Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

The big British GP chance F1 almost missed

Feature
Formula 1
The big British GP chance F1 almost missed

What Alonso needs from Aston Martin and F1 as career decision looms

Formula 1
Belgian GP
What Alonso needs from Aston Martin and F1 as career decision looms

Why nationality should be 'no factor' as Haas considers Fornaroli and Camara for F1 2027

Feature
Formula 1
Hungarian GP
Why nationality should be 'no factor' as Haas considers Fornaroli and Camara for F1 2027

F1 drivers raise concerns over 'self-learning' power units – what's going on?

Formula 1
Belgian GP
F1 drivers raise concerns over 'self-learning' power units – what's going on?

What is holding back Bagnaia in MotoGP 2026?

MotoGP
What is holding back Bagnaia in MotoGP 2026?

Why the 2026 F1 cars suit Antonelli's driving style more than Russell

Formula 1
Why the 2026 F1 cars suit Antonelli's driving style more than Russell

Hamilton takes "full responsibility" for disappointing Belgian GP

Formula 1
Belgian GP
Hamilton takes "full responsibility" for disappointing Belgian GP

McLaren to finally trial 'Macarena-style' rear wing in Hungarian GP practice

Formula 1
Belgian GP
McLaren to finally trial 'Macarena-style' rear wing in Hungarian GP practice

Free practice 4: Raikkonen best of rest

McLaren ace Kimi Raikkonen was one of only a few drivers to improve during Saturday morning's second session, as Michael Schumacher's phenomenal lap from the earlier practice remained as the distant time to beat

The Finn and his McLaren team-mate David Coulthard both went quicker in the second 45 minute session ahead of this afternoon's qualifying for the European Grand Prix. Neither Ferrari driver nor the Williams-BMWs managed to find more speed.

That left Raikkonen on a 1m31.176s, a time still half a second away from Schumacher's best in the dominant Ferrari. Coulthard moved up from ninth to fifth with his improvement, but that became seventh by the end of the session as Nick Heidfeld pushed his Sauber up to fourth, one place ahead of Ralf Schumacher. Then Mika Salo managed a respectable sixth in his Toyota.

There were few incidents over the course of the session. Juan Pablo Montoya, who was only eighth quickest this morning, looked frustrated with how things were going, waving a fist at a slow Minardi that held him up through the new stadium section.

A number of drivers ran wide on the new piece of track, one being Felipe Massa who repeated his mistake from the earlier session. Jenson Button was another to do it, the Briton also running off into the gravel at the hairpin. He managed to keep his Renault moving and ended up 10th, just behind his team-mate Jarno Trulli.

Pedro de la Rosa's difficult day got worse. Having only completed a handful of laps in the first session of the morning, he was forced to abandon his smokey Jaguar at the side of the track this time. That left him rock-bottom of the time sheets.

Previous article Enrique Bernoldi Q&A
Next article Saturday Second Free Practice - European GP

Top Comments