30/06/2006
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second free practice session the air temperature is 29 degrees C, and the track temperature is 47 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.
We wonder how seriously some of the drivers took their debriefs following the first session, especially the Schumachers, Heidfeld and Rosberg, what with the World Cup quarter-final between Germany and Argentina going to extra time and then penalties.
The lights go green, and first out is Doornbos, followed by Mondini, Kubica, Yamamoto, Wurz, Jani, Davidson and Albers.
Once the smoke has cleared - figuratively speaking, Davidson is quickest (13.980), ahead of Kubica, Wurz and Mondini.
Monteiro is on track, as are Sato, Montagny and Speed, who had a technical problem in the first session but eventually managed to post a time.
The session appears to be over for Franck Montagny, who has gone off at Turn 4, where Michael Schumacher went off at the end of the first session. As the car is removed from the kitty litter the yellow flags are waved.
It has been a difficult introduction to F1 for Montagny, and it is noticeable that Yamamoto has been giving him a run for his money since he came on board.
With Montagny's car removed, David Coulthard leaves the pits, followed shortly afterwards by Trulli and Massa. Meanwhile, Kubica goes quickest in all three sectors, lowering the benchmark to 1:13.224.
Coulthard can only manage eighth (15.714), splitting Liuzzi and Doornbos. Elsewhere, Ralf and Barrichello are on track as Massa goes second, with a 1:13.264.
DC has a trip across the grass as Davidson goes quickest in the first and second sectors, the Englishman finally crossing the line at 1:13.316.
Michael Schumacher is on track as Juan Pablo Montoya adjusts his helmet and Rubens Barrichello goes fourth.
Michael crosses the line at 1:13.380 to go fourth, behind Kubica, Massa and Davidson. Elsewhere, Jacques Villeneuve is on track.
Barrichello improves to fifth, as Button, Webber and Rosberg leave the pits, the Australian and German on track for the first time today.
Webber posts 1:13.928 to go sixth, behind Button, who has just taken fifth with a 1:13.873.
Giancarlo Fisichella is the first of the Renault drivers to post a time today, the Italian crossing the line at 13.790 to go sixth. As the Roman goes quickest in the second sector, his teammate leaves the pits.
A 1:12.933 sees Fisi go quickest, out-pacing Kubica by 0.291s. Elsewhere, Jacques Villeneuve is the latest drivers to enjoy a little bit of grass-racing.
Felipe Massa improves to third with a 1:13.264, as Alonso takes seventh spot with a 13.750.
Robert Kubica goes quickest in the first sector, and again in the second. Although he loses ground in the final sector, the Pole still takes top spot, courtesy of a 1:12.809.
With just under half-an-hour remaining, it's Kubica, Fisichella, Massa, Davidson, Michael, Button, Alonso, Heidfeld, Webber and Barrichello.
As Kimi leaves the pits, his teammate goes ninth (13.825), the top nine covered by just over a second. Kimi posts 1:14.466 to go thirteenth, as Heidfeld goes eighth.
Michael is back on track, but fails to improve at the first attempt, remaining 0.571s off Kubica's pace. The German returns to the pits for a practice pit stop, like his teammate before him.
Ralf Schumacher has only completed five laps, and remains 2.49s off the pace, teammate Trulli isn't faring too much better, having completed 4 laps, a being 1.8s off the pace. That said, Ralf posts a personal best in the first and second sectors, though he loses ground in the third. Nonetheless, he posts 15.063, but remains twenty-fourth quickest. Trulli has also improved, but remains 1.7s off the pace.
Anthony Davidson has completed the most laps (31), ahead of Kubica and Wurz (28) and Yamamoto (27).
With eleven minutes remaining there's a lull, however, we're sure to see plenty of action in the final minutes of the session.
Kubica posts 1:12.874, only slightly slower than his previous best, meanwhile, Mondini goes quickest in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 13.327 to go fifth, ahead of Michael.
Liuzzi posts 13.735 to go tenth, splitting Heidfeld and Montoya. Raikkonen, who has completed just four lap, remains eighteenth, 1.4s off the pace.
With less than four minutes remaining, Anthony Davidson goes quickest in the first sector, then again in the second. The Honda driver finally crosses the line at 1:12.013, the quickest time we've seen today.
Kimi Raikkonen posts a personal best in the first sector, as Speed goes ninth with a 1:13.688. The Finn crosses the line at 1:13.554, to go eighth.
All but three drivers are on track, it's very, very busy out there.
From out of nowhere, Monteiro goes seventh with a 1:13.387, splitting Michael and Button. Meanwhile, Mondini gives Michael a piece of his mind having had problems passing the German - yes you read that right!
The session ends with Davidson quickest, ahead of Kubica, Fisichella, Massa, Mondini, Michael, Monteiro, Button, Alonso and Raikkonen.
Early days we admit, but at this stage one has to admit at being surprised by the lack of pace from the Toyotas, Red Bulls, McLarens, BMWs and Williams.
Then again, it is Friday, and you know what they say about Fridays.
To check out our Indianapolis practice gallery, click here