19/10/2007
NEWS STORY
Ahead of this afternoon's final free practice session, the air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 27 degrees. Although the circuit is covered by a blanket of heavy cloud, there has been no further rain and the track is gradually drying. That said, the session is declared 'wet'.
The lights go green, and first out is Nick Heidfeld, one of four drivers who didn't post a time this morning. The German, who is running on Intermediates, is followed by Fisichella, Trulli, Rosberg and Nakajima.
Heidfeld posts the first time of the session, crossing the line at 1:22.761. Moments later he is knocked off the top spot by Nakajima who posts 21.364.
A 20.345 sees Takuma Sato go quickest, clear proof that conditions are improving. Button raises the benchmark with a 20.311, but it isn't long before Sato improves again, crossing the line at 20.069.
Anthony Davidson enjoys a moment of glory, the Super Aguri driver going quickest with a 19.391. Lewis Hamilton, wrapped up in a snug McLaren anorak, watches the action from the pit-wall.
Fifteen minutes into the session, Mark Webber goes quickest, the Australian posting 18.262 in the Red Bull.
Meanwhile, news come through that Lewis Hamilton is one of three drivers under investigation for breaching the wet weather tyre rules. The others being Jenson Button and Takuma Sato.
The three are deemed to have used two sets of wet weather tyres during the first session today, thereby breaching Article 25.3 of the Sporting Regulations, which states: "No driver may use more than one set of wet and one set of extreme weather tyres during P1 and P2."
Wonder what the 'fair play Tsar' will make of that.
Twenty-two minutes in the session, Fernando Alonso finally makes an appearance, and is almost immediately on the pace. After a couple of trial runs, the Spaniard goes quickest with a 16.516. At this point Raikkonen and Hamilton head down the pitlane.
Hamilton's first flying lap sees the Englishman go thirteenth (19.533), as Alonso improves to 16.081.
There's an odd moment when Hamilton overtakes Raikkonen, crossing back righ into the Finn's path. The Ferrari driver, clearly miffed, overtakes the McLaren driver at the next corner and re-pays the 'compliment', cutting across in front of the silver car.
Next time around, Hamilton goes quickest (15.879) and Raikkonen goes third (16.450). That said, moments later the Finn is demoted by Nick Heidfeld.
As Hamilton consolidates his top spot with a 15.477, the BMW duo of Heidfeld and Kubica go second and third. Moments later, however, the Munich-duo is demoted as Raikkonen posts 15.494 to go second.
Massa takes second with a 15.341 only to be bumped down by Heidfeld, who crosses the line at 15.308. Second later, a 15.270 sees the Brazilian re-take the runner up spot.
A 14.869 sees Massa go quickest, as Kovalainen goes fourth, splitting Heidfeld and Raikkonen.
David Coulthard goes quickest in the middle sector, finally crossing the line at 15.192 to go third.
As Kovalainen improves again (14.871), Alonso posts 14.655 to go quickest. He goers quickest of all in the first sector of his next lap before a small mistake in the second causes him to abort the lap. As he prepares for his next flying lap, it is Kubica that goes quickest (14.652).
A 14.400 sees Nick Heidfeld take the spot, thereby giving BMW 1-2, however, within seconds Alonso splits the pair, crossing the line at 14.418.
With forty minutes remaining, the order is: Heidfeld, Alonso, Kubica, Fisichella, Massa, Kovalainen, Hamilton, Coulthard, Raikkonen and Vettel.
It's non-stop action, as Hamilton re-takes the top spot with a 14.173, elsewhere, Yamamoto goes off at the first corner, though he is able to continue.
Raikkonen now running on the soft option, goes fourth, just 0.250s off Hamilton's time. For some reason, the Finn spends the whole of the next lap running right behind Jenson Button, content to run just a few feet behind the Honda. He almost comes to grief however as he runs wide at the start of the long uphill run towards the start/finish straight.
Kubica (softs) goes quickest with a 13.587, ahead of Hamilton, Heidfeld, Alonso and Raikkonen.
At the other end of the timesheets the Super Aguris are over 3.4s off the pace, with the Hondas, Spykers and Trulli keeping them company.
Alonso goes quickest in the first sector and again in the third, crossing the line at 13.688 to go second.
Another strange incident involving a McLaren and Ferrari driver, when Alonso almost trips over Massa. Elsewhere, Coulthard complains that his softs - supersofts in reality - are 'graining'.
With twenty-one minutes remaining, Hamilton goes second, just 0.096s off Kubica's best time. On his next lap, the Englishman is up on the Pole by the end of the first sector, however, he ultimately fails to improve.
With fifteen minutes remaining, Raikkonen is back on track, indeed, he is the only one of the leading pack out there.
Nakajima goes sixth with a 14.283, as Massa is back on track on the harder compound. Not sure what compound the Williams driver was on, but it appears to be the way to go at present.
When Schumacher goes fourth (no jokes please), it's the signal for Kubica, Alonso and Massa to return to work.
Alonso (softs) goes quickest in the first sector, and again in the second. The World Champion crosses the line at 13.239 to take the top spot, game on.
As Hamilton goes quickest in the first sector, Liuzzi goes ninth overall, having posted personal bests in all three sectors. Despite a (relatively) poor final sector, Hamilton re-takes the top spot with a 12.767. Like his teammate, the Englishman is on softs.
With under five minutes remaining, Nakajima goes fourth with a 13.664. The Japanese driver was on the harder compound. Kovalainen can only manage eighth with a 13.879.
Rosberg (hard) goes fourth, crossing the line at 13.655. Meanwhile yet another 'heart in mouth' moment involving a Ferrari and a McLaren, this time Raikkonen catching Hamilton unawares.
Late improvements see Massa and Raikkonen take third and fourth behind the McLarens, both over 0.3s off Hamilton's pace.
Fifth quickest is Fisichella, ahead of Kubica, Rosberg, Nakajima, Coulthard and Heidfeld.
The latest weather forecast for tomorrow predicts sunshine, with more of the same on Sunday, however, we'll believe that when we see it. Meanwhile, we await the stewards decision regarding Hamilton's wet weather tyre faux pas.
Admit it, even Turk Thrust couldn't have come up with that one.
To check out our Interlagos practice gallery, click here