24/09/2005
NEWS STORY
Ahead of the second of today's free practice sessions, the air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 28 degrees. Once again, it's overcast, though there's no real likelihood of rain.
The lights go green but as is often the case in the second (Saturday) session, nobody is that eager to go out.
Finally, four minutes into the session, Michael Schumacher is first out, followed by Monteiro and Raikkonen.
As Schumacher begins his first flying lap, Doornbos and Villeneuve leave the pits.
The reigning World Champion crosses the line at 1:13.884, as Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector. The Finn maintains the pace and goes quickest with a 1:13.028. Villeneuve is third, ahead of Monteiro and Doornbos.
Raikkonen improves, crossing the line at 1:12.850, as Montoya leaves the pits.
Takuma Sato goes third (14.034), ahead of Ralf Schumacher, Monteiro, Villeneuve and Doornbos.
It's a McLaren 1-2 as Montoya goes second (12.886), and Massa goes sixth, ahead of Button.
Juan Pablo crosses the line at 1:12.700, as Giancarlo Fisichella goes third. Teammate Alonso is currently ninth (14.683).
Fisichella improves (13.682) but remains third, as Alonso slips in behind to take fourth. Moments later, the Spaniard goes third with a 1:13.234.
After fifteen minutes it's: Montoya, Raikkonen, Alonso, Fisichella, Button, Michael, Sato, Ralf, Massa and Coulthard.
Michael Schumacher goes quickest in the second sector, and subsequently crosses the line at 1:12.715, just 0.015s off Montoya's time. Teammate Rubens Barrichello goes sixth with a 1:13.738, ahead of Button, Sato, Ralf and Trulli.
Kimi Raikkonen goes quickest in first sector, and again in the second, finally crossing the line at 1:12.109, to go quickest. Moments later, teammate Montoya goes quickest in the second sector, crossing the line at 1:12.375, just 0.0.266s off his teammate's pace.
We're either drunk or losing our minds… Narain Karthikeyan goes fifth, crossing the line at 1:13.486, which puts him ahead of Fisichella, Barrichello and Button. Clearly, someone has forgotten to tell the poor chap that he's driving a Jordan.
Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso splits the McLarens with a 1:12.248.
Ralf Schumacher improves t go sixth, but is unable to match the pace of Karthikeyan.
As Michael consolidates fourth with a 1:12.453, teammate Barrichello goes quickest in the first sector. The Brazilian eventually crosses the line at 1:12.382, to demote his teammate to sixth.
With eight minutes remaining, there's a definite lull in the action as the drivers prepare for their final runs.
Jenson Button takes second with a 1:12.148, the Englishman having a relatively quiet weekend thus far.
Raikkonen posts a personal best in the first sector, and the best of all in the second. The McLaren driver finally crosses the line at 1:11.929 to consolidate the top spot.
Moments later, Alonso goes quickest in the first sector, however he loses time in the second and third sectors, and fails to improve.
The session ends with Raikkonen quickest, ahead of Alonso, Button, Fisichella. Montoya, Barrichello, Michael, Ralf, Pizzonia and Massa.