Predictably, the Ferraris had everything tied up in qualifying for the French GP, Raikkonen emerging as fastest in Q3 with Massa a few thousandths of a second behind him. On this showing, the race should be as boring as Magny Cours usually serves up, the only interest being in the struggle for the minor placings.
Kimi Raikkonen
The one driver who looked remotely capable of threatening the red cars, Lewis Hamilton, was third fastest but, once his ten place penalty is added on, that becomes 13th. In fact, McLaren have been taken out of the equation as a team, Kovalainen, who was disappointing all weekend, picking up a five spot penalty for impeding Webber in Q3. That makes his sixth place eleventh, leaving the the Ferraris with no realistic challengers at all.
Alonso did his best, securing what will be third on the grid, and Trulli was next up after another of his amazing qualifying laps. Neither of them have the pace to get close to Kimi and Felipe, however, and the problem is compounded by the weak form of the BMWs here. Nick Heidfeld was much closer to Kubica's speed thasn of late but both found the car difficult and are a few places further down the grid than usual.
After that it was the turn of the Red Bulls, Coulthard only a couple of tenths slower than Webber and ahead of Glock in the second Toyota. Team mates have done well in Magny Cours, in fact, Piquet breaking into the top ten after the McLarens are demoted, Bourdais right with Vettel and Nakajima only a whisker slower than Rosberg.
It all amounts to a very predictable race unless the rain comes. The Ferraris will rush off into the distance, Hamilton will go from one traffic jam to the next, the Beemers will haul themselves up the board through strategy and Alonso will drive his guts out for very little reward. It is no wonder that all the teams except Ferrari hate this place and I am seriously tempted to take back all that I said about keeping the French GP.
I suppose we could all pray for rain tomorrow...