'Heads to roll' after Montoya fuel error.

The McLaren team has admitted that it sent Juan Pablo Montoya out for second qualifying in Barcelona with virtually no fuel in his car after a mix-up in the pits.

Team sources reportedly said that 'heads will roll' after the costly error which saw the Colombian eliminated from contending the top ten shoot-out.

After Montoya made it through first qualifying and returned to the pits, an oversight meant that his crew failed to put any fuel in the car during the brief turnaround period before the second session. Although the team soon realised that the Colombian had taken to the track for his crucial run on new tyres with barely enough in the tank to complete a slow lap straight back to the pits, by the time he had returned the edge had been taken off the tyres, and they cooled down while the refuelling process was properly completed. Time pressures contributed to a decision to send him back out with the same tyres on the car, as no spare new set was ready.

Montoya had enough time to get round and complete a flying lap, but he was not quick enough to get into the top ten, although he was only 0.095secs slower than he was in the first session.

The team did not give the full story in its press release, although Ron Dennis confirmed that there was 'a mistake was made with the refuelling'. He also confirmed that the team should have fitted a second set of new tyres.

Team-mate Kimi Raikkonen did get through to the top ten, but finished the final session only ninth.