Formula 1 News

Turkish GP, 1st Free Practice Session: Kimi Raikkonen quickest 

Kimi Raikkonen and Ferrari dominated the first Friday practice session at Istanbul Park. The Finn was the first major contender to emerge from the pits after a very quiet start to the session on the dusty track. He immediately went fastest and eventually improved to a 1’28”019 lap that put him eight tenths clear of the field. Raikkonen then gained another tenth on his final run and achieved a 1’27”988.

While his teammate Felipe Massa steadily closed in before ending the session 0.403 seconds behind Raikkonen, the McLarens had no answer. Fernando Alonso was as low as seventh for much of the morning, and although he ultimately took third, he was 1.2 seconds slower than Raikkonen. Championship leader Lewis Hamilton ended up in fourth place, but only completed 10 laps before his McLaren developed a slipping clutch and had to spend the rest of the session in the garage. The car will be repaired for the second session, however.

Heikki Kovalainen was the best of the rest for Renault, moving up to fifth in the closing minutes. Williams’ Nico Rosberg completed the top six with another late run. Both Toyota drivers spun during the session – Jarno Trulli rotating in the final complex early on, and Ralf Schumacher going off at both Turn 1 and Turn 4 on different runs. In between the incidents, he managed the seventh fastest time, with Trulli behind Giancarlo Fisichella and Nick Heidfeld in 10th.

David Coulthard spun at Turn 1 on his last lap, then had to stop his Red Bull after a dramatic flash fire developed under the car after he had rejoined. It was quickly attended to by the marshals.