UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Prac 3: Ferrari to the fore

Maranello set the pace

Final free practice for the US Grand Prix saw the Ferrari duo of Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa top the times by some margin.

Michael dipped below the 1:11 mark in the dying minutes of the session to topple team mate Massa (1:11.0) from the top spot, these two almost a second ahead of next fastest man Giancarlo Fisichella.

Fisichella’s time, a 1:11.9, just eclipsed that of Nick Heidfeld, the German again indicating the competitive nature of the BMW-Sauber.

Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button sandwiched the second Renault of Fernando Alonso, the Honda’s seeming to have found some pace this weekend, with the top ten rounded out by Villeneuve in the second BMW, and the two Mclaren’s of Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya.

Tonio Liuzzi put in an impressive performance to take eleventh place, team mate Scott Speed in 16th just half a second away, while Mark Webber worked hard with the Williams to record twelfth fastest time, albeit less than three tenths ahead of team mate Nico Rosberg in 19th place.

Midland continue the routine of being quick in practice but not in qualifying with a promising 13th for Tiago Monteiro, Christijan Albers just to tenths down in 18th place, while the Toyota’s of Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher continue to struggle for 14th and 15th places.

The Red Bulls disappointed Christian Klien 17th and David Coulthard 20th, with the back two taken, as is the norm, by the two Super Aguri’s of Takuma Sato and Franck Montagny.

It has to be said that this is the closest session we have seen all year, with the trailing Aguri’s less than four seconds away from the fastest time, promising an interesting and closely fought qualifying session in a short while.

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Written: Sat, 01 Jul 2006 15:19:44