UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Prac 1: McLaren master Monaco

Heidfeld chases

Every year we arrive at Monaco with the promise of glamour in addition to the speed and excitement that accompanies Formula One wherever she goes, and this year is no exception as that promise was restored with the late announcement that Paris Hilton would not, after all, be attending.

Beautiful people not withstanding, Monaco is a test of nerve and skill like no other, hence it was a pity that the opening practice session ended with something of an anti-climax.

It had begun promisingly when current F1 Golden Boy Lewis Hamilton set a benchmark in the McLaren MP4-22 that eclipsed, safely, that previously put up by early runner Jarno Trulli in the Toyota. However, we would not see much more of Hamilton for, although he came out and lowered his time with ease, he chose not to appear for a good portion of the latter half of the session.

The Englishman may be leading the title race, but he was put firmly in his place here this morning when team mate Fernando Alonso came out shortly after we had seen the session red flagged to remove Christijan Albers stricken Spyker.

Alonso, with seeming ease, blitzed the young pretender’s bench-mark by six tenths of a second with a lap of 1.16.973 – the only runner into the 1.16’s. It was not even challenged for the remainder of the ninety minute session.

It has to be said, however, that outright speed did not appear to be high on Ferrari’s agenda this morning. Either they are exceptionally confident, or taking a big risk, for this is Monaco – there are no safety nets here.

Fastest of the F2007’s was Kimi Raikkonen, the Finn arriving here confident that he has surmounted the tyre balance problems that have blighted his season so far – just as he was prior to Barcelona.

The Ferrari did not look as at ease as the McLaren around the streets of the Principality, and Raikkonens best time of 1:17.918 puts him almost a full second slower than Alonso. He was also two tenths quicker than Felipe Massa, who did not break the 1.17 barrier.

Interesting, too, that Raikkonens time was good only for fifth, as he was pipped by a BMW and a Renault.

Nick Heidfeld and team mate Robert Kubica both looked to have the BMW-Sauber F1.07 quite well hooked up around the twists and turns of Monaco, although nowhere near the level of comfort of the Mclaren pair. In the end it was the German – impressive this season – who put in a time within touching distance of Hamilton’s to take third fastest slot, with the man from Krakow ending the morning a full second down in ninth.

Giancarlo Fisichella set fourth fastest time of the morning, and looked good from the off in the Renault R27. This is not a bad car; it just seems to be difficult to get right. The pace is clearly there, though, although Heikki Kovalainen appeared to be struggling and was a full second and a half slower than the Italian. He is better than that, and should improve as the weekend progresses.

Mark Webber is always great to watch around Monaco and today was no exception, the Australian putting a late session effort to just miss out on topping the time of Raikkonens Ferrari by a hairs breadth. David Coulthard also had the RB3 at a good pace, although his final time – a second slower than Webber – seems to highlight a disparity in pace between the two. Undoubtedly the Red Bull can be a points scorer here – anything more seems fanciful.

Williams did not give any clear indications as to their level of pace throughout the session until Nico Rosberg put in a last minute stormer that took him to seventh, ahead of Massa. Alex Wurz, mighty around here in a Benetton some years ago, set a pace some seven tenths away from his young team mate.

Rubens Barrichello set tenth fastest time for Honda, which is about as good as it gets for them these days, and Jenson Button languishes in 17th. The ‘B’ car, or any other car but this, can not come soon enough.

Late runs by Scott Speed and Tonio Liuzzi elevated the Toro Rosso pair to 12th and 14th -respectable positions – with the American particularly impressive as he was in Barcelona. If Gerhard Berger has given the young man a kick up the backside, it is showing good returns.

Disappointing were the Super Aguris, with Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson mixing it with the Toro Rossos and such when one feels they should really be taking on the Williams, yet even more disappointing were the Toyotas, with even Jarno Trulli – a master around here – managing to get no nearer than two and a half seconds to the fastest time.

Albers managed only five laps before binning it, and Adrian Sutil, as usual, did his normal impressive job given the machinery at hand.

At the moment, then, it looks like Mclaren have it all their own way. This is, however, Thursday morning. A lot can happen when there is a market day tomorrow.

Written: Thu, 24 May 2007 12:10:42