01/07/2005
NEWS STORY
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Ahead of today's second free practice session, the air temperature is 25 degrees C, while the track temperature is up to 41 degrees.
The lights go green, and first out is Patrick Friesacher, followed by de la Rosa, Albers, Panis, Liuzzi and Klien. Raikkonen and Karthikeyan are also eager to get back to work.
De la Rosa sets the benchmark with a 1:16.991, ahead of Panis, Klien and Liuzzi.
Kimi Raikkonen looks to be about to go fastest, having matched de la Rosa's time in the first sector, when he stops, blue smoke pouring out of the back of his car, engine failure.
Meanwhile, Montoya is on track, as are Barrichello and Coulthard.
The Scot goes second (17.652), ahead of Panis, Klien and Barrichello, while Montoya goes seventh, ahead of Karthikeyan.
Next time around, Barrichello improves to second, but remains 0.748s off de la Rosa's pace.
Michael Schumacher is on track, as are Webber, Massa and Button. Elsewhere, Coulthard goes off into the gravel, but is able to continue.
De la Rosa improves (16.886), as Webber goes fourth, only to be demoted, along with Coulthard, by Jenson Button (17.432) who goes third.
As Tonio Liuzzi posts 1:17.774, to go fifth, Michael Schumacher can only manage 1:18.998, which puts him eleventh.
Button goes second (17.039), and for a brief moment Michael is third, before being bumped down by his brother, Ralf.
Just moments later, both Schumachers are demoted by Jarno Trulli - who didn't post a time in the first session - the Italian going third, albeit 0.662s off de la Rosa's pace. Next time around the Toyota driver improves to second (16.930).
Looks like it's an 'early bath' for Klien too, he gets it wrong and slides off into the waiting barriers, game over. He was twelfth quickest at the time.
With sixteen minutes of the session complete, it's de la Rosa, ahead of Trulli, Button, Ralf, Michael, Barrichello, Coulthard, Panis, Liuzzi and Webber.
Heidfeld improves to tenth (17.678) as Villeneuve goes fourteenth with a 1:18.886.
Fernando Alonso goes straight to the top of the timesheets, the World Championship leader crossing the line at 1:15.969. as Coulthard goes second (16.371).
It's a Renault 1-2 as Giancarlo Fisichella posts 1:15.949, slipping in behind his teammate and ahead of Montoya, who posts 1:16.270.
Hardly have the smiles faded from the faces of the Renault crew, when Rubens Barrichello goes quickest with a 1:15.605. However, within moments he's leapfrogged by Fisichella and then Michael Schumacher, who posts 1:15.204, to go quickest.
Fernando Alonso goes second with a 1:15.272, just 0.068s off Michael Schumacher's time. The top 4 - that's the Ferraris and Renaults - are covered by just 0.401s.
A 1:16.856 sees Jenson Button go eighth, though he remains 1.65s off the pace. Next time around he posts 1:16.645, but remains eighth. Elsewhere, Montoya goes quickest in the second sector, and again in the third, crossing the line at 1:15.129, to go quickest. He eclipses Michael Schumacher by 0.075s.
With twenty minutes remaining, it's Montoya, ahead of Michael, Alonso, Fisichella, Barrichello, Coulthard, Villeneuve, de la Rosa, Button and Trulli.
Jarno (15.774) improves to fifth, as Ralf goes seventh (15.925).
With tem minutes remaining there are eleven cars on track.
Fernando consolidates third with a 1:15.242, the top three are now covered by 0.113s. Elsewhere, Sato posts 1:16.894, but remains thirteenth.
Fisichella has a big spin at Lycee, but is able to continue.
Pedro de la Rosa goes quickest in the firs and second sectors, finally crossing the line at 1:14.460, to go quickest by 0.669s.
Next time around, he goes even quicker in the first sector. Elsewhere, Button posts 1:16.597, to go twelfth.
The session ends with de la Rosa quickest, ahead of McLaren teammate Juan Pablo Montoya. Michael Schumacher is third, ahead of Alonso, Fisichella, Panis, Barrichello, Trulli, Ralf Coulthard.
Other than the fact that today is (Blondie) Debbie Harry's sixtieth birthday, it's been a pretty ordinary Friday, though WilliamsF1 and BAR appear to have room for improvement.