Formula 1 fans: Time trial positions

I am busy editing a doctoral thesis about the next generation of mobile phones (you won't be buying a phone to do your phone calls - maybe you will buy a new pair of eye glasses to make them!!) and also spending time watching (not on TV) the progress of the second cricket test between India and Pakistan.

For so many of you following our Indian and Finn hopes on the Formula 1 circuit, here are the time trial positions as of Saturday. Just over a 0.250 seconds between Spaniard Alonso and Finn Raikkonen, while Indian Karthikeyan is finding his legs on the circuit with about 5 seconds between him and the leader.

Let us hope both of them do well in the morning trials tomorrow and get good pole positions. The times of both the Ferraris are not so good with Michael Schumacher coming in at 12th. Since they cannot change engines from the last race, this one will test all the cars to see which engine is presently most sturdy under race conditions.

Tyres will also make a big difference in this race. Hope MRF will start to wake up and get into this game.

Times for Saturday's first qualifying for Sunday's Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix:
1 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault one minute 32.582 seconds
2 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 1:32.672 seconds
3 Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Renault 1:32.765
4 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) McLaren 1:32.839
5 Ralf Schumacher (Ger) Toyota 1:33.106
6 Mark Webber (Aus) Williams 1:33.204
7 Juan Pablo Montoya (Col) McLaren 1:33.333
8 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) Williams 1:33.464
9 Jenson Button (GB) BAR 1:33.616
10 Christian Klien (Aut) Red Bull 1:33.724
11 David Coulthard (GB) Red Bull 1:33.809
12 Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari 1:34.072
13 Felipe Massa (Brz) Sauber 1:34.151
14 Rubens Barrichello (Brz) Ferrari 1:34.162
15 Anthony Davidson (GB) BAR 1:34.866
16 Jacques Villeneuve (Can) Sauber 1:34.887
17 Narain Karthikeyan (Ind) Jordan 1:37.806
18 Tiago Monteiro (Por) Jordan 1:37.856
19 Patrick Friesacher (Aut) Minardi 1:39.268
20 Christijan Albers (Ned) Minardi 1:40.432

Should be a great Sunday with Formula 1 and cricket, plus very interesting reading to do. Some wonderful blog entries coming in the next week, so stay tuned.