UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Ferrari fly in first practice

Rain affects play

On a damp, sometimes rainy, Interlagos this session was never going to be too much of a representation of things to come, but it was interesting, none the less.

The fastest two cars, too, may well end up in those positions come Saturday afternoon.

Kimi Raikkonen gave us one of his virtuoso displays, leaving his appearance until the last few minutes (indeed, most had left any running until after mid-way through the session) and turning in a blinding lap in the dying seconds – 1:19.580, the only time under the 1:20 mark, with the next best man his team mate – and local boy – Felipe Massa half a second down.

Mclaren chose not to show their hand today, Lewis Hamilton the - only runner from the silver camp – ending the session fifth, one and a half seconds slower than Raikkonen, and Fernando Alonso remaining in the garage but for the obligatory installation lap.

Neither BMW – the ‘best of the rest’ this season - ventured out, either, nor Giancarlo Fisichella in the Renault.

It was left, then, for a motley crew to make up the following pack, with Fisichella’s team-mate Heikki Kovalainen taking third place – three quarters of a second behind Massa, and ahead of Nico Rosberg’s Williams by a further couple of tenths.

Behind Hamilton came Ralf Schumacher – the Toyota’s showing reasonably here with Jarno Trulli in ninth, and between these two Sebastian Vettel confirmed his wet weather prowess for STR, leading home Mark Webber in the Red Bull RB3.

The final top ten place went to David Coulthard in the second Red Bull, and the rest, well, the rest followed.

Join us later for full coverage of the second practice session.

Written: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:50:42