Engine blow for on-form Raikkonen

Title contender Kimi Raikkonen8217;s hopes of starting the Italian Grand Prix on pole position vanished on Saturday, minutes after he set t...

Title contender Kimi Raikkonen8217;s hopes of starting the Italian Grand Prix on pole position vanished on Saturday, minutes after he set the fastest time in final practice.

A Mercedes spokesman said the McLaren driver, 24 points behind Renault8217;s Fernando Alonso with five races remaining, would need a new engine because of a suspected inlet valve problem.

The unscheduled change will cost the Finn 10 places on the starting grid, but what would have been a major blow at any other circuit was reduced by Monza8217;s particular characteristics.

The circuit is the fastest on the calendar, allows for overtaking and McLaren have shown that they are quicker than the rest so far this weekend.

However starting in mid-grid has clear dangers and Raikkonen will have his work cut out to prevent Alonso extending his already comfortable lead.

Alonso was fourth in final practice, behind Japan8217;s Takuma Sato in a BAR. Until the engine change, Raikkonen had looked the clear favourite.

The Finn, winner of the last two races, lapped in one minute 20.916 seconds with Colombian teammate Juan Pablo Montoya second quickest in 1:21.318.

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Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher had earlier given Ferrari fans, scattered sparsely across largely empty stands for the two morning sessions, a glimmer of hope with the second best lap in the day8217;s opening practice.

However the German, who could be mathematically ruled out of the championship after Sunday8217;s race for the first time since 1999, was only 10th in the second.

That was still an improvement on Friday, when Schumacher crashed backwards into the tyre barriers as he pushed to extract the most from the car.

Ferrari, winners at Monza for the past three years, have struggled this season and arrive at their home race with little optimism. Italians Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella were fifth and sixth respectively for Toyota and Renault in final practice.

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Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia made his Grand Prix return as are placement for Nick Heidfeld at Williams after the German complained of a headache following a big crash at Monza in testing last week.

Pizzonia, who replaced Ralf Schumacher at the same circuit last year for Williams, was 13th quickest in the first session and 15th in the second.

Reuters

Montoya puts McLaren on pole
MONZA: McLaren8217;s Juan Pablo Montoya took pole position for the Italian Grand Prix with Renault8217;s championship leader Fernando Alonso alongside on the Front row.

Montoya8217;s teammate Kimi Raikkonen, winner of the last two races but 24 points behind Alonso with five Grands Prix remaining, set the fastest time in Saturday8217;s qualifying but will start 11th.

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Briton Jenson Button, in a BAR, shares the second row with Japanese teammate Takuma Sato. Ferrari8217;s seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher qualified sixth and shares the third row with Jarno Trulli.

Narain Karthikeyan starts 19th off the grid. He had a spin at the end of the morning practice session, which caused a fair amount of damage to his car. His mechanics did a fantastic job to repair his race car on time for qualifying, in which Tiago Monteiro and Karthikeyan had clean laps. Monteiro will start from the 17th position.