UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Prace 2.1: Alonso leads Renault charge

Saturday's first run at Sepang

Renault staked their claim on a second successive victory during Saturday morning practice for the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso spearheaded the Anglo-French team’s challenge with an impressive last-minute lap time of 1:34.715 to top the timesheets.

Giancarlo Fisichella, who claimed pole position and the win in Australia two weeks ago, looked certain to finish second but was pipped at the death by Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher.

McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen was fourth fastest ahead of the impressive, and surprising, Toyota duo of Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher.

The heavily reworked TF105 showed strong pace and was competitive through the 45-minute run.

Williams also had two drivers in the top ten with Nick Heidfeld and Mark Webber finishing ninth and tenth respectively.

The team’s brake and gearbox issues from day one were solved but their apparent lack of pace was still causing trouble.

PRACTICE SHORTS

* Smoking. Jenson Button’s Malaysian Grand Prix campaign could have taken a major setback.

The Briton returned to the pit lane with smoke coming from the back of his BAR 007 suggesting there may have been an engine problem.

* Tough start. There was also troubles on the other side of the BAR garage where Takuma Sato had been replaced by Anthony Davidson (see separate story).

Davidson was ‘thrown in at the deep end’ and struggled with setup early.

He finished the session 14th fastest, 2.3 seconds off Alonso’s pace.

Written: Sat, 19 Mar 2005 01:58:33