Fernando Alonso putting his Minardi on provisional pole!

From the 2001 US GP qualifying session. A newly turned 20 year old Fernando Alonso beat the likes of Jacques Villeneuve and Jos Verstappen to qualify his Minardi in a seasons high 17th place. 1.3 seconds ahead of his teamate.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Fernando Alonso
• European Minardi
• formula one 2001
• f1 onboard
• formula one qualifying lap
• amazing lap
• jacques villeneuve
• jos verstappen
• young fernando alonso
• paul stoddart
• asiatech
• indianapolis
• michael schumacher
• f1 qualifying
• james allen
• flying lap
• alex yoong
• pole position
• provisional pole
• european
• aviationus
• grand
• prix

[thejust123]

indeed, fucking 40 mins left so nothing to see here people

[MacHoodio]

@thejust123

Indeed, but it was more the fact that Schumacher was obviously impressed, perhaps noticing his future rival for the first time. Also he beat Villeneuve in the massively superior BAR!

[jelkec]

does were the days...no DRS, no KERS, just pure driving talent and skills....back then there were also a wet races with a lots of rain...back then you could use word rainmaster but not now when they stop the race after a small spray.....I mean that was racing....INTERESTING racing...when split stream was cool....now all of them wait for longer strait to use DRS...I mean come on guys.....anyone agree?

[rockangel1967]

i really miss minardi. it was a great team. although they always were last but no one can say they did not fight. try to stay in F1 for such a long time with literally no budged. they deserve a huge respect.

[JulyDM1]

i love the sounds of the V10, the V8 doesn't sounds so great. I hope the V6 Turbo will have this great sound

[azmanntoz]

@jelkec launch and traction control = easy mode

[dimoscondos]

@jelkec it's supposed to be risky and dangerous...that's racing in high speeds...that's why they get paid these wages...i'm glad i watched the big one in his last race 1994...and the hakkinens and coulthards and irvines and the one and only shumi...ok...and montoya... :p back then it was racing...REV LIMITER in a race car?com'on...we get our cars to the mechanics and try to take out the limiters...

[Chazlington1992]

Why are the shit cars always the best looking?! They barely get any air-time on TV ... and be honest, these Minardis were gorgeous!

[oR3LENTLE55o]

@jelkec Please tell me you aren't serious... There was even less overtaking around this time. Also the races are only stopped if the conditions are truly horrendus. You have no idea how difficult it is to drive an F1 car in the rain. It's not like your average road car. The car only weighs about 750kg and has almost no downforce in the rain because they're going to slow. Not to mention they are on slick tires... I agree that F1 has gotten pretty awful but it was even worse during 2000-2005.

[Denspisende]

@rockangel1967 Well, in a way they are still around, only now the team is Scuderia Toro Rosso ;)

[DLarson1083]

I'm sorry, I love Alonso more than any other driver, but I really don't think him qualifying 1.7 seconds faster than Alex Yoong would be considered a "highlight" of his career. I'm pretty sure he could have had the mechanics push the car around the circuit and still beat Yoong's time by a few tenths.

[MupNaz]

@jelkec 2001 had traction control

[sjmaco]

@davorsertic Looking through 2,001 qualifyings, Minardi were 4-6 seconds behind on most occasions, with Alonso being able to sometimes drive it to 2.5-3 seconds behind. :) They were more or less the same, unreliability was horrible on those cars as well, at least a Hispania can finish a race, 2,001's minardi finished less than 50%

[davorsertic]

@sjmaco Hispania is 3-4 seconds behind fastest teams... Minardi was 2-3 seconds... Compared with other teams, Minardi was faster then, then comparing Hispania with nowadays teams...