22/07/2005
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second session, the air temperature is 21 degrees C, while the track temperature is 28 degrees.
First out is this morning's pace-setter, Alexander Wurz, who is followed by Zonta, Liuzzi, Monteiro, Villeneuve, Raikkonen, Doornbos, Fisichella and Karthikeyan.
Wurz posts the benchmark (18.770), as Alonso and Montoya leave their garages.
A 1:16.216 sees Kimi Raikkonen go quickest as Zonta goes third, ahead of Liuzzi, Villeneuve, Doornbos, Karthikeyan and Monteiro.
Raikkonen improves again (15.815) as Alonso goes eighth (21.696) and teammate Giancarlo Fisichella third (18.345).
Juan Pablo Montoya posts (17.303) to go third, ahead of Alonso, who posts 1:17.763.
Jenson Button goes fourth with a 1:17.683, as Wurz consolidates second spot with a 1:16.054, to give McLaren a 1-2-3.
A 1:17.402 sees Tonio Liuzzi go fifth, ahead of Button and Barrichello, however, moments later the Englishman posts 1:17.371 to re-take the fifth spot from the Italian. The Red Bull driver isn't done and improves to fourth with a 1:17.061, as Montoya slips in behind having posted a 1:17.303.
Michael Schumacher is on track, as is Takuma Sato, along with Coulthard and Klien, these are the only drivers that haven't yet posted a time - even though the session is still only fourteen minutes old.
Fernando Alonso goes fourth with a 1:16.408, as Heidfeld goes sixth (17.253).
Ricardo Zonta goes quickest in the final sector, crossing the line at 1:16.540 to go fifth.
With twenty minutes of the session gone, the order is: Raikkonen, Wurz, Fisichella, Alonso, Zonta, Sato, Liuzzi, Montoya, Barrichello and Heidfeld.
Raikkonen improves again, the Finn crossing the line at 1:15.180. Wurz also improves (15.962) as does Montoya, to put McLaren 1-2 and 3 again.
The Austrian is the first to break the 1:13s barrier, crossing the line at 1:13.973, 1.207s faster than Raikkonen's previous best lap.
David Coulthard's session appears to be over. The Scot spins off at the first corner, hits the barriers and is stuck in the gravel, he climbs out of the car. Elsewhere, Michael Schumacher goes eighth with a 1:16.914.
A 1:15.909 sees Fernando Alonso go third, breaking up McLaren's monopoly at the top of the timesheets.
Felipe Massa goes fifth with a 1:16.161, as Button consolidates eighth with a 1:16.755. Meanwhile, Montoya re-takes third spot with a 1:15.560, and Raikkonen consolidates second with a 1:14.576.
Once again, Alonso spoils the McLaren party, the Spaniard posting 1:15.560 to go third. Meanwhile, his Renault teammate, Giancarlo Fisichella, tightens his grip on the fifth spot with a 1:16.146.
With thirteen minutes remaining, there's the 'traditional' lull in the action. The order at this time is: Wurz, Raikkonen, Alonso, Montoya, Fisichella, Massa, Zonta, Trulli, Michael and Liuzzi.
Outside the top ten, Ralf Schumacher improves to eleventh, ahead of Klien, Button, Webber, Heidfeld, Barrichello and Sato.
As the drivers begin the last assault, Liuzzi leapfrogs Michael to take ninth, but this, other than Villeneuve 'improving' to seventeenth, is the only change.
The session ends with McLaren taking the honours, with Alexander Wurz quickest, ahead of Raikkonen, Alonso, Montoya, Zonta, Fisichella, Massa, Liuzzi, Trulli and Michael.
Let's hope for a little more excitement tomorrow.