15/05/2010
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole practice session, the air temperature is 21 degrees C, while the track temperature is 25 degrees.
Fernando Alonso - a winner here in 2006 and 2007 - was quickest in both of Thursday's sessions, with the Mercedes duo of Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher in the Top 5. The McLarens were seventh and ninth overall but both Hamilton and Button appear confident. A good outside bet has to be Robert Kubica who continues to impress in the Renault.
The big question mark today, certainly as we look ahead to qualifying, is traffic. At the best of times Monaco is a tight squeeze, however, with two extra teams this year Q1 could see some big surprises in terms of drivers failing to make the cut.
Tyre compounds this weekend are medium (prime) and super-soft (option).
Earlier in the week it was widely forecast that there would be rain this weekend, and while Thursday's GP2 qualifying took place in atrocious conditions the outlook now is for sunshine and blue skies today and tomorrow. That said, the Principality enjoys a micro-climate which can - and often does - see conditions change without warning.
The lights go green and the Renaults of Petrov and Kubica lead the way, followed by Sutil, Trulli, Kobayashi, Buemi, Kovalainen, Hulkenberg and a whole load of others including Felipe Massa.
Five minutes into the session all but the McLarens, Mercedes and Red Bulls have been out.
Ten minutes into the session, Alguersuari is the first driver to come out for a second run, the Toro Rosso followed by Schumacher and Vettel.
Alguersuari posts the first time of the day, the Spaniard crossing the line at 1:19.939. However, moments later Schumacher posts 18.743 and Vettel 19.332. Rosberg and Webber have still to make an appearance.
Glock's session is over before it's begun the German taking his Virgin down the escape road at the Nouvelle Chicane after what appeared to be some sort of mechanical problem.
Alguersuari retakes the top spot with a 17.526 as Kobayashi goes third ahead of his Sauber teammate and Vettel. Schumacher posts 16.892 to go quickest but is almost instantly demoted by Vettel who crosses the timing beam at 16.577. Elsewhere, Webber and Rosberg finally head down the pitlane.
Vettel consolidates his top spot with a 16.383 only to be leapfrogged by Thursday's man Alonso, who crosses the line at 16.266. Massa goes fifth (17.164) and Button eleventh (18.498).
No sooner has Massa made it a Ferrari 1-2 with a 16.279 than Alonso goes into the barriers at the top of the hill at the entry to Casino. The Spaniard is fine but that is more than can be said of the car which is badly damaged. In the Ferrari garage the mechanic, who know they have a race against time on their hands, look on in frustration. The car will not be returned until the session is over and the track cleared, which give the Maranello outfit less than two hours in which to get the F10 repaired.
Robert Kubica goes quickest with a 16.064, however, Massa is on a hot lap having gone quickest in the first sector. Unfortunately, the Brazilian loses time behind former teammate Michael Schumacher in the final sector and dives into the pits.
As Hamilton goes quickest in the first sector, Kubica consolidates his top spot with a 15.847. Webber is fourth, ahead of Button and Vettel.
Hamilton crosses the line at 15.821 to go quickest as Schumacher gets out of shape at Mirabeau and has to head down the escape road. The German subsequently tells his crew that the brake balance is wrong.
Kubica retakes the top spot with a 15.204 bang on half-time, as Hamilton consolidates second ahead of Schumacher, Alonso, Massa, Webber, Button, Vettel, Buemi and Alguersuari. A dejected Alonso walks back to the pits.
Sutil spin 180 degrees in Casino Square lightly bashing the barriers with his rear wing, while Alonso admits that his accident was down to driver error.
Vettel goes quickest in the second and third sectors, crossing the line at 15.564 to go second, 0.060s off Kubica's time.
Petrov does well not to go into the back of di Grassi at the Nouvelle Chicane, the Brazilian having braked remarkably early.
Rosberg goes fourth with a 15.901 subsequently improving with a 15.516 to go second, just 0.012s off Kubica's time. Elsewhere, Schumacher is about to come out on a qualifying run.
Hamilton goes quickest in the first sector, however, relatively poor second and third sectors mean that he fails to improve. Elsewhere, an absolutely beautiful spin at Rascasse for Kobayashi - great car control from the Sauber driver.
Massa is lucky not to go into the barriers at Loews, which would have been an absolute nightmare for his team.
Webber goes quickest with a 15.210 as Buemi posts 15.537 to go fourth. Thus far we still haven't seen anyone on the option tyre, certainly not any of the big guns.
Massa almost clouts the barriers once again, this time on the approach to Rascasse. The Brazilian heads back to the pits where his crew is probably suffering collective heart failure.
Kubica goes quickest in the final sector, crossing the line at 15.398 to consolidate second place.
With ten minutes remaining, just a couple of drivers are on track, Senna and Alguersuari the first out on the option tyres. The Spaniard, currently tenth, improves to eighth with a 15.918.
Schumacher is the first of the big guns to go out on the option tyre as the teams look ahead to this afternoon's all-important qualifying session.
On his first 'qualifying' lap, Schumacher posts a personal best in the first sector, but loses time in the second and third sectors due to traffic. Next time around he posts personal bests in the first two sectors before losing time behind a Renault in the third.
Lots of greens on the timing screen as driver post personal bests in various sectors, but no purples. Traffic, as expected, really is a nightmare.
Kubica goes quickest inn the second sector, and despite losing time behind a Red Bull (Webber?) the Pole goes quickest overall with a 14.806. Schumacher goes third ahead of Hamilton, Rosberg and Buemi.
Button complains that he's struggling for grip, the world champion down in twelfth, 0.989 off the pace. Nonetheless, he improves to tenth with a 15.682.
Massa goes second with a 14.822 having gone quickest in the second sector. However, there are no other improvements.
The session ends with Kubica quickest, ahead of Massa, Webber, Hamilton, Vettel, Schumacher, Rosberg, Buemi, Sutil and Button.
Liuzzi is eleventh, ahead of Alguersuari, Hulkenberg, Barrichello, Petrov, Alonso, Kobayashi, de la Rosa, Kovalainen, Trulli, di Grassi, Senna, Chandhok and Glock.
The big question now, as we look ahead to qualifying, is whether Ferrari can fix Alonso's car in time.