11/03/2006
NEWS STORY
First out for this morning's first free practice session is Yuji Ide, he is followed by Midlands drivers Monteiro and Albers.
The Super Aguri driver posts the first time of the day, a 1:44.022.
Once again, the wind is quite strong, and consequently there is a lot of sand on the track, not helped by an overnight sandstorm. The air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 29.
As Ide improves to 1:43.012, he is joined by Speed, Liuzzi and, Super Aguri teammate, Takuma Sato.
Another improvement from Ide, who gets down to 1:41.889, as the rest of the drivers return to their garages having completed the obligatory installation lap.
Surprisingly, there's no action, once Ide returns to his garage, there's absolutely nothing happening on track.
Finally, seventeen minutes into the session, Jacques Villeneuve emerges from the BMW garage.
Moments later he is joined by Sato and former BAR teammate, Jenson Button.
The Canadian goes quickest (1:40.973), but Button is already quickest in the first two sectors. Sure enough, the Englishman crosses the line at 1:37.873, as Jarno Trulli emerges from the Toyota garage. Ralf Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen are also on track.
Villeneuve improves (38.682), but moments later Button has raised the benchmark to 1:36.894.
At a time when the legitimacy of the Toro Rosso is being seriously questioned, Tonio Liuzzi goes second with a 1:38.204.
Button improves again (36.568), as Ralf and Trulli go fourth and fifth.
Liuzzi improves again (37.767), as Raikkonen slots in behind (38.362). Elsewhere, Barrichello and Coulthard are on track.
A 1:35.629 sees Raikkonen go quickest, as Heidfeld emerges in the second BMW. Montoya heads off down the pitlane after him.
Ide stops at the end of the pitlane in the Super Aguri, he is pushed back into the pitlane.
There are now two Toro Rossos in the top six, as Scott Speed goes sixth, 1.47s off Raikkonen's pace.
As Coulthard improves to fourth, Jenson Button re-takes the top spot, crossing the line at 1:35.081. Fisichella and Rosberg are now on track.
At 'half-time' it's; Button, Raikkonen, Liuzzi, Speed, Coulthard, Montoya, Klien, Villeneuve, Trulli and Albers.
As Monteiro improves to thirteenth, Coulthard goes quickest in the first sector and Albers goes seventh (36.480).
The Scot posts 35.783 to go third, as Fisichella takes eighth spot with a 1:36.507. Next time around he improves to second place with a 1:35.318, just 0.237s down on Button.
As Fisichella goes fourth (35.823), Webber, Alonso and Michael Schumacher head off down the pitlane.
On his first flying lap, the World Champion goes third, crossing the line at 1:35.613. Moment later however, his teammate goes quickest with a 1:34.494.
It's a Renault 1-2 as Alonso improves to second with a 1:34.902, as Michael Schumacher slips comfortably into third place (35.000).
Raikkonen isn't done, and, still smarting from yesterday's technical glitch, goes second with a 1:34.515, splitting the blue and yellow cars.
It's hard to keep up with the changes as Alonso goes quickest and Trulli second, then Michael takes the top spot with a 1:33.538. Phew!
The German goes even quicker, crossing the line at 1:33.275, as Raikkonen retakes second spot ahead of Trulli, Alonso and Fisichella.
Massa, having his first run of the morning, goes wide.
Christian Klien is on a hot lap, the Austrian going quickest in the second sector. The Red Bull driver crosses the line at 1:34.062, to go fifth.
Despite that earlier mistake, there's no stopping Massa, who goes quickest with a 1:32.826, giving Ferrari the top two spots on the timesheets.
The Toyotas are looking a lot better than yesterday, Trulli is currently fourth, with Ralf seventh.
With just over ten minutes remaining, it's clearly time for one of those customary lulls, as the drivers prepare for that last minute assault on the timesheets, and that final set-up tweak. Only Barrichello, Coulthard and Monteiro are on track.
The Scot improves to seventh with a 1:34.142, as Heidfeld exits the BMW garage. Elsewhere, Albers spins but is able to continue.
With five minutes remaining, Alonso is on track, as are Heidfeld, Coulthard, Webber, Villeneuve, Button, Rosberg and Montoya. It begins.
Alonso reclaims the top spot, crossing the line at 1:31.975, as Albers moves ahead of the two Hondas.
Michael Schumacher goes quickest in the first sector, as Montoya improves to eleventh (34.539).
Button takes second (32.719), but moments later he is bumped down as Michael goes quickest, crossing the line at 1:31.868. Fisichella adds to Button's frustration by taking third spot.
That said, the Englishman goes quickest, lapping the Bahrain International circuit in 91.857 seconds. Elsewhere, Scott Speed grinds to a halt in the Toro Rosso, as Massa spins, the Brazilian working the wheel like a mad-man.
The session ends with Button quickest, ahead of Michael, Alonso, Fisichella, Massa, Villeneuve, Trulli, Raikkonen, Ralf and Webber.