Waiting For Alonso

Qualifying Day - Hungaroring - 4th August. World champion Fernando Alonso claimed pole position for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix after a controversial qualifying session. Lewis Hamilton was seemingly delayed by his team-mate in the pit lane meaning he was too late for his final lap.

Alonso had come in to change tyres in time for one last flying lap, and proceeded to sit in the pit-box eating sandwiches and discussing the weather with the pit crew, while Hamilton sat revving his engine behind him. Eventually Alonso engaged gear and took off, but when Hamilton emerged from the pit-lane it was too late and the session was closed

Then, in the final seconds, the Spaniard pipped the 22yr old British rookie by 0.107 seconds, dropping him to second - and on a track notorious for lack of overtaking opportunities.

As the drivers came in after qualifying for weight-checking and interviews the TV cameras caught a steaming Ron Dennis throwing a mini-tantrum at the McLaren control point and then having whispered words with Alonso, who pointedly ignored him. This made Dennis even more livid and you could almost see the steam coming out of his ears.

Oh to be a fly on the wall in the team meeting this evening.

Its clearly been a trying week and this was the ultimate way to make the McLaren chief lose even more hair. Ferrari-gate had seen him in Paris to defend the team, increasingly strident press-conferences had seen him make some odd accusations, and now his teammates playing silly buggers in his cars.

However, his cars are 1 and 2 on the grid for the race, 1 and 2 in the world championship standings and he is leading the constructors championship. Blimey. I'd hate to see Ron Dennis when things weren't going well.