04/08/2006
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second practice session, the air temperature is 20 degrees, while the track temperature is 27 degrees. It remains unseasonably cool, with the threat of rain ever present.
First out is Alexander Wurz, followed by Kubica, Yamamoto and speed. BMW's Nick Heidfeld is also keen to get to work.
Wurz posts the benchmark time, crossing the line at 1:25.631, however, this is soon beaten by Anthony Davidson, who posts 25.606.
As Wurz retakes the top spot (25.294), Jani goes third, ahead of Doornbos, Winkelhock, Sato and Yamamoto.
A 24.132 sees Davidson go quickest, the Englishman still over 2.5s off this morning's pace.
Fourteen minutes into the session, Ralf Schumacher heads down the pitlane, followed, a minute later, by his brother.
Ralf goes fifth with a 25.652, as Barrichello and Massa leave the pits.
Michael goes second (25.169), but his teammate has already gone quickest in the first sector, finally crossing the line at 21.778, to take the top spot from Davidson. This is the cue for Fernando Alonso to climb into his car.
Next time around Michael posts 23.931, to go second, giving Ferrari a 1-2, yet he remains 2.1s off his teammate's pace. Button, Liuzzi, Coulthard and Kubica all leave the pits.
Barrichello goes fourth and his teammate ninth, as Alonso heads down the pitlane. Moments later, Button improves to fifth, as Coulthard locks-up big time.
De la Rosa and Raikkonen leave the pits, as Alonso goes twenty-first of twenty-one), crossing the line at 29.063. Next time around however, the Spaniard posts 23.097, thereby splitting the Ferraris, but still 1.3s off Massa's time.
Pedro de la Rosa goes fourth and Raikkonen fourteenth, as Kubica begins his first flying lap of the weekend, neither BMW making an appearance in the opening session.
Wow, there's a bit of a moment involving Alonso and Doornbos, the Spaniard making his feelings quite clear, giving the Dutchman a gesture vaguely reminiscent of that given to Michael in the pitlane at Hockenheim.
Kubica makes an impressive debut for BMW, the {ole going fourth quickest with a 24.106. On the pit wall Mario Theissen smiles approvingly… around the world hundreds of thousands of Jacques Villeneuve fans feel a knot in their stomachs.
As Nick Heidfeld goes fourth, demoting his teammate, another smile breaks across Theissen's face.
As Michael Schumacher leaves the pits, Fisichella goes eighth (24.252), splitting de la Rosa and Barrichello. Next time around, the Renault driver goes third, crossing the line at 23.189.
Just under twenty minutes remaining, and Alonso leaves the pits, as Wurz has an off-track excursion. The only driver who hasn't posted a time is Webber, indeed, the Australian hasn't been out today.
Christian Klien has a bit of a moment, the Red Bull getting well out of shape. The Austrian is currently eighteenth, having posted a best time of 25.647.
Doornbos goes fourth (23.195), thereby demoting Michael to fifth. Moments later the German slides a little further down the timesheet when Ralf post 23.747 to go fifth.
With ten minutes remaining, it's Massa, Alonso, Fisichella, Doornbos, Ralf, Trulli, Michael, Heidfeld, Kubica and Davidson.
Mark Webber finally leaves the pits, followed by Massa. The Australian crosses the line at 26.836 to go twenty-third. None of the WilliamsF1 drivers is currently in the top fifteen.
Next time around, the Australian improves to twenty-first, as Raikkonen sets a personal best in the second sector.
With less than five minutes remaining, Alonso leave the pits, clearly determined to close that 1.3s gap to Massa.
Biggest surprise is that Sato is sixteenth, ahead of Rosberg, Webber, Raikkonen. That Sato as in Super Aguri… a brilliant performance from the Japanese driver and his team.
As Monteiro goes fifteenth (24.508), his teammate pulls to the side of the track, his session over.
Of the 26 drivers, not counting Albers, all but 3 are on track.
A lovely bit of car control from Alonso as the Renault gets out of shape, the Spaniard keeping things perfectly under control.
The session ends, with no major improvements. Massa remains quickest ahead of Alonso, Fisichella, Doornbos, Davidson, Ralf, Trulli, Michael, Heidfeld and Kubica.
We're promised similar conditions tomorrow, with sunshine for Sunday. However, seeing as rain is predicted here for Monday and Tuesday, it is quite possible that conditions will remain difficult for the remainder of the weekend. Which might give give us a decent race on a track that is notorious for producing yawn-fests.
To check out our Hungary free practice gallery, click here