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BARCELONA, Spain -- Kimi Raikkonen is in complete control for the Spanish Grand Prix. Just how "The Ice Man" likes it.
The Ferrari driver will start first on the grid after setting the best time in qualifying around the Circuit De Catalunya on Saturday. The defending world champion timed 1 minute, 21.813 seconds -- just under one-tenth of a second faster than Fernando Alonso of Renault.
But Raikkonen will need to conjure up the trademark calm under pressure that earned him his nickname if he wants to hold off Alonso.
When the two-time world champion lines up beside Raikkonen on Sunday, he will have nearly 140,000 Spanish fans cheering him on in his home race.
Alonso has finished on the podium in his last four races in Barcelona and won from pole position in 2006. But history isn't on Alonso's side: The fastest qualifier has won at Barcelona the past seven years and 13 of 17 times at this circuit.
So, everything is riding on the start and who emerges from the first lap with the lead.
"Qualifying is one part but tomorrow is where we get the points," said Raikkonen, who won here in 2005. "Get a clean start and we'll see what we can do. Be clean at the first corners and then try to maximize our positions."
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| Kimi Raikkonen is seeking more success in Spain after his 2005 win. (Getty Images) |
Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa, coming off a victory at Bahrain, will be looking over Alonso's shoulder from third. The Brazilian driver won from pole here last year.
Alonso has been cautious in talking up his chances, saying he's only aiming for seventh place since the Renault car is likely to run on little fuel and pit early.
"I'm in the first line and it something I wasn't expecting, something that at the start of the season looked impossible," the 26-year-old Oviedo native said. "To do it here in Spain is very special. But it will be tough tomorrow."
Alonso, who returned to Renault this year after a turbulent season at McLaren, finished out of the points at the Bahrain GP for the first time in 40 races. He was fourth at Melbourne and eight at the Malaysian GP.
BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica will start on the second row ahead of McLaren pair Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen. All three drivers share third in the overall standings with 14 points.
Hamilton won the season-opening Australian GP but has struggled to maintain that start.
The 23-year-old Brit ran a clean qualifying lap after a poor race at Bahrain, where he placed a career-worst 13th. Unless Raikkonen gets overtaken or tangled up, Ferrari looks set to triumph.
"With Kimi, if he gets down to the first corner first, he's much likelier to pull away into the lead," Hamilton said. "I definitely think we have a shot at the podium. We just have to make sure we do a solid job."
Kubica had another solid qualifying session after winning his first pole at Sepang. Heidfeld, meanwhile, struggled with his setup -- especially his tires -- and will need a great start from ninth to avoid getting lost in traffic.
"I'm certainly not happy ... my final lap was not good enough," the German pilot said. "Ferrari is as strong as expected, Renault is apparently stronger than expected, although we may guess Fernando Alonso didn't have a lot of fuel on board."
Red Bull's Mark Webber, who experienced a throttle problem and completed only two laps in Saturday practice, will start seventh ahead of Jarno Trulli of Toyota. Nelson Piquet Jr. of Renault rounds out the top 10.
BMW Sauber has 30 points to lead the constructors' championship, one better than McLaren. Ferrari has 28 after three races.