14/10/2005
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's first free practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix, the final race of the 2005 season, the air temperature is 23 degrees C, while the track temperature is 25 degrees. Humidity is 70%, and the best way to describe things is muggy, the sun is up there, but it's having problems breaking through.
First out is Nicolas Kiesa, followed by Zonta, Liuzzi, do la Rosa, Doornbos, Karthikeyan, Monteiro, Albers, Fisichella and Ralf. Sato, Button, Massa and Montoya are also on track.
As in 2004, the BARs have a revised livery, favouring 555 rather than British American tobacco's other brand Lucky Strike. The car remains white, with bits of blue and large 555 decals.
There were fears that Jenson Button might not take part in today's session, the Englishman complaining of a high temperature earlier on. However, he appears to have fully recovered.
Ralf Schumacher appears to have a problem and heads back to the pits very slowly, as Raikkonen, Villeneuve and Coulthard complete their installation laps.
Kiesa, Zonta, Liuzzi and Pedro de la Rosa are back on track, the Friday drivers doing what they do… the 'donkey work'.
The Spaniard posts the benchmark, crossing the line at 1:39.317. It remains incredibly muggy out there.
As de la Rosa improves (36.973), Liuzzi goes second (41.358) ahead of Kiesa (42.825).
Zonta has a beautiful slide as he attempts to get to grips with the Shanghai track. The Brazilian goes second (36.751), as de la Rosa improves yet again. Business as usual.
With seventeen minutes of the session complete, only Webber and the two Ferraris haven't appeared.
Ralf, Sato and Pizzonia are back on track, the Japanese and Brazilian drivers both (badly) needing a good showing this weekend.
Ralf goes third (38.291), ahead of Liuzzi and Pizzonia, as Mark Webber begins one of his (traditional) Friday runs.
As Pizzonia improves to fourth, teammate Webber goes fifth (37.428), ahead of Liuzzi, Kiesa and Monteiro.
Sato goes ninth, but is quickly bumped down by Karthikeyan, who posts 1:43.138. In his eagerness to improve further, the Indian goes very wide at the first corner, cutting across the 'grass', however, he is able to continue.
Twenty-seven minutes into the session, both Ferraris leave the pits, as Webber improves to third (36.819). Fernando Alonso is also on track.
Rubens can only manage eleventh (44.178), as Michael goes sixth (37.955). Next time around, the Brazilian improves to ninth (39.715), then goes even quicker, posting 1:37.104 to go fifth. However, like Karthikeyan, he gets it all wrong at the first corner, locking up and going off onto the 'grass'.
de la Rosa consolidates the top spot with a 1:36.161, then immediately goes quickest in the first sector. It's a great lap from the Spaniard, who crosses the line at 1:35.362.
The order is: de la Rosa, Zonta, Webber, Ralf, Barrichello, Pizzonia, Michael, Liuzzi, Monteiro and Kiesa.
It appears that the problem at the end of the main straight is a massive 'bump', which runs across the track, and is at its worst on the racing line.
Meanwhile, Massa admits - over the team radio - to a mistake, which saw him spin off, though he is able to continues.
Juan Pablo goes third (36.279), the Colombian really pushing his car to the limit, clearly he wants to make up for last week's nightmare, and would dearly love to take the win which might seal the Constructors' Championship for his team. Next time around he improves (35.686) but remains third, ahead of Webber, who also improves (36.803).
Alonso is on track, when his team warns him that there is a light rain shower: "It's very, very light," they tell him, "it will be gone soon." The new World Champion responds by going fourth, crossing the line at 1:36.242.
Another sensational lap from de la Rosa, who goes quickest in all three sectors, finally crossing the line at 1:33.544. Meanwhile, it's all over for Giancarlo Fisichella who spins off into the gravel and is unable to continue. This is not what he or Renault need.
Still no times from Raikkonen, Villeneuve, Trulli or Klien.
Fastest through the speed-trap at this point, is Alonso (207.5 mph).
Klien finally posts a time, as does Trulli, they go eighteenth and nineteenth respectively. Next time around the Austrian improves to thirteenth (37.490), as the Italian fails to improve. Villeneuve can only manage twenty-third, out of twenty-four.
Meanwhile, Kimi Raikkonen is on track, as Villeneuve improves to nineteenth. Like so many before them, Trulli and Raikkonen go off, but both are able to continue.
Pedro de la Rosa improves yet again, crossing the line at 1:33.463, as Raikkonen improves to third with a 1:35.481. Ominously, Montoya also improves (35.664), giving McLaren 1-3-5. Jenson Button goes seventh, behind Coulthard.
A 1:35.303 sees Rubens Barrichello go second, as teammate Michael Schumacher goes fifth (35.494).
The session ends, with de la Rosa quickest, ahead of Barrichello, Zonta, Raikkonen, Michael, Montoya, Alonso, Webber, Coulthard and Button.