Kovalainen quickest in second session

05/06/2009
NEWS STORY

Ahead of today's second free practice session, the air temperature is 27 degrees C, while the track temperature is 43 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.

In a surprise move, Renault is to use KERS in this session, however, the French team will make a decision tonight as to whether it will continue with the controversial device for the remainder of the weekend. The only other teams using KERS this weekend are Ferrari and McLaren.

Unlike the opening session, this time around the action is fast and furious, and it isn't long before nineteen names are on the timesheets. Once the dust has settled, Hamilton leads the way from Trulli, Alonso, Webber and Piquet.

Twenty-five minutes into the session, the Williams duo - Nakajima and Rosberg - go first and second, with Kovalainen taking third. Next time around the Finn goes quickest, crossing the line at 28.841.

Vettel splits the Williams to take third, however, next time around he stops on track - literally on the racing line in Turn 2. Just before he stops the German tells his crew that he has a "huge vibration from the driveshaft". Having completed just 4 laps, this is not a good start for the Austrian team.

Hamilton spins in Turn 1, the back end getting totally away from him. The reigning World Champion is currently sixth, ahead of Trulli, Raikkonen and Alonso. Shortly afterwards he suffers similar spin, this time at Turn 9.

Having gone quickest in the first sector, Kubica gives BMW something to smile about, going second overall with a 29.056.

Massa goes seventh (29.416) having posted personal bests in the first two sectors. Meanwhile, Hamilton (on softs) has another moment in a very, very sensitive McLaren.

A 29.042 sees Alonso go second, as Heidfeld improves to twelfth (29.550).

According to BMW, teams are having problems with the soft option tyre, the best times being set on the hard option. On cue, the point is proven by Massa, who is pushing hard - on the softs - but is unable to improve on ninth (29.416).

With just under half-an-hour remaining, Button is down in sixteenth, having completed 20 laps. The World Championship leader goes out on softs to see if he can improve. Elsewhere, Nakajima spins while Alonso gets all out of shape.

The Toro Rosso remain at the bottom of the timesheets, as in session one, with the Force Indias and Button keeping them company.

Most drivers are opting for long runs, consequently there are no serious improvements, only the occasional personal best in an individual sector.

Talking to Felipe Massa, Rob Smedley confirms BMW's opinion that the soft tyres are degrading very quickly, however, it appears to be worse when it comes to the Ferrari.

On and on it goes, lap after lap after lap, with no improvements. That said, with five minutes remaining, Fernando Alonso goes quickest in the first sector, however, a poor final sector sees him fail to improve.

Another spin for Nakajima who gets involved in a little skirmish with Fisichella, which sees both drivers end up pointing the wrong way. It will be interesting to see if the Stewards have anything to say about the incident.

Barrichello posts a personal best in the first sector, as does teammate Button. However, neither driver improves overall, and they remain eighth and sixteenth.

The session ends with no further improvements, Kovalainen tops the timesheets ahead of Alonso, Kubica, Nakajima, Vettel, Trulli, Rosberg, Barrichello, Webber and Piquet.

Massa finished eleventh, ahead of Button, Hamilton, Glock, Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Sutil, Fisichella, Bourdais and Buemi.

It says something, that despite having completed just 4 laps, Vettel remains fifth quickest.

Trulli (41) completed the most laps, ahead of Rosberg, Glock and Heidfeld (40), with Webber and Bourdais on 39 and Piquet, Massa and Fisichella on 38.

Fisichella was quickest through the speed-trap, ahead of Kovalainen, Raikkonen, Massa, Hamilton and Webber.

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    Published: 05/06/2009
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