UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Hamilton quickest, Rosberg stars

Ferrari third and fourth

An interloper broke the Ferrari-McLaren stranglehold in second practice at Monaco, one in the shape of Nico Rosberg in the Williams FW30.

The young German had sat top for a short time, until usurped by a scintillating Lewis Hamilton effort (1:15.140) but second place at the close of play represents a genuine threat for the weekend, at a circuit where Williams tend to do well.

Rosberg eventually came in just under four tenths slower than the flying Hamilton, and a fraction ahead of next man Kimi Raikkonen who looked the more assured of the two Ferrari runners today. Felipe Massa, in the second F2008, finished fourth and three tenths off his teammate.

Heikki Kovalainen all but matched Massa for pace, and as easily clear of sixth fastest man Robert Kubica, the BMW a full second, and more, slower than the leading McLaren. BMW tend not to show their hand on Fridays (or Thursdays, it would seem) but with Nick Heidfeld managing only 11th – just a tenth slower than Kubica – the F1.08 may not be the potential winner here that some had expected.

Between the BMW pair came Fernando Alonso in the Renault – again completely eclipsing Nelson Piquet, who looked decidedly lacklustre with 16th and a full second off the Spaniard – with Jenson Button, Kazuki Nakajima and Rubens Barrichello next in line.

Timo Glock was quickest of the Toyotas in twelfth – Jarno Trulli in an uncharacteristic 17th – and headed the Red Bull pair of Mark Webber and David Coulthard, while Giancarlo Fisichella again eclipsed Adrian Sutil at Force India by a second, and Sebastien Bourdais had the better of a troubled Sebastian Vettel at STR.

Qualifying here is, of course, all-important, and there remains a sneaking feeling that there is more to come from Ferrari, and possibly BMW.

The clincher, however, could be the weather, with rain expected both on Saturday and Sunday.

Written: Thu, 22 May 2008 13:48:58