09/06/2007
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole free practice session, the air temperature is 24 degrees C, and the track temperature is 37 degrees. It is bright and sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky.
Despite the problems encountered in yesterday's second free practice session, when Jarno Trulli suffered two suspension failures, Toyota is taking part today. However, we understand that both drivers have been told to try an avoid hitting the kerbs at Turn 8, the chicane where the Italian suffered his two failures. How this will affect the competitiveness of the Japanese team remains to be seen.
It is still unclear what exactly what wrong other than a problem with the upright, the Cologne-based team is still investigating.
Also, Mark Webber has been reprimanded following his silliness yesterday afternoon, when he is accused of brake-testing Scott Speed. The Australian, a highly vocal spokesman on safety in his role as director with the GPDA, should know better. A lot better.
The lights go green and Schumacher leads the way, followed by Albers, Sato, Trulli, Kubica, Sutil, Davidson, Fisichella, Liuzzi and Kovalainen. Alonso is also eager to get the obligatory installation lap in the bag.
Albers complains of oil on the track which has been covered up with cement dust. Sure enough there are lines of cement dust on a couple of corners.
Eight minutes into the session, only Massa, Raikkonen and Barrichello haven't appeared, while Scott speed is the only driver to have completed two installation laps.
In the stands, instead of the obligatory caps, a couple of Super Aguri fans are wearing traditional Japanese triangular hats. No, we don't know what the proper name is… but they look good. It's great to see fans get into the spirit of things.
Absolutely no activity, until, with twelve minutes of the session gone, Tonio Liuzzi heads down the pitlane.
A wonderful faux pas from Jackie Stewart who is asked about Schumacher's future by a German reporter. "I think Michael still has a wonderful future ahead of him, though whether it's with Ferrari or not I don't know," says the Scot. "No, I meant Ralf," says the reporter. "Oh, sorry," says the wee man.
As Liuzzi posts the benchmark (22.946), Trulli and Schumacher head down the pitlane.
In the Honda garage Jenson Button is told that the team will struggle to complete its scheduled programme, which suggests that the lack of activity could be due to the cement dust on the track. There is quite a bit of it.
As Liuzzi raises the benchmark with a 20.558, Trulli continues to ride the kerbs with total commitment. Elsewhere, Schumacher goes quickest, crossing the line at 19.744. His Toyota teammate goes second (20.017).
As the times tumble, more and more cars take to the track.
Barrichello, sporting what looks like a new helmet design - which looks horrible by the way - goes fifth with 21.161. Meanwhile, the Toro Rossos goes third and fourth, with Liuzzi having the slight edge.
As Rosberg locks up, Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector. The Finn maintains the pace in the second sector, and despite getting it all wrong at the final chicane goes quickest with an 18.667, edging out Schumacher by one-thousandth of a second.
One of the Spykers has a very, very close encounter with one of the barriers, as Rosberg goes quickest, ahead of Raikkonen, Schumacher and Liuzzi. However, on his next lap the Williams driver gets it all wrong and takes to the grass.
A 16.901 sees Raikkonen re-take the top spot, only to lock up big time at the first corner. Elsewhere, Hamilton has a massive lock-up at the other end of the circuit.
It's a Ferrari 1-2 as Massa goes second (17.119), but Hamilton is still on track, about to begin his first flying lap of the day. The Englishman goes third, 0.975s off the pace, but looking supremely confident.
Another improvement from Raikkonen, who goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 16.819. Mark Webber momentarily takes third, only to be demoted to fourth as Hamilton goes quickest with a 16.617.
Albers brushes the wall of champions having been launched off thd ground by the unforgiving kerbs at the final chicane.
As Hamilton attempts to improve, all eyes are on his teammate who is now on track. Despite being up in the second sector, the Englishman fails to improve. Elsewhere, Trulli goes fourth, a brave effort.
Alonso gets it all wrong at the final chicane consequently he can only manage 19.792, which puts him twentieth.
However, the reason for the Spaniard's mistake is most likely to be oil dumped on the track by Heikki Kovalainen's engine which has detonated. With oil on the track, the session is immediately red-flagged.
With twenty-five minutes remaining, it's: Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa, Trulli, Webber, Rosberg, Fisichella, Kubica, Wurz and Button.
Despite the millions and millions of dollars floating about in Formula One, at time such as this it all comes down to a few guys cleaning up the track with brushes and cement dust. The trail of oil leads from the track all the way into Kovalainen's garage. It's been a miserable weekend thus far for the Finn, who lost precious track time yesterday after clouting the barriers.
With just over nine minutes remaining, the all clear is given. Naturally there is a huge traffic jam at the end of the pitlane.
Heidfeld begins his flying lap but gets it all wrong at the first corner - and no, there is no cement dust there.
Button goes fifth, splitting Trulli and Webber, as Davidson goes eighth. Meanwhile, all eyes on Alonso, who is keen to improve on twentieth.
The Spaniard goes quickest of all in the first sector, and again in the second, finally crossing the line at 16.465 to take the top spot. However, Hamilton has a 16.071 up his sleeve and instantly reclaims the top spot.
As Kubica goes fifth, Massa leapfrogs his Ferrari teammate, the action is furious.
Raikkonen goes second, 0.3s down on Hamilton, but 0.005s up on Alonso. Sato goes sixth, ahead of Trulli, Button and Webber.
With less than two minutes remaining Rosberg goes fifth (16.975), as Webber improves to sixth. Davidson, in the Super Aguri, takes seventh.
Alonso improves to third, ahead of Massa, as Sato goes fifth in the second Super Aguri.
Raikkonen is making a last ditch run on supersofts, but he is unable to improve, which leaves Hamilton at the top of the timesheets.
In the BMW garage there is a lot of smoke coming from the back of Heidfeld's car and the German is shaking his head, looking mighty peed off. Could it be an engine problem?
Replays show David Coulthard being launched by the kerb at the final chicane, giving 'flying Scot' a whole new meaning.
The session ends with Hamilton quickest, ahead of Raikkonen, Alonso, Massa, Sato, Rosberg, Webber, Barrichello, Coulthard and Davidson.