06/05/2006
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's free practice session, the air temperature is 17 degrees C, while the track temperature is 27 degrees. It's fairly cloudy, but the sun is beginning to shine through. There was no overnight rain, so the track is fine, if a little dusty.
We know from yesterday's sessions that Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher have the pace here, but what of the McLarens, Hondas et al?
The lights go green and after a few moments Montagny leaves the pits, followed by Sato, Monteiro and Trulli, who missed most of yesterday's second session due to a "vibration problem". Ralf's car was similarly affected, but not to the same extent. The team has been working throughout the night in an effort to resolve the problem.
Montagny is the first driver to post a time, crossing the line at 1:39.382, however, moments later Trulli posts 1:36.783.
Ralf Schumacher takes top spot (35.886), but moments later Jarno improves yet again, crossing the line at 1:35.083. Interestingly, Montagny is just 2.9s off the pace.
As Michael Schumacher prepares to get into his Ferrari, David Coulthard goes quickest in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 35.404 to go third.
Another improvement from Montagny, who is now just 2.072s off Trulli's pace. That's pretty impressive.
Heidfeld heads off down the pitlane, as do Villeneuve, Speed, Klien and Montoya.
Heidfeld goes fourth (35.592), as Speed goes fifth. Early day, but Montoya and Villeneuve are slower than Montagny.
Heidfeld is using every inch of the track, and then some, consequently he improves to second (35.173). Scott Speed is fairly flying (literally) as his car is launched as the American rides the kerbs. Somehow he manages to keep it all together, it's spectacular but frightening to watch.
Sato is on track, as is Webber and Raikkonen. Michael Schumacher heads off down the pitlane.
Villeneuve goes second, ahead of Heidfeld, Ralf, Coulthard, Klien, Liuzzi, Rosberg and Speed.
Klien goes quickest (34.722), having gone quickest in the first and final sectors. Meanwhile, Raikkonen is on a hot lap, but having gone wide at the last corner is only able to manage second (34.737).
Next time around the Finn spins, as Michael cruises to top spot with a 1:33.605, that's over a second quicker than Klien's time.
Alonso, Fisichella and Barrichello are all on track as Michael goes quickest in the first sector. He loses ground in the second sector but still improves to 1:33.217. Alonso goes second, 0.98s down on the German, ahead of Klien, Raikkonen, Trulli, Villeneuve and Heidfeld.
As Ralf goes third (34.592), Massa proves the Ferrari 248's pace by taking top spot with a stunning 1:32.823.
As Coulthard goes second, splitting the Ferraris, fellow-Briton Jenson Button comes out to play, this far he is the only driver not to post a time.
Fisichella has a big off into the gravel, but is able to continue.
As Massa looks set to improve yet again, having gone quickest in the first two sectors, Coulthard and Trulli are enjoying their own little race. Strangely, Massa aborts the lap and returns to the pits.
His decision to pit is very, very late, indeed he drives across the red and white kerb at the pitlane entrance. Wonder if he'll be punished for that.
Coming up to half-time, it's Massa, Coulthard, Michael, Alonso, Trulli, Ralf, Klien, Raikkonen, Fisichella and Villeneuve.
A 1:32.491 sees Klien re-take the top spot, while moments later Mark Webber goes second (32.711). Massa is now third, ahead of Coulthard, Montoya, Michael, Alonso and Trulli.
At the end of the pitlane the two Ferraris are side by side as they prepare to make practice starts, unfortunately Michael makes a bit of a hash of his.
Montagny is currently eighteenth, ahead of Rosberg, Monteiro, Albers and Sato.
A big lock-up for Villeneuve, as Heidfeld and Michael both improve.
Nico Rosberg goes quickest, crossing the line at 1:32.459, as Raikkonen slots in behind him, having posted a 1:32.480. With twenty minutes remaining the pace is fast and furious.
Alonso is on track, however, despite going quickest in the final sector, he can only manage eighth overall, posting a 1:32.820.
At this stage, the top ten are covered by just 0.530s, with Trulli, eleventh quickest, another 1.2s behind.
Alonso takes the top spot, crossing the line at 1:32.438, as attention turns to teammate Giancarlo Fisichella, who is also on track. However, the Italian aborts his lap and returns to the pits.
Liuzzi is on an absolute flyer, at the second split he's up on Alonso. Indeed, at the line it's 1:32.290, the Italian takes top spot in the Toro Rosso (nee Red Bull). Elsewhere, the Hondas are languishing in seventeenth (Barrichello) and eighteenth (Button) positions.
Rubens takes sixth with a 1:32.534, as the top twelve is now covered by 0.699s. Trulli (thirteenth) heads the rest of the pack, albeit almost 2s off Liuzzi's pace.
Jenson Button is on a hot lap, the Englishman going quickest in the first sector. He loses a little pace in the second sector, but nonetheless takes top spot with a 1:32.104.
With less than seven minutes remaining, Michael Schumacher goes quickest in the first sector, taking 0.737s out of Button' lead' by the end of the second sector. At the line it's a staggering 1:30.788, which puts him 1.3s ahead of the Honda. The German was quickest in all three sectors.
Massa is on a hot lap, as is Klien. The Brazilian goes quickest in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 1:31.093, to go second.
A Massa makes another last minute lunge into the pits, Villeneuve goes quickest in the first sector. The Canadian crosses the line at 1:31.531 to take third spot, ahead of Fisichella, Alonso and Button. Moments later however, the BMW driver is displaced by Ralf Schumacher, who posts a 1:31.395.
The session ends with Michael quickest, ahead of Massa, Ralf, Villeneuve, Fisichella, Alonso, Button, Klien, Liuzzi and Raikkonen.
Rosberg is eleventh, ahead of Speed, Barrichello, Webber, Heidfeld, Coulthard, Montoya, Trulli, Monteiro, Albers, Montagny and Sato.
It appears, as we saw yesterday, that Imola was no 'flash in the pan' for the Maranello outfit.
An interesting session.