Germany back on top in practice

Nico Hulkneberg, profiting from being one of the few A1 race drivers to have been allowed to participate in the earlier rookie driver session, set a best lap of 1:46.600 seconds early in the session to make sure of top spot around the 3.357 seconds circuit.

Fellow rookie driver and former German Formula BMW Championship sparring partner Sebastien Buemi was second fastest for Team Switzerland, albeit almost a second slower than his old rival.

Home hero Tomas Enge leaped to fourth overall with seven minutes of the one-hour session to go, missing out on deposing Team France's Nicolas Lapierre by less than one-tenth of a second.

The Team Czech Republic driver beat the Team Great Britain entry of the returning Robbie Kerr by just 0.034 seconds.

Former McLaren protege Cheng Congfu made it three rookie session participants in the top six with an impressive fifth fastest for China, albeit over 1.8 seconds off the pace. Just behind him was Team Mexico's Salvador Duran, who put in a lap good enough for sixth place before spinning at the exit of Turn 4.

The incident restricted Team Mexico to just three laps in the session, although Sergio Perez had earlier been among the front-runners in the rookie session.

Also returning to the A1 cockpit were Stephen Simpson (South Africa) and Sean McIntosh (Canada). Simpson ended the session 10th, while McIntosh, who has not raced in A1 since claiming his first win during the 2005/6 season, could manage only 17th.

Team Ireland improved late in the session to 14th fastest, with Michael Devaney setting a best mark of 1:49.563 seconds. Rookie driver John O'Hara had earlier brought the rookie session to a premature close after spinning into the gravel at Turn 1.

The session was briefly red flagged in the early stages after Team Greece driver Takis Kaitazis beached himself in the gravel at Turn 11.

Kaitazis ended the session 21st fastest, completing just nine laps. Another to hit trouble was the Team India car of Aarman Ebrahim, who stopped on track on the run to the same corner.

Pos  Team            Driver             Time              Laps
 1.  Germany         N.Hulkenberg       1:46.600           18
 2.  Switzerland     Sebastien Buemi    1:47.501 + 0.901   20
 3.  France          Nicolas Lapierre   1:47.552 + 0.952   22
 4.  Czech Republic  Tomas Enge         1:47.651 + 1.051   22
 5.  Great Britain   Robbie Kerr        1:48.152 + 1.552    9
 6.  China           Cheng Congfu       1:48.186 + 1.586   15
 7.  Mexico          Salvador Duran     1:48.424 + 1.824    3
 8.  New Zealand     Jonny Reid         1:48.513 + 1.913   23
 9.  Italy           A.P.Guidi          1:49.169 + 2.569   24
10.  South Africa    Stephen Simpson    1:49.265 + 2.665   21
11.  Netherlands     J.Bleekemolen      1:49.361 + 2.761   17
12.  Brazil          Tuka Rocha         1:49.450 + 2.850   20
13.  USA             Phil Giebler       1:49.500 + 2.900   22
14.  Ireland         Michael Devaney    1:49.536 + 2.936   22
15.  Malaysia        Alex Yoong         1:50.059 + 3.459   21
16.  Lebanon         Graham Rahal       1:50.250 + 3.650   22
17.  Canada          Sean McIntosh      1:50.261 + 3.661   23
18.  Indonesia       Ananda Mikola      1:50.411 + 3.811   24
19.  Singapore       C.Murchison        1:50.896 + 4.296   27
20.  India           Armaan Ebrahim     1:51.215 + 4.615   21
21.  Greece          Takis Kaitatzis    1:51.476 + 4.876    9
22.  Australia       Karl Reindler      1:51.591 + 4.991   14
23.  Pakistan        Nur Ali            1:52.366 + 5.766   23