Speed Fastest in Practice

Speed set a string of fastest laps in the closing stages of free practice, with the last one stopping the clock at 1:40.384, and no one could come close to his time on the slippery track.

All 24 cars were immediately on the track at the start of the session, but the unlucky Olivier Pla was left stranded on track just three corners later. The marshalls eventually came onto the track to give him a push, but he was unable to get going and his session was over before it began.

The track conditions caught out a number of the drivers, with local driver Can Artam spinning a number of times, while Alex Premat, Neel Jani and Clivio Piccione were also caught out, the latter being baulked by Giorgio Mondini as the Monegasque tried to pass at the final corner.

A variety of drivers spent time at the top of the timesheets, including Ernesto Viso, Hiroki Yoshimoto, Rosberg and Heikki Kovalainen, but with ten minutes to go Speed found his rhythm and put in a string of fastest laps, to no reply.

The rest of the field will need to work hard to find some speed in their cars ahead of this afternoon's qualifying session, as only three drivers were within a second of Speed.

Pos  Driver              Team              Time               Laps
 1.  Speed               iSport            1:40:384            14
 2.  Pantano             Super Nova        1:41:199  + 0.815   13
 3.  Rosberg             ART               1:41:218  + 0.834   15
 4.  Piquet              Hitech Piquet     1:41:461  + 1.077   15
 5.  Garcia              Racing Eng.       1:41:611  + 1.227   14
 6.  Yoshimoto           BCN Comp.         1:41:635  + 1.251   15
 7.  Lopez               DAMS              1:41:678  + 1.294   13
 8.  Monfardini          Durango           1:42:072  + 1.688   13
 9.  Kovalainen          Arden             1:42:115  + 1.731   12
10.  Carroll             Super Nova        1:42:138  + 1.754   15
11.  Lapierre            Arden             1:42:298  + 1.914   14
12.  Viso                BCN Comp.         1:42:321  + 1.937   14
13.  Premat              ART               1:42:480  + 2.096   14
14.  Artam               iSport            1:42:502  + 2.118   14
15.  Mondini             DPR               1:42:573  + 2.189   15
16.  NegrÃ£o              Hitech Piquet     1:42:641  + 2.257   15
17.  Alvarez             Campos Racing     1:42:649  + 2.265   15
18.  Hernandez           Campos Racing     1:42:703  + 2.319   15
19.  Piccione            Durango           1:42:721  + 2.337   14
20.  Jani                Racing Eng.       1:42:889  + 2.505   13
21.  Fauzy               DAMS              1:43:627  + 3.243   15
22.  Bruni               Coloni            1:43:646  + 3.262    7
23.  Lauda               Coloni            1:44:137  + 3.753   13

All Timing Unofficial