Prac 2: Kimi's warning shot
McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen has given the first indication that Ferrari may not have it all its own way on home territory this weekend when he set the fastest time in the second free practice session for the Italian Grand Prix
The Belgian Grand Prix winner's time of 1m20.846s was some three tenths slower than Michael Schumacher's best overall time from the first session, but more than seven tenths quicker than he himself managed in the morning.
Rubens Barrichello was second fastest, 0.053s slower than Raikkonen, as Ferrari switched to full-tank running now that there is more rubber on the track. The world champion ended the afternoon hour third, 0.234s off Raikkonen's time.
Britain's Jenson Button wasn't far off the pace today either. The BAR-Honda star only completed five laps (one timed) during the morning hour, but found another eight tenths of a second in during this afternoon to end the session 0.278s off the pace. Maybe it will be a close race after all.
Antonio Pizzonia, was the only man to crash today. The Brazilian went off at the Parabolica with 13 minutes of the session remaining. It's unclear what caused the Brazilian to lose control of his FW26, but he skated across the gravel backwards and into the wall, tearing off the right rear corner from his Williams. He was uninjured and still claimed fifth fastest time of the session.
Takuma Sato set the pace for much of the first half of the hour before fading to sixth, just ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya in the second Williams. The Colombian notably slower than his team-mate all day.
Anthony Davidson ended the day, not surprisingly, as fastest test driver in eighth ahead of Renault's Fernando Alonso and McLaren's David Coulthard (a whopping 1.2s slower than his team-mate).
Jarno Trulli ran over the kerbs at the first chicane en route to 11th. Toyota's Ryan Briscoe was 12th, while behind him was Felipe Massa, another to clatter the kerbs in his Sauber.
Ricardo Zonta was next in the first of the race Toyotas ahead of Sauber's Giancarlo Fisichella, Jordan tester Timo Glock, Jaguar's Mark Webber and the final Toyota of Olivier Panis.
Jaguar's test driver Bjorn Wirdheim outpaced the team's second driver Christian Klien to place 19th ahead of Giorgio Pantano's Jordan (21st). Bas Leinders led the trio of Minardis, Zsolt Baumgartner once again outpacing Gianmaria Bruni. Nick Heidfeld didn't manage a time, the German pulling his smoky Jordan off the road at the beginning of the session.
Previous article
Driver-Seeking Jaguar Wait on 'Jensongate'
Next article
Massa Optimistic of Strong Race
The times that suggest Verstappen should be confident of F1 Russian GP recovery
For the second race in a row, Mercedes has ended the first day of track action on top. It’s in a commanding position at the Russian Grand Prix once again – this time largely thanks to Max Verstappen’s upcoming engine-change grid penalty. But there’s plenty to suggest all hope is not lost for the championship leader at Sochi
The ‘backwards step’ that is the right move for Formula 1
OPINION: With its days apparently numbered, the MGU-H looks set to be dropped from Formula 1’s future engine rules in order to entice new manufacturers in. While it may appear a change of direction, the benefits for teams and fans could make the decision a worthwhile call
The floundering fortunes of F1’s many Lotus reboots
Team Lotus ceased to exist in 1994 - and yet various parties have been trying to resurrect the hallowed name, in increasingly unrecognisable forms, ever since. DAMIEN SMITH brings GP Racing’s history of the legendary team to an end with a look at those who sought to keep the flame alive in Formula 1
Why the 2021 title fight is far from F1's worst, despite its toxic background
OPINION: Formula 1 reconvenes for the Russian Grand Prix two weeks after the latest blow in ‘Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton’. While the Silverstone and Monza incidents were controversial, they thankfully lacked one element that so far separates the 2021 title fight from the worst examples of ugly championship battles
How F1’s other champion to emerge from 1991 thrived at Lotus
Mika Hakkinen became Michael Schumacher’s biggest rival in Formula 1 in the late-90s and early 2000s, having also made his F1 debut in 1991. But as MARK GALLAGHER recalls, while Schumacher wowed the world with a car that was eminently capable, Hakkinen was fighting to make his mark with a famous team in terminal decline
The forgotten F1 comeback that began Jordan’s odyssey
Before Michael Schumacher – or anyone else – had driven the 191 (or 911 as it was initially called), Eddie Jordan turned to a fellow Irishman to test his new Formula 1 car. JOHN WATSON, a grand prix winner for Penske and McLaren, recalls his role in the birth of a legend…
The squandered potential of a 70s F1 underdog
A podium finisher in its first outing but then never again, the BRM P201 was a classic case of an opportunity squandered by disorganisation and complacency, says STUART CODLING
The other notable Monza escape that F1 should learn from
OPINION: The headlines were dominated by the Italian Grand Prix crash between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who had the halo to thank for avoiding potentially serious injury. But two days earlier, Formula 1 had a lucky escape with a Monza pitlane incident that could also have had grave consequences
