21/10/2006
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole free practice session, the air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 34 degrees. It's overcast, but there has been no rain today, so it's totally dry.
The lights go green, and the last practice session of the 2006 season gets underway. First out, after almost a minute, is Monteiro, followed by Robert Doornbos, who will suffer a grid penalty following an engine change. The Dutch driver missed much of yesterday's second session after stopping on track with an engine problem. Let's not forget that the Red Bull was fitted with a Ferrari engine.
Along with Christijan Albers, the two drivers complete an installation lap, then return to the pits. Moments later, Takuma Sato is heading down the pitlane.
As the Japanese driver posts the first time of the day (1:16.443), Ralf, Trulli and Coulthard head down the pitlane.
Twelve minutes into the session, Trulli is quickest (14.822), ahead of Ralf, DC, Doornbos and Sato.
As Trulli lowers the benchmark - or raises it, depending on which way you look at these things - to 14.388, Yamamoto comes out to play. The Japanese driver is still unsure if he will retain his seat next season.
Liuzzi, Speed and Kubica leave the pits, as Ralf improves to within 0.345s of his Toyota teammate. Elsewhere, Speed has a bit of a moment, but keeps things under control.
On his first flying lap, Kubica goes fourth, however, next time around he heads straight to the top of the timesheets with a 1:14.200. At that precise moment, de la Rosa and Raikkonen leave the McLaren garage, followed by Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello.
Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector, and again in the third, crossing the line at 14.003, and thereby going quickest. However, Michael is quickest in the second sector, and he eventually crosses the line at 13.706. Game on!
As Button, Heidfeld and Massa leave the pits, Michael goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 13.096. Elsewhere, Button goes fifth, but is instantly demoted by de la Rosa.
Fisichella and Rosberg are on track as Button improves to fourth, the Englishman posting 14.254.
Massa goes sixth (14.648), as Alonso and Webber leave the pits, the last drivers to come out today.
Having improved to fourth, Massa now goes quickest in the first sector. He loses pace in the second and third sectors, and consequently fails to improve.
Alonso goes sixth (14.266), with his first flying lap, while Fisichella improves to eighth. Elsewhere, having gone quickest in the first and final sectors, Massa takes the top spot with a 13.068.
At half-time, it's: Massa, Michael, Alonso, Raikkonen, Kubica, Button, Webber, Trulli, Fisichella and Ralf. However, Alonso is 0.6s off the pace of the Ferrari, which are separated by 0.028s. Elsewhere, Yamamoto spins.
A 1:14.302 sees Rosberg goes seventh, thereby leapfrogging his WilliamsF1 teammate.
With twenty-four minutes remaining, there are just four cars on track, though one of them has Michael Schumacher at the wheel. However, it's brother Ralf who improves, the Toyota driver going sixth with a 14.085.
Michael looks set to improve, having gone quickest in the second sector, however, a mistake in the third, which sees him spin, costs him heaps of time. Elsewhere, as the sun begins to break through, Rosberg has a big, big lock-up.
Next time around however, there are no mistakes, and the German goes quickest with a 12.874. Raikkonen goes third with a 13.866, demoting Alonso to fourth.
It's a Bridgestone 1-2-3 as Mark Webber goes third, the Australian posting 13.205. Meanwhile, Michael goes quickest (again) in the first sector. Having posted a 12.548, the German now posts 12.304, as de la Rosa goes second, albeit 0.630s slower.
Another lap, another best time, Michael Schumacher makes it clear that he wants the title, any title, crossing the line at 11.925. elsewhere, Yamamoto spins again, but continues.
Biggest surprise, thus far, is the fact that Fisichella is still down in fourteenth, 2.23s off the pace.
With thirteen minutes remaining, Button goes sixth with a 13.815, thereby splitting Alonso and Raikkonen.
With eleven minutes remaining, only Button, Massa and Albers are on track… the calm before the fury.
A 12.697 sees Barrichello go third, the Brazilian keen not to lose 'local hero 'status to Massa.
The Honda driver's 'glory' is short-lived however, as he is leapfrogged by Kubica, who posts 12.535.
Under five minutes remaining and Fisichella goes fourth (12.567), however, nobody, other than Michael, has broken the 1:00s barrier.
Alonso posts 12.721 to go sixth, but he remains 0.79s off Michael's pace. That said, he only needs one point tomorrow not a win.
As Button goes second (12.306), Michael goes quickest in the first sector. As Michael looks set to improve - which indeed he does, crossing the line at 11.631 - Massa records an astonishing second sector, going on to post 11.443, which puts him quickest of all.
Therefore the session ends with Massa quickest, ahead of Michael, Button, Kubica, Fisichella, Barrichello, Alonso, Raikkonen, de la Rosa and Heidfeld.
We have the prospect of an interesting qualifying session this afternoon.