09/05/2008
NEWS STORY
Ahead of this morning's free practice session, the air temperature is 15 degrees C, while the track temperature is 25 degrees. It is bright and sunny, but cooler than expected. That said, due to a last minute bit of spring cleaning there is a long damp patch in the middle of the track between turns 3 and 9.
The lights go green and first out is Giancarlo Fisichella, followed by teammate Adrian Sutil, who we understand was the potential victim of a blackmail plot recently.
As the Force India driver makes his was around the Istanbul track, he is joined by Kubica, Fisichella, Bourdais, Rosberg and Nakajima. Piquet and Alonso are other early risers.
Twelve minutes into the session, Rubens Barrichello heads down the pitlane, his Honda sporting a revised livery reflecting the 'fact' that this is the Brazilian's two hundred and fifty seventh F1 Grand Prix. Though this is widely disputed, with many statisticians arguing that he still has three more races to go.
Twenty minutes into the session, everyone has been out barring the two Ferraris. All along the pitlane driver chat to the crew, gaze into space or fiddle with their earplugs… every now and then an engine roars into life, but is then silenced again. Nothing is happening.
Finally, thirty-eight minutes into the session, a car heads back on to the track, it's Bourdais. One by one, other drivers join the Frenchman, and it isn't long before we have our first time of the day, the Toro Rosso driver posting a 1:32.821.
Demonstrating that his Barcelona accident has had no lasting effect, Kovalainen goes quickest with a 29.118, ahead of Nakajima and Bourdais.
As Webber goes fourth, ahead of Vettel and Trulli, Nakajima spins at the notorious Turn 8. Moments later, Sutil takes to the tarmac run-off.
Trulli and Hamilton both spin, which has more to do with the fact that other than the GP the Istanbul track sees little use during the year. The long damp patch has all but disappeared.
Forty-seven minutes into the session, Kimi Raikkonen is the first of the Ferrari drivers to come out. Having completed an installation lap the Finn immediately goes for a time, finally crossing the line at 30.732 to go eleventh. Elsewhere, Hamilton goes second (28.548).
Massa is on track, or rather he isn't, the Brazilian spinning off on his out lap. Nonetheless, on his first flying lap the Ferrari driver goes seventh with a 29.627. Meanwhile, Fisichella is the latest to spin off.
With just over half an hour remaining, it's; Kovalainen, Hamilton, Glock, Trulli, Kubica, Piquet, Heidfeld, Massa, Sutil and Webber. Alonso, Coulthard and Button are the only drivers yet to post a time.
Massa improves to third with a 28.966, as Barrichello goes fourteenth with a 30.754.
Having improves to second (28.329), Massa goes quickest in the first sector, going on to go quickest in the remaining two, crossing the line at 27.940 to take the top spot. Next time around the Ferrari driver goes even quicker, posting a 27.675 at the line - 0.608s up on Kovalainen.
A 28.368 sees Alonso go third, thereby splitting the McLarens, as we see a beautiful power-slide from Fisichella.
Thus far, we haven't seen any sign of the softer (medium) option tyre today. All the running appears to have been on the hard compound.
With less than twenty minutes remaining, Kovalainen improves with a 27.723, closing to within 0.048s of Massa. Still no sign of Raikkonen, who hasn't been out for some time, having only completed 3 laps.
As Barrichello goes ninth (29.447), Fisichella locks-up big time, the Italian having an eventful morning.
Heidfeld improves to fifth with a 29.024, the German unusually high on the Friday timesheets considering his team usually opts for reliability over pace during these sessions.
In the Ferrari garage the mechanics are working on Raikkonen's car. Clearly the lack of laps is not a tactical or confidence thing.
Barrichello goes sixth, ahead of Glock, Piquet, Trulli and Kubica, as teammate Button goes eleventh.
Massa goes wide in Turn 8, as Kubica watches from the BMW garage. Nonetheless, on his next lap the Brazilian goes quickest in the first sector, finally crossing the line at 27.596 to further consolidate his top spot.
Glock and Sutil both fall victim to the notorious Turn 8, proof that we're going to see plenty of fun and games here over the course of the weekend. Meanwhile, Massa improves yet again, posting a 27.323.
Most cars on track now, but still no sign of Raikkonen, and still no real sign of the softer option tyre.
Hamilton goes third with a 27.752, the top three covered by 0.429s.
With less than two minutes on the clock, Kovalainen is on track, and he's on the softer option. He posts a personal best in the first sector and the second, crossing the line at 27.456, closing to within 0.133s of Massa.
The session ends, with Massa at the top of the timesheets, ahead of Kovalainen, Hamilton, Alonso, Button, Nakajima, Heidfeld, Barrichello, Piquet and Glock. Kimi Raikkonen ends the session twentieth of twenty, having only completed three laps, the result of what is thought to be a gearbox problem.