16/03/2007
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's second practice session, the air temperature is 22 degrees C, and the track temperature is 31 degrees. There has been no further rain, indeed the sunshine is shining… at least it's trying.
With the track entirely dry, we should, over the course of the next ninety minutes get a much better idea of where things stand this weekend than we did this morning.
The lights go green and Albers leads a whole train of drivers eager to get to work, Ralf, Heidfeld, Liuzzi, Kubica, Trulli, Speed, Sutil, Sato and Fisichella. No less than 18 drivers take to the track within seconds of the session getting underway.
There's a bit of a misunderstanding between Trulli and Heidfeld which sees both drivers take to the grass. Elsewhere, Liuzzi posts the benchmark (1:32.228).
Just minutes into the session we have sixteen names on the timesheets, with Massa at the very top on 29.393. As Hamilton goes second, Liuzzi has a big, big spin. Indeed, several drivers are struggling for grip.
Massa improves to 28.582, ahead of Hamilton, Heidfeld, Kovalainen and Fisichella. Rosberg has a moment as does Sutil. Remember, although the track has dried out, it is still very dirty, that, and the new compounds, make for some slippery moments.
Raikkonen goes fourth (29.232), then improves to second (28.634), despite getting well and truly out of shape at the start of the main straight.
Though Massa improves with a 28.111, Alonso also goes quicker, taking second with a 28.591. The first four places are now dominate by Ferrari and McLaren, much as we all expected. Behind this quartet is Heidfeld, then the Renaults, Hondas and Williams.
Neither of the Red Bulls has posted a time, while the Toyotas are both over 3.4s off the pace.
Of the 'smaller' teams, Spyker appears to have the edge over Toro Rosso and Super Aguri. Almost unnoticed, Kubica has gone seventh, just 0.3s down on his BMW teammate.
As Trulli improves to twelfth, Sato goes thirteenth and Sutil fourteenth. Meanwhile, Webber goes very wide, as does Kubica. Elsewhere, Davidson goes fourteenth (30.826).
Kubica improves to second (28.452), but Alonso is back on track, as is his McLaren teammate. Compared to last season we are seeing more action, and thankfully this includes the big guns.
As Webber goes fourteenth, his Red Bull teammate does a good impersonation of a lawnmower.
Hamilton takes second (28.251), as Massa goes quickest in the second sector, only to make a mistake in the third. Kimi Raikkonen is also on track. Webber improves to tenth as Coulthard goes thirteenth.
Alonso goes quickest in the first sector, and again in the second. Elsewhere, Kovalainen lock-up big time ands Albers takes to the grass.
Alonso takes the top spot with a 28.040, ahead of Massa, Hamilton, Kubica, Raikkonen, Fisichella, Heidfeld, Button, Barrichello and Webber.
Having seen his teammate take to the grass, Sutil goes off in sympathy. The German returns to the track but is immediately under pressure from Wurz. Elsewhere, Albers is less than impressed with Trulli, and by the use of 'hand signals' makes his feelings clear to the Italian.
Languishing at the bottom of the timesheets are the two Toro Rossos, with the Spykers just above them. The two Williams are not where we expected, or they want to be, while Super Aguri will be delighted with twelfth and fourteenth.
Coulthard is having a torrid time, the Red Bull not wanting to go where he wants it to.
Kovalainen is the first 'casualty' of the day, his Renault grinding to a halt in the first sector. Moments later the session is red-flagged when Barrichello spins backwards into the barriers at the start of the main straight. There's virtually no damage but the car is in a dangerous position.
As the Honda is removed, there are 41 minutes of the session remaining. The order is: Alonso, Massa, Hamilton, Heidfeld, Kubica, Raikkonen, Fisichella, Button, Sato and Barrichello.
Ralf is eleventh, ahead of Webber, Davidson, Trulli, Coulthard, Kovalainen, Rosberg, Wurz, Sutil, Albers, Liuzzi and Speed.
Walking back to the pits, Barrichello explains that he "lost the car", asked how he feels the RA107 'feels', he replies "it's ok". The sort of thing you say when manners, or fear of upsetting the boss, prevent you from telling the truth.
It's worth noting that there's a strong breeze blowing, and the air temperature is still only 21 degrees. It's clear from watching the faces of the locals in the grandstands that the (weather) conditions are not typical.
Having removed Barrichello's car and Kovalainen's the session finally resumes, and first out is Trulli, with a whole pack of cars on his red and white tail.
Liuzzi goes off, sending clouds of dust into the air. The Italian returns to the pits, still languishing at the foot of the timesheets.
The big surprises thus far are the Super Aguris, while Williams has been disappointing. All of which isn't going to help Sir Frank's mood when it comes to the subject of customer cars.
"Formula One goes green", gets a whole new meaning as Wurz goes scything across the grass. The Austrian down in sixteenth place, 2.1s off the pace.
Nick Heidfeld goes quickest in the second sector, as Vettel watches from the garage. At the line it's 27.970 as the BMW driver goes second, 0.102s down on Massa. The top seven drivers are all on track.
Rosberg improves to thirteenth, as Speed improves to nineteenth, albeit 2.6s off the pace.
Heidfeld goes quickest in the second sector, but fails to improve having lost time in the third. Elsewhere, Davidson improves to eleventh, just ahead of his teammate. The Super Aguris are now breathing down the necks of the Hondas, wonder if the Brackley team will join Frank's protest.
Twelve minutes remaining: Massa, Heidfeld, Alonso, Hamilton, Kubica, Fisichella, Raikkonen, Coulthard, Button and Sato.
Just to remind us that he's still here, Massa goes quickest in the first sector, then again in the second. He doesn't light up the top row (all purples) but he does raise the benchmark, crossing the line at 27.353.
Trulli appears to have a problem, he's slowly making his way back to the pits.
It will be interesting to know if DC really thought he'd be eighth quickest today.
Less then four minutes remaining and Fisichella goes quickest in the first sector. He loses time in the second sector, but no too much. At the lines it's 1:27.941, which puts him third. However, he is instantly demoted by Raikkonen who goes second (27.750). As if that wasn't bad enough, Fisi's day comes to an abrupt end when his Renault grinds to a halt - a bad start to the weekend for the French team. The Italian peers at the back of his R27, back in the pits Flavio Briatore looks equally mystified.
The chequered flag is out, but Raikkonen's on a hot lap, having gone quickest in the second sector. He fails to improve, but it doesn't matter, he's got his weekend, and indeed his Ferrari career, off to an almost perfect start.
The session ends with Massa quickest, ahead of Raikkonen, Hamilton, Fisichella, Heidfeld, Wurz, Alonso, Rosberg, Kubica and Coulthard.
Davidson is eleventh, ahead of Trulli, Sato, Button, Barrichello, Ralf, Webber, Kovalainen, Speed, Sutil, Albers and Liuzzi.
Ferrari serves notice, but it is clear that McLaren is up for the fight. Renault will be deeply unhappy with today's unreliability, while BMW and Super Aguri will be feeling suitably pleased with themselves.
They left it late, but Williams is showing promise, while Honda, Red Bull and Toyota clearly have work to do.
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