UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Close running in Shanghai

Nothing between top four

Practice at China got underway this morning with a close run thing between Mclaren and Ferrari. So close, in fact, that it was difficult to call any advantage.

The second session was no different, and while Kimi Raikkonen may have topped this 90minute session – as he did the first – it was by a mere six one thousandths of a second. It was also on a lap that was far from perfect – his first and second sectors being good, but not that good – but aided by a simply stunning final sector time some three tenths quicker than the next best effort.

There was no Ark-style two-by-two order today, either, as the second placed man was Fernando Alonso, the World Champion setting his time early on and holding top spot until Raikkonens attempt.

Third place man Felipe Massa come home less than two one-hundredths down on Alonso, with the second Mclaren of Lewis Hamilton two tenths back – a seemingly massive gap in these circumstances – in fourth.

Only three further drivers came within a second of the fastest time, these being one-lap specialists Jarno Trulli in the Toyota – quarter of a second behind Hamilton – and Mark Webber in the Red Bull, a similar amount behind Trulli, and Ralf Schumacher in the second Toyota who did a fine job of selling himself to any prospective new employees.

The other top ten runners were David Coulthard in the second Red Bull, usual suspect Nico Rosberg for Williams, followed by the Renault pair of Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen.

Written: Fri, 05 Oct 2007 07:56:54