Belgium, August 29: Italian Giancarlo Fisichella Saturday sensationally achieved a first-ever pole position for the Force India team, beating Toyota’s Jarno Trulli into second place.
Fisichella clocked 1 minute 46.308 seconds for a 7.004-kilometre lap, just 0.087 seconds faster than compatriot Trulli.
German Nick Heidfeld in a BMW-Sauber will start from the second row on the grid after posting the third-fastest time, alongside Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello.
The third row on the grid belongs to Robert Kubica in a BMW and Kimi Raikkonen in a Ferrari, while the second Toyota of Timo Glock and Sebastian Vettel in a Red Bull will start from the fourth row.
The final two places in the top ten belong to Vettel’s tam-mate Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg in a Williams.
Several of the top drivers fell out of the hunt for a pole position in the second qualifying round with championship leader Jenson Button in a Brawn GP, former world champion Fernando Alonso in a Renault and the defending world champion Lewis Hamilton in a McLaren-Mercedes all failing to progress to the final round.
Button leads the championship on 72 points after 12 of 17 season races with his Brazilian team-mate Barrichello on 54.
Red Bull drivers Webber and Vettel are third and fourth with 51.5 and 47 points respectively.
—IANS