22/08/2008
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's opening free practice session the air temperature is 28 degrees C, while the track temperature is 29 degrees. It is bright and sunny.
Unlike most Friday morning sessions we are expecting lots of activity today as the teams and drivers get their first 'hands-on' experience of the Valencia Street Circuit. Soon enough they'll know how accurate their simulation runs have been.
As we look forward to this latest addition to the F1 calendar, it's worth noting that the one area of concern is the swing bridge that the cars use to cross the harbour. There is concern that the slightly uneven gap where the bridge meets the road could lead to punctures. After several drivers expressed concern, Bridgestone is understood to have raised the issue with the FIA.
The lights go green, and, after a short delay, Kubica leads the way, followed by Vettel, Bourdais, Piquet, Alonso, Heidfeld, Nakajima and Rosberg. However, the timing screens are not working.
Kovalainen and Hamilton are among the ‘early risers’, all keen to get their first ‘cockpit view’ of this new track. The McLarens are sporting ‘rabbit ears’, as worn by the Hondas.
Eight minutes into the session, all but Button and the Ferraris have been out. Finally, the timing screen comes alive.
Ron Dennis and Norbert Haug are chatting in the pitlane as silence settles over the track, it appears that we're going to have to wait a bit longer for the action to really get underway.
Finally, fifteen minutes into the session, Bourdais heads down the pitlane again.
One has to say, with its grey walls and safety fencing, this track is absolutely nothing like Monaco, but more akin to some of those soulless street tracks we had in the United States all those years ago.
As Bourdais begins the first flying lap of the weekend, Vettel and Button head down the pitlane.
Bourdais has the honour of completing the first F1 flying lap of the Valencia street track, the Frenchman crossing the line at 1:49.926. Button goes second with a 59.798, as Bourdais improves with a 46.934.
Raikkonen heads down the pitlane, as Alonso goes third, behind Bourdais and Vettel, with a 48.753.
Vettel raises the benchmark with a 45.484, and Alonso takes second just 0.166s off the German's pace.
As Raikkonen begins his first flying lap, teammate Felipe Massa heads down the pitlane.
A 44.886 sees Bourdais go quickest again, but he is soon leapfrogged by his teammate who posts 44.626. Raikkonen goes fourth with a 46.429.
Next time around the Finn goes quickest in the first sector, however, at the line his 45.220 is only good enough for third.
Piquet goes fifth with a 48.771, as both Hondas remain over 9s off the pace.
Massa goes third with a 45.037, however, his teammate goes quickest in the first two sectors, finally crossing the line at 43.948 to take the top spot. Next time around the Finn improves again with a 43.358. Lewis Hamilton stick his head through a gap in the pit-wall to watch the action.
A 44.200 sees Alonso go second, however, the Spaniard is almost instantly demoted by Massa (43.840) to make it a Ferrari 1-2.
Raikkonen raises the benchmark ever higher, the World Champion crossing the line at 42.755. Elsewhere, Kovalainen heads down the pitlane.
As Kovalainen begins his first flying lap, teammate Hamilton climbs into his car. Now we should get to see how the McLarens compare to the Ferraris.
Glock splits the Ferraris with a 43.693, as Toyota continues to impress. Meanwhile, Kovalainen's first lap (46.098) is only good enough for thirteenth.
A 43.723 sees Jarno Trulli go third, giving Toyota 2-3. Elsewhere, Kovalainen improves to fifth with a 43.975, as Hamilton begins his first flying lap of the weekend. Along with Heidfeld and Coulthard, the Englishman has yet to post a time.
No sooner has Kovalainen improved to second (42.873), than his teammate goes fourth with a 43.185.
Glock goes quickest with a 42.698, but moments later blots his copybook with a spin. Since all the corner look the same - unlike Monaco - it's impossible to say where it happened.
Kovalainen takes the top spot with a 42.298, going 0.400s clear of Glock.
A rarity, we're given access to the McLaren radio transmission, however, Hamilton's communication with his engineers is almost inaudible. However, he appears to be unhappy with the gap at the bridge… and we don't mean the clothes shop.
Unhappy or not, it doesn't stop Hamilton going quickest on his next lap, crossing the line at 42.118 to make it a McLaren 1-2. Kubica momentarily goes fifth before being demoted by Vettel. Alonso goes third (42.637).
At half-time, it's: Hamilton, Kovalainen, Alonso, Glock, Vettel, Raikkonen, Kubica, Bourdais, Trulli and Webber.
Nick Heidfeld makes full use of one of the few run offs, the German rejoining the action behind his BMW teammate. While 'Quick Nick' can only manage fourteenth, Robert Kubica goes quickest with a 41.954. It's rare to see BMW going for times on a Friday.
The Ferraris are back on track, and Raikkonen wastes no time in claiming third with a 42.202. Moments later, teammate Massa posts 42.288 to go fourth.
The Finn improves with a 41.853 to go quickest, but Massa is clearly on a hot lap, going quickest in the first sector. However, a (relatively) poor middle sector sees the Brazilian fail to improve.
Hamilton goes quickest in the second sector, but can only improve to third overall following a minor mistake in the third. The Englishman crosses the line at 41.969.
Raikkonen raises the benchmark again, the Finn posting 41.569 to consolidate his position at the top of the timesheets. Hamilton improves to second with a 41.742.
Alonso and Bourdais have completed the most laps (17), and remain fifth and ninth. As ever, the Force India prop up the timesheets, Fisichella and Sutil both over 2.9s off the pace.
As Massa improves to third (41.774), Hamilton goes quickest with a 41.475. Next time around the Englishman, having gone quickest in the first and third sectors, posts 41.272.
With thirty minutes remaining, Kubica goes second, the Pole posting a 41.504.
While the Force Indias and Hondas are where we expect them to be, both Red Bull drivers are at the wrong end of the timesheets. It looks like it could be another difficult weekends for Williams also.
As Button gets it all wrong, clearly thankful for the run-offs, Jean Todt is warmly greeted in the Ferrari garage.
With fifteen minutes remaining, those drivers on track are now concentrating on longer runs as opposed to times. That said, at the first split Hamilton is 0.100s up on his previous best. At the line, despite not having gone quickest in any sector, he raises the benchmark with a 41.239. Kubica remains second, ahead of the two Ferraris.
Massa goes quickest in the first sector, as Kovalainen, who posts personal bests in all three, goes fourth overall (41.675). A mistake in the second sector means that Massa fails to improve. Alonso also makes a mistake, making full use of the run-off.
Massa improves to second (41.475), and next time around goes quickest in the first sector, however, once again it's a poor second sector. Meanwhile, Kubica improves to third with a 41.476.
Just under eight minutes remaining, and all but Heidfeld are on track.
He didn't post quickest times in any sectors, but Hungary-winner Kovalainen goes quickest with a 41.163. Meanwhile, Kubica consolidates third with a 41.281. The top five covered by just 0.194s.
Having made a mistake on his previous lap, Vettel goes quickest in the middle sector of his subsequent tour of the streets of Valencia. A strong final sector sees the German go quickest (40.813), much to the obvious delight of Franz 'Rocky' Tost. Hamilton also breaks the 1:40s barrier, however, moments later he spins in the second sector having gone quickest of all in the first.
Bourdais goes third (41.099) to make it a Toro Rosso 1-3. Elsewhere, Coulthard and Webber are eighteenth and nineteenth.
A late charge from Massa, who posts personal bests in the first two sectors. At the line it's 40.654 as the Brazilian takes top spot, clearly still smarting following his Hungary misery.
That said, Vettel hasn't given up, and a superb final sector sees the German youngster re-take the top spot with a 40.496 as the session comes to an end. Elsewhere, an absolutely massive lock-up from Raikkonen who fails to improve on seventh.
Coulthard climbs out of his Red Bull, which is stopped in the second sector, as the Austrian team's day goes from bad to worse. How ironic, that the Toro Rosso drivers - essentially using the same car - are looking so good.
Vettel tops the timesheets ahead of Massa, Hamilton, Bourdais, Kovalainen, Kubica, Raikkonen, Nakajima, Alonso and Rosberg.