BUDAPEST, 24 August 2003 — Fernando Alonso is targeting his first podium finish in three-and-a-half months in the Hungarian Grand Prix after grabbing pole position for the Hungaroring race.
Oxford-based Spaniard Alonso took the second pole of his career with a masterful drive and the 22-year-old is hopeful of ending his top-three drought in today’s race.
“I hope to finish on the podium because after Barcelona I didn’t finish on the podium any more and I want to have the same feeling again,” said the Renault driver. Alonso was 0.256 seconds ahead of Williams driver Ralf Schumacher and he believes Renault should enjoy a fruitful race. “It is important to have a good qualifying position because it is difficult to overtake and it will be a very interesting race from a strategy point of view,” Alonso said. Ralf Schumacher was unable to produce the goods as the penultimate man on track as he settled for second place, with Jaguar’s Mark Webber equaling his previous best grid position in third.
Australian Webber, who was also third on the grid in Brazil, underlined his growing potential with a quick lap and he is looking for big points.
Meanwhile, Zsolt Baumgartner will make his home debut as Hungary’s first Formula One driver today after replacing injured Briton Ralph Firman at Jordan.
Firman was ruled out after being flown to hospital with concussion and a heel injury following a huge crash in yesterday’s free practice. Baumgartner, 22, had taken part in private testing as Jordan’s third driver on Friday but lacked a necessary super-license. However, the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) said in a statement that the problem had been resolved after Jordan requested the substitution.
Firman, 28, flew sideways into a tire wall at the Hungaroring after the rear wing of his Jordan sheared off as he powered down the straight at an estimated 240 kph.
