Hamilton takes pole in Spain - but starts at the back of the grid
It was an interesting qualifying for the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, with McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton taking pole position from the Williams of Pastor Maldonado. But it was all for nought for the McLaren.
Hamilton ran out of fuel shortly after setting the fastest time in the last seconds of final qualifying in Barcelona and promptly ground to a halt having run out of fuel. The stewards have ruled that as a result of being unable to provide a fuel sample as required he must now start from the back of the grid.
That blow for Hamilton and McLaren gives Frank Williams the best birthday present he could wish for with Williams driver Pastor Maldonado now in pole at Barcelona – the first Williams pole since Nico Hulkenberg’s in the 2010 Brazilian Grand Prix.
Next to Maldonado will be the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso with the Lotus’s of Romain Grosjean and Kimi Raikkonen making up the second row.
The big losers – apart from Hamilton – are Button in the McLaren and Webber in the Red Bull who failed to make final qualifying and start 11th and 12th, with the Ferrari of Massa back in 17th.
But it will be Hamilton on a mission tomorrow to vent his fury at the perceived injustice of being forced to start at the back of the grid.
It should make for an interesting 2012 Spanish Grand Prix
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