05/07/2008
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole free practice session, the air temperature is 18 degrees C, and the track temperature is 16 degrees. Contrary to expectations it is fairly bright, however, it is extremely cool, indeed chilly, and heavy overnight rain has left the track damp, with the threat of further rain during the course of the day.
As a result of the damp track, the session is declared wet.
The lights go green, and Glock, who missed much of yesterday's second session as a result of a clutch problem, leads the way, followed by Piquet, Fisichella, Vettel, Rosberg and Webber. As Hamilton takes to the track, it is clear that some parts of the circuit are much wetter than others.
One by one they head back to the pits, the installation lap completed. Around the track, the fans snuggle into their jackets and coats, it's summertime in the UK.
Ten minutes into the session, with absolutely nothing happening, Alonso, Fisichella and Vettel are among the drivers to make their second appearance of the morning. In the BMW garage the crew are asking what tyres the other runners are no, the general consensus appears to be 'inters'.
Trulli posts the first time of the day, the Italian, who crashed here yesterday, crossing the line at 1:38.410. As Hamilton begins his first flying lap, the onboard camera reveals some large ominous clouds in the distance.
Alonso momentarily goes quickest, before Trulli re-takes the top spot. Hamilton splits the pair with a 36.947.
No soon has Raikkonen gone fifth, than Alonso and Piquet make it a Renault 1-2, however, the Brazilian is soon demoted by Hamilton, Trulli and Bourdais.
As Massa begins his first flying lap, Raikkonen goes second (34.663). Moments later, Vettel takes the top spot with a 34.389 only to be bumped down by his Toro Rosso teammate.
A 32.640 sees Hamilton go quickest, much to the delight of many in the stands. Meanwhile, Massa goes fourth with a 33.423, only to be edged out seconds later by Kovalainen.
While there are no longer any tell-tale 'rooster tails', it is clear that some sections of the track remain quite damp. Meanwhile, the clouds appear to be moving in.
Replay shows Massa having a couple of beautiful slides, getting all crossed up, in the complex. Great stuff.
Raikkonen and Massa close in on Hamilton, with Alonso the best of the rest. Thirty-five minutes remaining.
As the sun breaks through, Rosberg goes quickest in the first sector. Unfortunately, a poor second sector means he can do no better than eighth (33.340). Meanwhile, Glock is on a fast lap, having gone quickest in the first sector. However, he too has a poor second sector, as does teammate Trulli, who spins.
A 32.954 sees Webber go fourth, as Raikkonen gets a little out of shape as he exits Farm.
Massa goes quickest in the first sector, finally crossing the line at 31.577 to go quickest. Moments later, David Coulthard goes second with a 32.119, his first flying lap of the day. Elsewhere, Rosberg spins 360.
The overhead shows a clear dry line appearing on much of the track, the main exception being Vale and Club.
With twenty-three minutes remaining, Glock goes second and Sutil fourth, conditions are clearly improving.
Kubica improves to fifth, but his lap was not without its moments, indeed, there were quite a few of them.
As Webber improves to fourth, Heidfeld goes quickest in the first sector. The German maintains the pace in the second sector, and the third, and despite a few twitches goes quickest by over 4s. Which appears to indicate that conditions have now greatly improved, to the point that dry tyres are the ideal choice.
The times tumble, as a whole host of drivers improve, Bourdais raising the benchmark with a 23.950. Next time around, the Frenchman posts 23.826, however, this is soon eclipsed by Raikkonen who crosses the line at 23.520. Massa goes second with a 23.813.
You can't keep this boy Glock down, the German crosses the line at 23.470 to go quickest… however, he is soon leapfrogged by Webber and then Alonso.
In the Red Bull garage, Coulthard, who has only completed six laps, has a drink while his crew work on his car. Kovalainen, currently at the bottom of the timesheets with his McLaren teammate, has only completed seven laps.
As Webber goes quickest (22.281), ahead of Vettel and Glock, Hamilton and Kovalainen head down the pitlane.
Webber improves to 21.806 as Hamilton locks up.
Kovalainen is running on the soft option, one of the first drivers to do so today.
Hamilton (hard) goes second (22.155), and immediately goes quickest in the first sector of his next lap. However, it is Kovalainen who takes the top spot, the Finn posting 21.266.
Hamilton improves to second with a 21.668, just 0.402s shy of his teammate. Next time around, the Englishman goes quickest in the first sector, but fails to improve over the course of the whole lap.
As Piquet goes third (21.786), attention focuses on Massa and Vettel, who are both on hot laps.
The Brazilian (softs) fails to improve, and at the end of his lap goes wide at Copse. Vettel, however, takes third with a 21.277, only to lose it to Alonso moments later.
All eyes on Raikkonen, who, with the chequered flag being waved, is on softs. The Finn fails to improve, but Alonso doesn't, the Spaniard taking top spot with a 20.740 ahead of Webber.
Consequently, the session ends with Alonso quickest, ahead of Webber, Kovalainen, Vettel, Hamilton, Piquet, Bourdais, Glock, Raikkonen and Barrichello.