24/05/2007
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's first free practice session, the air temperature is 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is also 29 degrees. It is absolutely beautiful, blue sky and bright sunshine. That said, weather experts continue to predict rain for Saturday and Sunday.
First out is Monaco maestro David Coulthard, followed by Liuzzi, Sutil and Webber. Mercedes Norbert Haug makes his way to the McLaren garage, his mobile phone held tightly to his ear, perhaps he's placing a bet on one of his drivers.
Red Bull has shown clear signs of improvement in recent weeks, and David Coulthard is clearly 'up for it', making the most of this 'Indian Summer' of his long F1 career.
One by one the drivers come out for their obligatory installation lap, even Alonso and Hamilton are keen to check the condition of the Principality's streets.
With ten minutes of the session complete, only the Ferraris and Williams haven't been out… so no change there then.
Rubens Barrichello is confident that Honda will make a step forward this weekend. It seems appropriate therefore that he is the first driver to stay out after completing his installation lap. However, following a couple of lock-ups the Brazilian returns to his garage at the end of the next lap.
As Raikkonen walks leisurely to the pits, Coulthard and Trulli are back on track. The Scot returns to his garage, having completed another installation lap, however, Trulli, a winner here in 2004, stays out.
The Italian crosses the line at 1:23.999, which is the cue for Ralf Schumacher to take to the track in the second Toyota.
One by one drivers leave the pits, Speed, Sutil, Coulthard, Albers and Hamilton, and once the dust has settled it is the McLaren driver who tops the timesheets, having posted a 18.686. In the press room a number of British journos check their pockets to ensure they have a plentiful supply of Kleenex.
It's all over for Albers, whose car grinds to a halt by the harbour wall, smoke pouring from the front of the car. The misery of Spyker, and indeed Christijan Albers, continues. The Dutchman stares forlornly at the car.
Being Monaco, the stranded Spyker means that the session is stopped whilst the car is removed.
Hamilton continues to top the timesheets, 1.294s clear of Ralf Schumacher, who is ahead of Alonso, Trulli, Heidfeld, Speed, Sutil and the hapless Albers. Wurz and Rosberg have been out, indeed they are ninth and tenth on the timesheets. Only the Ferrari's haven't been out.
Shades of Peter Sellers' Inspector Clouseau as Scott Speed complains of "a big bermp" at Turn One.
When the track is given the all-clear, Massa wastes no time in getting to work, with teammate Kimi Raikkonen close behind. It's good to see the Ferraris running in a more traditional red and not the day-glo Marlboro hue they've used in recent years.
Massa goes tenth (20.121) then immediately improves to second, as Raikkonen wastes no time and goes straight to fourth (19.753). However, the Finn is demoted by Fisichella, who goes third.
As Massa takes the top spot, Hamilton hits back, going quickest in the first two sectors and finally crossing the line at 17.601, almost a second clear of the Brazilian.
While the McLarens and Ferraris battle it out, Robert Kubica is quietly getting on with his job, the Pole now up to third.
Alonso improves to third (18.605) as Hamilton goes quickest in the middle sector. However, the Englishman fails to improve.
Barrichello, one of three drivers yet to post a time, the others being Liuzzi and Button, heads down the pitlane.
Behind the McLaren, Ferraris, BMW and Fisichella, both Red Bulls are in the top ten, with the Toyotas not far behind. Kovalainen, despite having completed 11 laps, remains over 3s off the pace.
Barrichello posts a time, unfortunately its 4.6s off the pace and leaves him with only Albers keeping him off the bottom of the timesheets.
Alonso posts a personal best in the first sector to close to within 0.694s of his teammate, who has really set a blistering pace here thus far.
As Button leaves the pits, Barrichello improves to fifteenth, splitting Rosberg and Davidson. Elsewhere, Heidfeld was on a good lap but got it all wrong at the swimming pool.
Button goes seventeenth, 3.2s off the pace, however, he improves to twelfth next time around. Other than Rosberg and Coulthard he is the only man on track.
With thirty-five minutes remaining, only Liuzzi has yet to post a time, the Italian having completed just 4 laps.
Off the 'big four' only Massa on track, the Brazilian aiming to close the 0.734s gap to Hamilton. On the pitwall, Jean Todt's other half, waves to the cameras.
Raikkonen and Alonso leave the pits as Massa continues what appears to be a long-ish run. The Brazilian clearly isn't going for a time. At which point the Ferrari star bangs in a 18.189 to go second. Doh!
Elsewhere, Alonso, on the soft compound, goes quickest in the first sector, and again in the second. At the line its 16.973 as the Spaniard eclipses his teammate by 0.628. In the press room the British media discovers another use for Kleenex, as the assembled journos wipe a tear from their eye.
Half-an-hour remaining: Alonso, Hamilton, Raikkonen, Massa, Kubica, Fisichella, Heidfeld, Coulthard, Button and Webber.
Kovalainen gets it all wrong at the nouveau chicane, and subsequently heads back to the pits. Meanwhile, Raikkonen goes third with a 17.918, the dark red Ferrari looking so much better, more traditional, than the day-glo orangey-red we've seen in recent years.
Following the high of Barcelona, it's disappointing to see the Super Aguris so off the pace here, both Sato and Davidson over 3.3s off the pace. The Toro Rossos are also well off the pace, as are the Spykers.
Heidfeld (soft) goes third, the German posting a 17.616 to split the McLarens and Ferraris. Elsewhere, Wurz and Barrichello appear to be on strong laps. Sure enough, the Austrian goes tenth and the Brazilian fourteenth.
Sato improves to seventeenth, ahead of the Toro Rosso and just behind Kovalainen, who is not having the best of days here. The Japanese driver, who is running on the harder compound, improves to thirteenth, splitting Trulli and Rosberg.
With twelve minutes remaining, Massa is back on track, running on the harder compound. The Brazilian is currently fifth, behind his Ferrari teammate and 1.216s down on Alonso. Kubica is also on track, equally keen to improve.
Alonso is back on track as Massa continues to lap the Principality. As Fisichella gets it all wrong at the nouveau chicane, Speed improves to eighth, ahead of the two Red Bulls.
Fisichella goes fourth 17.758), then promptly drive head-first into the tyre wall at Ste Devote. Only the Italian's pride is damaged, though his session is over. Back in the Renault garage the mechanics are laughing, though God knows why.
The Toyota have slipped to the wrong end of the timesheets, as has Barrichello. Kovalainen and Rosberg also need to find at least another second.
With second remaining, of the top ten drivers, only Hamilton isn't on track. Late improvements see Webber and Rosberg eclipse Massa, who is demoted to eighth, his championship challenge seemingly at an end. Joke! But we're sure you'll see similar (serious) headlines before the weekend's over.
The session ends with Alonso quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Heidfeld, Fisichella, Raikkonen, Webber, Rosberg, Massa, Kubica and Barrichello.