Formula 1 News

Belgian GP, 1st Free Practice Session: Kimi looking determined! 

Kimi Raikkonen dominated the morning practice session of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, with a lap time over half a second clear of his nearest rival. Kimi’s teammate Massa did not manage to complete a timed lap.Massa was an early casualty in the 90 minute session as his Ferrari seemed unable to turn right at Rivage. His F2007 bounced across the gravel trap at slow speed, nosing gently into the tyre barrier. This was almost certainly a mechanical problem rather than a driver error.

McLaren drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso led the way early on before Raikkonen exited the pits and put in a string of fast laps, the best being a 1’47”339. Hamilton completed the session second fastest a tenth ahead of his teammate Fernando Alonso.

Nick Heidfeld made up ground late in the session for BMW Sauber. Using the softer tyre available this weekend, he moved fourth fastest ahead of Nico Rosberg who was another to use the soft tyre on his Williams Toyota. Robert Kubica was sixth fastest ahead of Alex Wurz in the second Williams.

Jarno Trulli led the way for Toyota with the eighth fastest time ahead of Heikki Kovalainen in his Renault. Kovalainen had one very wild moment as he ran wide at the flat out Blanchimont, but with the area now tarmac, rather than gravel, was able to return to the circuit without incident. Jenson Button rounded out the top ten in his Honda.

Giancarlo Fisichella set the 11th fastest time in the second Renault ahead of Ralf Schumacher and the Red Bull Renault duo of Mark Webber and David Coulthard. Rubens Barrichello was 15th fastest, a second off team-mate Button.

Sebastian Vettel was 16th fastest in his Toro Rosso Ferrari, while teammate Tonio Liuzzi ran wide at Rivage and into the retaining tyre wall resulting in front left suspension damage. He would end the session classified in 20th position.

The Super Aguri Honda team struggled a little with Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson 17th and 18th respectively ahead of Adrian Sutil in the leading Spyker Ferrari. Sakon Yamamoto pulled off track late in the session with a mechanical problem on his Spyker and was 21st and slowest.

source: capsis