It's a blood bath at Bahrain!

Michael Schumacher, the seven time champion couldn't have started what many consider to be his last F1 season in a better manner. Breaking the jinx of the 2005 season, Michael took pole, equalling the late great Ayrton Senna's long standing records of sixty-five pole positions. Felipe Massa drew blood in his first outing on a prancing horse by coming in second to set up an all-red front row. British driver Button came in third ahead of Alonso the reigning champion, Montoya and former Ferrari door-mat Barrichello. Last year's runner-up Kimi Raikkonen season started his season with a bang, literally, losing his rear-tyre in the process. In as much, a brilliant first and second sessions and a farce of a third session helped set-up an entirely unexpected grid for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Old viewers would have been reminded of the 1-hour or 12-lap flat out qualifying rule while they watched the pit-lane exit with bated breadth and waited for their favorite driver's to appear. Yuji Ide emerged, followed by Trulli, David Coulthard, Monteiro, Liuzzi and Sato. The laziest of the pack sauntered around the track with none of the big wolves venturing outside the paddocks. With under seven minutes remaining and pressure mounting, the Ferrari's, Williams' and the McLaren's were out on track. Raikkonen showed promise by setting the fastest timing for first sector, only to go out seconds later, losing control at turn 10. His session was over, a rather customary start to the season for the Finn.

With under five minutes remaining, the Honda's and the Renault's appeared for the first time amidst a dozen other cars, the pit-lane filled with multi-colored, multi-million dollar automobile marvels. The game was on! Expected performances fromt the big wigs would mean that Raikkonen, Sato, Ide, Monteiro, Albers and Ralf would fill in positions seventeen through twenty-two.

With the tail-grid decided, the pilot's were now ready for the second leg of qualifying. Teams settled for a 'one hot lap' strategy here too with Villeneuve, Trulli, Coulthard, Rosberg, Liuzzi and Speed missing the cut. The battle was now set between the two Renault's, Honda's and Ferrari's along with the McLaren of Montoya and the Williams of Webber.

The final twenty-minute qualifying leg was for pole position, and teams had to run with race fuel loads, unlike in the first and second sessions. A procession of beautifully sculpted Formula One cars cruised the tracks for an agonozing eight minutes, as if posing for shutters to click and fans to take a clearer look at the whites of their eye-balls. All totally legal exploitation, with teams trying to burn off as much fuel in as little time as possible.

Eight minutes later, Alonso broke the cavalcade, and soon all cars were at top-speed, Michael setting a blistering 1:31:595, only to better himself with a fresh set of hooves four minutes later. He returned to the pits, having posted a solid 1:31:431, confident that pole had been secured. A bolting Button could not catch up with the Scuderia's as they went on to secure Row #1 for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

A far more interesting qualifying session than one in years, and this seems to have set the stage for a good race tomorrow. The title-challenge will be four way, with Renault, Honda, McLaren and Ferrari showing strength.

However, viewers would be advised to keep a close watch on a certain silvery-red Bazooka which I am certain would emerge from the back of the pack.

The race is going to be a rarity, one of those few races when not only we the fans, but the drivers, pit-tacticians and team-bosses would gear up for the show without a clue about race-strategy. And if Ferrari really weren't light on fuel (and I don't think they were), then one can expect Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher to take honors at Sakhir, for they are the best when it comes to ad-hoc strategy!

Can't wait for the red lights to go-off tomorrow!!!