever pole and the fourth for 36-year-old Fisichella, who has been heavily linked with a switch to Ferrari for next month’s Italian Grand Prix. His last pole came at the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix.

After this, he will be under pressure to stay with the team that has given him a new lease of life – and added to the lustre of the ‘golden oldies’ running in Formula One.

Last Sunday’s European Grand Prix in Valencia was won by 37-year-old Rubens Barrichello of Brawn GP and Fisichella’s front-row partner at the start of Sunday’s classic contest is to be his fellow Italian Jarno Trulli, 35, of Toyota.

Fisichella, veteran of 223 Grands Prix in a 14-year career in Formula One, was overwhelmed by his success.

“It’s unbelievable,” the Roman said. I didn’t expect to be on pole. It’s amazing. It’s fantastic. I’m so happy.

Pole position! Is it true?

Fisichella will be seeking his fourth win in Formula One on Sunday in a career that has seen him racing at the front with Renault and struggling at the back with the Force India team in its previous incarnations.

He added: “I need to thank the team because they did a fantastic job. I’m really, really happy – and really confident for tomorrow!”

Third place on Sunday’s grid went to German Nick Heidfeld of BMW Sauber with Barrichello in fourth.

Polish driver Robert Kubica was fifth for BMW head of Germans Timo Glock and Sebastian Vettel, for Toyota and Red Bull respectively, with Australian Mark Webber ninth in the second Red Bull and German Nico Rosberg 10th for Williams.

Fisichella’s achievement overshadowed the shock departures in Q2 of world championship leader Jenson Button of Brawn GP and defending champion and his compatriot, Briton Lewis Hamilton of McLaren Mercedes.

Button said: “I didn’t make it because I wasn’t fast enough. It’s going to make tomorrow very difficult. I didn’t have any pace on the soft tyres and every time I hit the brakes, the rear would move.

“It is pretty disastrous for tomorrow really.”

Hamilton reflected: “I went into qualifying nervous as hell. I didn’t know where we were going to be. We knew we didn’t have the downforce of the others. I’m losing so much time in the middle sector. There was nothing I could do, I was on the ragged edge. But we can have a little bit of fun with Kers from down there.”

Fisichella’s performance was an extraordinary conclusion to a crazy session run in unpredictable conditions with most teams appearing to be left scratching their heads over the performances.

Trulli said: “It’s a mystery. We haven’t done anything on the car compared to the last few races and suddenly here we are competitive. It is great, we were going through a difficult moment. We don’t understand why we are struggling so much and then we are competitive sometimes like today. I am very confident for tomorrow.”

Heidfeld said: “It’s obviously very important to everyone in the team. We said that BMW wants to leave on a high. It’s even more important for the people in Hinwil – we are working on securing the future of the team and it is good we can show we have good performance.”