05/10/2007
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's first free practice session, the air temperature is 28 degrees C, while the track temperature is 38 degrees. It is bright, with a fair amount of cloud, but dry.
The lights go green and Yamamoto gets the session underway, followed by Sutil, Button, Coulthard, Liuzzi and Davidson.
Just five minutes into the session, all but the Ferrari and Williams drivers have been out. Williams test driver Kazuki Nakajima is partnering Nico Rosberg in this session.
When Nakajima come out, he completes his installation lap then continues to complete the first 'flying' lap of the weekend, crossing the line at 1:42.894. There is intense speculation in Shanghai that McLaren is lining up Rosberg to join Lewis Hamilton next season, though Frank Williams insists the youngster is not for sale.
As Nakajima raises the benchmark with a 40.240, the Spyker boys come out to play. In the BMW garage, the 2007 GP2 Series Champion, Timo Glock, watches the action on the TV monitors alongside Nick Heidfeld.
As Nakajima improves again (39.879), Nico Rosberg heads down the pitlane. Sutil goes second on the timesheets (42.017) ahead of Yamamoto.
Rosberg goes second (39.879), as Kimi Raikkonen climbs into his car.
Schumacher, Davidson, Trulli, Vettel and Webber return to the track as Rosberg goes quickest with a 39.265.
As Trulli goes quickest (38.208), Raikkonen heads down the pitlane. On his first lap the Finn goes wide at the start of the pit straight, consequently he can only manage seventh (39.866). Meanwhile, Hamilton is on track and going quickest in the second sector. The Englishman goes quickest (37.524), while the Ferrari driver slips in behind.
Massa goes fifth but is then, almost instantly, demoted by Alonso. However, next time around the Brazilian improves to third (37.941). Moments later, Alonso improves to fourth, and Massa goes quickest, crossing the line at 37.510.
At 'half-time', it's: Massa, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Alonso, Trulli, Fisichella, Heidfeld, Kubica, Schumacher and Kovalainen. Everyone has posted a time, with the Red Bulls and Toro Rossos being the biggest disappointment thus far.
Rosberg goes cross country as Kubica improves to sixth with a 38.216. Elsewhere, Button improves to twelfth, ahead of Rosberg and Coulthard.
It appears to be over for Nick Heidfeld, the German's BMW is running very slowly as he tires to coax it back to the pits. However, the car gives up the ghost and consequently he parks it on the back straight. The replay shows smoke coming out of the back of the car, if it's the engine that's a ten spot grid penalty.
Hamilton is back on track, as is Raikkonen. Soon, Alonso is heading down the pitlane to join them. With the yellow flags out following his retirement, Heidfeld returns to his car in order to push it to safety.
Hamilton goes quickest in the first sector, however, he goes wide shortly afterwards, and consequently he fails to improve. No such problems for teammate Alonso, who goes quickest in the first sector, then posts a personal best in the second. At the line the Spaniard posts 37.556, which promotes him to third. Moments later Hamilton goes quickest with a 37.210.
From out of nowhere, Raikkonen produces a 37.094 to go quickest, as the big four continue to trade fastest sector times. Alonso goes second (37.108), ahead of Hamilton and Massa. These four are covered by just 0.132s, with (fifth placed) Kubica almost a second a behind.
Busiest man thus far is Nakajima (23 laps), who promptly spins. Yamamoto has completed 20 laps and Trulli 19.
OK, it's only the Friday morning session, but the Red Bulls remain worryingly off the pace, as are the Spykers, Super Aguris, Toro Rossos and Williams. Both Toyota drivers are giving a good account of themselves thus far.
With nine minutes remaining, Hamilton and Raikkonen are back on track. Soon they are joined by Alonso as the final assault gets underway.
Coulthard improves to twelfth, as Massa is up on Raikkonen at the end of the first sector. He loses pace in the second, eventually crossing the line 0.356s down on the Finn. Moments later he spins off, right ahead of his Ferrari teammate. He is able to continue.
Unseen, Rosberg goes fifth with 37.707, just 0.683s off Raikkonen's pace. Teammate Nakajima goes ninth.
Nick Heidfeld is back on track, which appears to indicate that there was no need for an engine change. Elsewhere, Hamilton has a brief moment.
The session ends with no major improvements, Raikkonen quickest, ahead of Alonso, Massa, Hamilton, Rosberg, Kubica, Trulli, Fisichella, Nakajima and Heidfeld.