14/07/2006
NEWS STORY
 |
Ahead of today's second free practice session, the air temperature is 34 degrees C, while the track temperature is 51 degrees. It remains bright and sunny.
First out is this morning's pace-setter, Robert Kubica, followed by Doornbos, Sutil, Wurz, Yamamoto, Jani and Heidfeld, who didn't appear this morning.
Within minutes of the session getting underway, there are already seven names on the timesheets, with Davidson setting the pace (1:19.321). Honda received a boost with Jenson Button finishing third quickest this morning, however, it is way too early to start saying that the Japanese team's revival is underway.
As Michael and Kimi prepare to go out, some race fans hold up a Colombian flag bearing the words "good luck JPM". And so say all of us.
Ralf Schumacher goes sixth (20.581), but it is Jani who is quickest through the speedtrap.
Contrary to reports elsewhere, WilliamsF1 has not yet changed the engine on Rosberg's car, however, a decision will be made later today. If the team does opt to change his powerplant, the German will be given the new Series 6 unit which Webber is running this weekend.
Felipe Massa is on track, as are Trulli and Rosberg. The Brazilian goes quickest in the first sector, and again in the second, finally crossing the line at 1:19.222. Meanwhile, Trulli goes third, ahead of Doornbos, Sutil, Speed and Wurz.
Sutil goes off, kicking up clouds of gravel, however, the Midland driver is able to continue.
Massa improves to 19.048, as Barrichello heads down the pitlane.
Neel Jani goes quickest in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 1:18.907, to go quickest, as Michael Schumacher leaves the pits along with Pedro de la Rosa.
The German goes quickest in the first sector, and again in the second, taking 0.7s out of the previous best. At the line the Ferrari driver posts 1:17.938, almost a second up on Jani. Elsewhere, Barrichello goes fourth, but then spins off into the barriers on his next lap, his session over.
As the yellow flags are waved, Button and Montagny leave the pits. The Englishman posts 20.279, good enough for fifteenth, as Fisichella and Coulthard leave the pits. Moments later, Ralf heads down the pitlane, followed by the World Champion, Fernando Alonso.
Fisichella goes third, as Trulli takes fifth spot, having gone quickest in the final sector. Fernando begins his first flying lap, as his teammate takes the top spot with a 1:17.96. When the Spaniard crosses the line it's 19.788, which is only good enough for twelfth. However, on his next lap he immediately goes quickest in the first and second sectors, finally crossing the line at 17.498 to go quickest… it's a Renault 1-2 in France.
With twenty-six minutes remaining, the only drivers that haven't posted a time are Webber and Raikkonen.
Jacques Villeneuve goes twentieth (20.054), as Raikkonen heads down the pitlane.
Massa is really giving the kerbs a hiding, but fails to improve. Meanwhile, it looks as though his teammate has a problem, stopping at the end of the pitlane. After a minute or so, the Ferrari kicks into life and enters the fray.
Raikkonen goes tenth (19.308), as Heidfeld goes seventh, the BMW looking good, despite all those ugly wings. Next time around, the Finn improves to eighth, while teammate de la Rosa languishes in seventeenth.
Like Massa, Schumacher is really attacking the kerbs, like Massa, he's losing time.
From out of nowhere, Sutil goes sixth (19.066), ahead of Trulli, Heidfeld and Raikkonen.
Speed's session is over, the back end of the Toro Rosso getting well out of shape and sending the American into the barriers at the exact spot (Nurburgring) that claimed Barrichello earlier.
Interesting to see that Neel Jani remains fourth quickest, ahead of Sutil.
Button is back on track, despite having posted ten laps the Englishman remains 2.78s off the pace, and at the 'bad end' of the timesheets, along with Coulthard and Villeneuve.
Robert Kubica has completed 26 laps, four less than Davidson, but, surprisingly, is only seventeenth quickest. That said, the Pole goes quickest in the second sector, crossing the line at 1:17.395, which puts him top of the timesheets, ahead of Alonso and Wurz, who has just improved with a 17.859.
Robert Doornbos improves to seventh, ahead of Ralf and Trulli, as Jani slips down to tenth.
Michael is back on track as Kubica goes quickest in the second sector, the Pole raising the benchmark ever higher with a 1:16.902.
Jenson Button is on track, however a massive lock-up at Adelaide costs him time. Nonetheless, he improves to seventeenth, 2.593s off the pace. Moments later Raikkonen also makes a mistake at Adelaide.
Ouch! Alonso really pounds the kerbs, as Kubica sets a personal best in the first sector. The Pole fails to improve however, but remains the only driver to have broken the 1:16s barrier today.
The session ends with Kubica quickest, ahead of Alonso, Davidson, Wurz, Fisichella, Michael, Sutil, Doornbos, Ralf and Jani.
Trulli is eleventh, ahead of Button, Massa, Heidfeld, Raikkonen, Albers, Barrichello, Webber, Liuzzi and Rosberg.
Early days, but it's looking very good for the 'home team'.
To check out our Magny Cours Friday gallery, click here