29/07/2005
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's first free practice session, the air temperature is 33 degrees C, while the track temperature is 45 degrees. It's only 11:00, but already, it's hot, hot, hot!
One man who will hoping for a lucky break this weekend is Kimi Raikkonen, who, having been the first, and only, retirement at Hockenheim, will be first out for tomorrow's qualifying session. In the previous two rounds - France and Britain - he forfeited grid positions following engine failures during free practice. Here, at the Hungaroring, a good grid spot is absolutely vital, as overtaking is almost impossible, unless your name is Mansell.
For the first time this year, there will be 25 drivers taking part in the Friday free practice sessions, as Minardi bring in Israeli driver Chanoch Nissany. In tests that he taken part in for the Italian team he has been way off the pace, therefore it will be interesting to see how he performs today.
The only eligible team that hasn't run a third driver this year is Sauber, though this will probably change in 2006 when the Swiss outfit morphs into BMW.
The lights go green, and first out is Nicolas Kiesa, followed by Doornbos, Zonta and Monteiro. Alexander Wurz is another driver keen to get in an installation lap as soon as possible.
Karthikeyan comes out, as do Villeneuve, Massa, Sato, Albers and Button.
Seven minutes into the session, as Zonta returns to the track, hopefully to post the first time of the day, Kimi Raikkonen leaves the McLaren garage.
Sure enough, the Brazilian posts 1:28.512, though we expect to see another 8s come off that time before the day is done. Meanwhile, Nissany and Liuzzi are on track.
As Zonta improves to 1:26.936, Nissany posts a 1:36.966. Elsewhere, Montoya and Fisichella are on track.
Zonta improves (25.918) as Wurz goes second ahead of Nissany and Kiesa.
As Alonso completes his installation lap, Wurz goes quickest (25.032) as Kiesa leapfrogs Nissany.
Wurz improves again (24.759), as Christian Klien comes out. There is talk that Liuzzi could be back in the race seat for next month's Turkish Grand Prix.
Other than Coulthard completing an installation lap, there is little action. Consequently, after thirty minutes there are only six names on the timesheet: Wurz, Zonta, Liuzzi, Doornbos, Kiesa and Nissany.
Massa and Fisichella leave their garages, as Wurz raises the benchmark to 1:24.313. Villeneuve and Alonso are also on track.
Wurz improves yet again (24.029), as Karthikeyan goes sixth, albeit 6.4s off the pace, yet almost 4s quicker than Nissany. Elsewhere, both Heidfeld and Webber are on track in the WilliamsF1s.
The German goes third (25.490), as his teammate goes fifth (26.756), and Monteiro ninth (28.730).
With twenty minutes remaining there are just ten names on the timesheets, as Ralf and Trulli leave the Toyota garage. The only drivers that haven't been out yet are Michael and Rubens.
Nissany's session is over, the Minardi drivers goes off in the second sector.
Finally Michael comes out to play, ands immediately posts a 1:27.034, which puts him seventh, behind Webber. Up front, Wurz has improves yet again, posting 1:23.360, as Button goes second, just 0.341s off the pace.
As Schumacher goes third (23.775), Wurz improves again, crossing the line at 1:22.118. Barrichello goes sixth, ahead of Fisichella, Sato and Alonso, as the action really gets underway.
Barrichello improves to fourth, ahead of Liuzzi, as the yellow flags come out, not for the first time this morning, as Kiesa goes off, just moments after Zonta had a moment at the same corner.
With five minutes remaining, Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector, as teammate Montoya goes second quickest overall (23.558). The Finn loses ground in the second sector but finally crosses the line at 1:23.159, to go second. Consequently, it's a 1-2-3 for the Woking team.
As Wurz goes quickest in the first and second sectors, Ralf Schumacher goes fifth, behind Button. Meanwhile, the Wurz crosses the line at 1:21.411, outpacing second-placed Raikkonen by 1.7s.
That said, Barrichello goes second with a 1:22.834, as teammate Michael Schumacher goes fourth (23.234). Is the beginning of the Ferrari revival?
Massa goes fifth (23.375) ahead of Heidfeld and Montoya, as Button improves to third (23.028).
The session ends with Wurz quickest, ahead of Barrichello, Button, Raikkonen, Michael, Massa, Heidfeld, Montoya, Sato and Ralf.
Neither of the Red Bull race drivers, Coulthard and Klien, posted a time, while Renault drivers Alonso and Fisichella drivers finished twelfth and fourteenth, sandwiching Webber.
Slowest of those that posted a time was Nissany, who finished 12s off the pace, and 6s adrift of the next slowest car. Now, we know that today is his birthday, and no doubt he and his sponsors have shelled out a lot of dosh for today's experience. However, wouldn't one of those driving courses at Silverstone or even a trip to Disneyland have been better value for money. There are many up and coming drivers who thoroughly deserve such an experience, no disrespect, but Nissany isn't one of them.