Spanish Grand Prix

Final qualifying positions:

1. Raikkonen (Ferrari)

2. Alonso (Renault)

3 Massa (Ferrari)

4. Kubica (BMW Sauber)

5. Hamilton (McLaren)

6. Kovalainen (McLaren)

7. Webber (Red Bull)

LATEST NEWS (all times BST)

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By Sarah Holt

1412: "Hmmm I think Alonso has sacrificed his race for a front row position to look good in front of the Spanish fans... I can see him pitting for fuel by lap 10."
SportsAddict2000 on 606

1403: Alonso gets out of the car to huge cheers and whistles from his Spanish home fans. To get on the front grid alongside Raikkonen is a great result for the double world champion and proves Renault have found a bit more pace in the three-week break. But whether Alonso can take that form through to the race remains to be seen. All set up for a super race in Barcelona on Sunday then.

1400: But at the last Kimi Raikkonen steals pole with a fast run of 1:21.813.

"A lap at home can be worth half a second in your pocket but I think Alonso has a little less fuel in the car now. Alonso was pulling everything out to squeeze between the two Ferraris - but I don't know how Hamilton must be feeling."
BBC 5 Live analyst Maurice Hamilton

1359: Hamilton cannot better Massa's time so he is second for now. Kovalainen loses time and he's third. Fernando Alonso surprises everyone by taking provisional pole with a time of 1:21.904.

1358: Raikkonen, who looks like he had a bit of understeer on his first flyer, takes on a bit of front wing and the soft tyres. Hamilton and Kovalainen take on the soft options too.

1357: That soon changes as after the first runs - and all the cars have a bit more fuel on board now - Massa goes fastest for Ferrari, with team-mate Raikkonen in fourth from Kubica and Heidfeld.

1355: Lots of traffic out there now with both McLarens running well. Hamilton goes top in 1:22.379 followed by team-mate Kovalainen.

1351: First man out in the race for pole is Jarno Trulli in his Toyota, and he's on the harder tyres. In the stands, Spanish and Ferrari flags flutter together as the breeze picks up in Barcelona.

1350: Good old Rubens Barrichello, such a lovely man and a positive outlook on life too. After failing to make the top-10 shootout he says: "Sometimes 11th is the best place to start on the grid you know." What a trooper.

1348: "Is this the beginning of Fernando's season?"
Forza on 606

1343: Hamilton abandons his flying lap but he's done enough as he's through in seventh. Not so lucky are Bourdais (Toro Rosso), Glock (Toyota), Button and Barrichello (Honda) and big disappointment for both Williams as Nakajima and Rosberg go out.

1341: Massa pours on the pace as he attempts to dig himself out of the drop zone and he looks very comfortable as he goes fastest overall in 1:20.584.

1340: It's all go at the Barcelona pits with just a couple of minutes left. In the drop zone so far are Bourdais, Button, Rosberg, Nakajima, Heidfeld and Massa.

1339: BMW Sauber opt for the softer tyres for Heidfeld to try and push him up the grid.

1338: Kubica, who took pole in Bahrain, scorches to top spot in 1:20.597 but his team-mate Heidfeld is struggling on the hard tyres and is down in 12th.

1336: A little slide from Hamilton on his flying lap but he jumps to the top spot only to be overhauled by Raikkonen. They look pretty evenly matched in terms of pace though.

1331: Big cheers from the Spanish fans for Fernando Alonso as he is first out in the second session on the soft tyres. Obviously he goes top of the timesheets but it's a decent time of 1:20.976. Hamilton and Raikkonen start flying laps too.

1330: David Coulthard blames a combination of getting caught up in traffic and not warming up his hard tyres properly for his early exit.

1328: "I reckon we will see the Ferrari's on P1 and P2 then for P3-P6 I reckon we will see the Mclarens and BMWs."
Bryans01 on 606

1323: And up at the top, Raikkonen clocked the leading time from Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso, who continues to show Renault have found a bit of extra pace during the three-week break. It's all looking pretty close up there at the minute.

1321: Let's start with those who won't be going through to the next session. Out go Sato and Davidson for Super Aguri, Sutil and Fisichella of Force India, Sebastian Vettel for Toro Rosso and, after finishing second in final practice, Red Bull's David Coulthard drops out in 17th place.

"He'll be disappointed as yet again Mark Webber is up there in 11th place. So that equals David's worse performance from Bahrain."
BBC 5 Live analyst Maurice Hamilton

1320: A flurry of changes in the dying seconds of the session. Big breath and I'll get you there in just one second.

1319: Bottom of the standings and facing the axe are Anthony Davidson and Takuma Sato for Super Aguri, Adrian Sutil and Giancarlo Fisichella for Force India; Sebastian Vettel for Toro Rosso and Rubens Barrichello in Honda.

1317: Here we go then, Ferrari unleash their true pace as Raikkonen races round the circuit in 1:20.701 to climb to the top of the standings.

1312: Kovalainen left it a bit late for McLaren but he is looking pretty fast through the first sectors and he does enough to move into third after losing time through the final sector.

1312: The Renaults continue to look good with Alonso up to fourth and Piquet in sixth. Massa brings his Ferrari out and Kovalainen gets going in his McLaren too. So we'll have a look at whose in the danger zone shortly. Looks like all the usual suspects will go safely through.

1312: I spoke too soon, here comes Alonso now for Renault. Jenson Button is sporting new "Dumbo" wings on the front nose of his Honda and he climbs up into fourth place after a decent run.

1311: No times yet for Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso or Heikki Kovalainen.

1310: Hamilton shaves half a second off Raikkonen's time to overhaul him at the top. Hamilton clocks 1:21.366 in his McLaren and he will probably retreat back to his pits to wait for the next session. Meanwhile, Mark Webber is out on the track to get a lap under his belt after throttle problems in final practice.

1306: Raikkonen climbs to the top of the standings with a time of 1:22.050 but McLaren's Lewis Hamilton is out and is already well up on the Ferrari.

1305: Kimi Raikkonen noses out of the garage and begins his first flying lap.

"He'll just do enough to get into the top 16 and then he'll worry about it in the next session."
BBC 5 Live analyst Maurice Hamilton

1300: The lights go green and Adrian Sutil is first out on the track for Force India, swiftly followed by his team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella.

1257: Home favourite Fernando Alonso muddles his way through a media huddle on his way to the Renault pits. The drivers are putting on their fireproof hoods and helmets and preparing themselves for the first session.

1253: The cars are all safely tucked away in their garages with the wheel protectors on but soon they will be coming out for qually. If you want to keep your eye on the Man Utd - Chelsea match by the way, my colleague Miss Cheese has all the details for you on the link below.

Live Premier League

1250: "I hope Webber gets pole, I've been saying that for three years . . ."
Schillz14 on 606

1245: If you ever doubted Formula One's glamour potential how about this for a titbit of news. A Hollywood producer wants to make a film of Michael Schumacher's life. Schumi is all set to play himself while rumour has it that Bruce Willis of Die Hard fame is being pencilled in to play Murray Walker. The veteran commentator's reaction? He said; "I've always regarded Bruce as a mirror image of myself." If that's not the best bit of chat I give you this weekend, I'll buy the Super Aguri team myself.

1240: Conditions are good in Barcelona as sunshine and shimmering heat envelop the Circuit de Catalunya. Track temperatures are up at 33C.

1232: "I think Kubica may very well pull this one off but anything can happen and let's hope we get a corker."
Newleft Toe on 606

1230: Formula One's big guns kept their cards close to their chest in final practice but with a pole position at stake it's time to show their true pace in qualifying.

BMW Sauber, who lead the constructors' race after three races, were running light on fuel in practice so they did lay down some fast times, with Nick Heidfeld setting the pace and Robert Kubica fourth.

After a spell of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya, Renault look like they have found a bit of pace and it will be interesting to see what Fernando Alonso can do in front of his home fans.

Kimi Raikkonen topped the timesheets on Friday for Ferrari but there are question marks over McLaren's performance.

Lewis Hamilton was half a second behind Raikkonen on Friday and said: "I wouldn't say I'm more optimistic, but I wouldn't say I'm worried."

A good qualifying session should sort them all out though, right?

I've got a serious bout of the sniffs and a dizzy head cold, which is handy when I'm at work, so for my own benefit at least here are the rules of qualifying again.

After the first 15-minute session, the slowest six cars will be eliminated. Six more cars will then be eliminated during a second spell before the remaining top 10 cars battle it out for the grid positions.