25/08/2007
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole free practice session, the air temperature is 33 degrees C, while the track temperature is 38 degrees. There's a very light haze over the circuit, but it is already clear that its going to be another 'scorcher' today.
The lights go green and Yamamoto heads the queue that streams out on to the Istanbul track. However, within moments there's drama as Lewis Hamilton stops at the end of the pitlane, the Englishman just managing to get his car on to the grass verge.
As the marshals push the car back up the pitlane, Fernando Alonso drives past, getting his preparations underway.
Once safely in the pitlane, the McLaren mechanics take over from the marshals and push the stricken car back to its garage. Once in place, the Woking mechanics get to work.
After seven minutes, everyone has been out for an installation lap, except the Ferraris and Hamilton.
It's Yamamoto that posts the first time of the session (33.111), however, this is almost instantly beaten by his teammate, who crosses the line at 32.158.
Barely has Sutil crossed the line, when Schumacher posts a 29.531 to go quickest. However, moments later Trulli goes quicker still (29.528) as the Toyota team continues to show clear signs of improvement.
As Schumacher re-takes the top spot (28.984), Liuzzi goes third, ahead of Davidson, Sutil and Fisichella.
As Hamilton waits patiently in his car, his crew swarming over it like worker bees attending their queen - no offence Lewis - Sato goes fourth with a 29.953.
At nineteen minutes Raikkonen heads down the pitlane, followed by Alonso and Hamilton. Sterling work by the Woking crew. Back on track, Wurz goes second with a 29.518. However, Rosberg is already on a hot lap, having gone quickest in the first two sectors.
Sure enough, the German goes quickest (28.620), however all eyes are on the McLarens as Hamilton gets mighty close to his Spanish teammate as he overtakes him for track position.
Raikkonen's first lap is a disappointing 32.594, whereas Alonso immediately goes quickest with a 28.005. A replay shows that Raikkonen had quite a big 'off'.
Hamilton has headed back into the pits without posting a time, which causes one to wonder why he felt it necessary to overtake Alonso.
Felipe Massa goes quickest in the first sector, as Alonso improves to 27.996. The Brazilian crosses the line at 28.377 to go second.
Raikkonen continues to lap, but clearly he is not going for a time. A fter 5 laps he's twentieth on 31.657, almost 4s off the pace. Meanwhile, teammate Massa has gone quickest, the Brazilian posting 27.867.
More drama as Button grinds to a halt at the entrance to the pitlane. "You're going to have to come and give me a push," he tells his crew. They duly oblige.
Massa raises the benchmark with a 27.366, as Heidfeld goes third ahead of Rosberg and Schumacher.
Hamilton is back on track and pushing hard, maybe a little too hard. At the first split - on his first flying lap - he's already 0.3s down, and by the second split is 0.47s. That said, a very strong third sector is enough to put him second behind Massa.
At half-time, it's: Massa, Hamilton, Alonso, Heidfeld, Rosberg, Schumacher, Trulli, Wurz, Kubica and Coulthard. Raikkonen, who has now completed just 6 laps, remains firmly rooted at the foot of the timesheets.
With twenty minutes remaining, Rosberg improves to fourth (28.302), however, all eyes are on Raikkonen. The Finn crosses the line at 27.557 to go second, just 0.191s down on his Ferrari teammate.
However, Alonso is on track, and sets a personal best in the first sector. The Spaniard fails to improve, unlike his teammate, who goes straight to the top of the timesheets with a 27.325.
As Kovalainen goes off, making full use of the (overly generous) run off, Webber moves into the top ten with a 28.652.
Button improves to ninth (28.548) as Sato spins off into the gravel. The Japanese driver tried to get going again but he merely 'buries' the car. His session is over. It is a virtual repeat, even down to the corner, of what happened to his teammate yesterday. In Sato's case however, he stopped before hitting the tyre wall.
With eight minutes remaining, Kovalainen goes sixth (28.364), while his teammate languishes in seventeenth (29.002).
Rosberg, on the softer compound, sets personal bests in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 28.056. He's improved his time but remains fifth, 0.73s off Hamilton's pace.
Under four minutes and the final assault begins. Schumacher improves to eighth, however Massa is already 0.3s up on Hamilton at the first split. At the second split the Brazilian loses ground, but it's marginal. He fails to improve, but there's still time for another lap.
Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector as Hamilton goes a little wide at Turn 1. Like his teammate, the Finn loses ground in the second sector, and he too fails to improve.
Hamilton gets all crossed up and spin off backwards into the gravel, however, he's able to continue. He heads back to the pits.
The session ends with Hamilton at the top of the timesheets, ahead of Massa, Raikkonen, Alonso, Rosberg, Heidfeld, Kubica, Fisichella, Webber and Kovalainen.
In a late charge, Vettel goes well wide, and takes to the run-off, demonstrating just how ludicrous they are. Though we don't want to see anyone hitting unforgiving kerbs or thumping the tyre walls, the run off here are simply too generous to the drivers.