UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Sutil again in final practice

Close field threatens

For an Italian driving a Ferrari at Monza the pressure must be enormous, and whether that pressure had any influence on the accident at Parabolica that befell Giancarlo Fisichella half an hour into this session remains to be seen, but the Ferrari debutante crashed and will now enter qualifying with less running then he may have wished.

Overnight rain had washed the Monza tarmac and left it green, but as the session went on one thing became clear – Adrian Sutil’s pace in the Force India yesterday was no one hit wonder, for he again topped the list at the close of the hour.
1:23.336 was the young German’s best time, and it came among a flurry of runs at the end of the session in which the car became quicker and quicker with each lap. This weekend has seen Sutil on form, and it could be that he will figure very strongly in the qualifying sessions.

A word for his team mate, the returning Tonio Liuzzi, for seventh fastest – half a second off the pace setting time – represents a very fine effort for one so long out of the cockpit. Continuous improvement and a methodical approach worked very well for Liuzzi, and a top ten start is a very real prospect for him, too.

As for the title contenders it was Brawn that led the way here, with Jenson Button setting a string of late times that left him second on the time sheet, just a few one hundredths shy of Sutil, while the curious form of BMW-Sauber also sprung a surprise here with Nick Heidfeld less than a tenth down in third place when the flag fell.

The second Brawn of Rubens Barrichello finished fourth, proof if it were needed that the Brawn is working well in low downforce trim here, while the bookies favourite Lewis Hamilton headed his team mate Heikki Kovalainen as the McLaren set comfortable fifth and sixth fastest times of the morning.

Of the other championship hopefuls, Red Bull, there was little sign, for the team kept running to a bare minimum – just 29 laps between the two drivers – and Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel set the 17th and 18th fastest times. If this is a display of extreme confidence it is one that needs to be carried forward with style this afternoon, for the two blue cars registered times almost two seconds from the ultimate pace.

Also in the top ten were Fernando Alonso in eighth for Renault, followed by Timo Glock in the Toyota and Robert Kubica in the second BMW, while Kazuki Nakajima in the Williams was the first man beyond a second from the fastest man – in 14th position.

The very close field means that the first and second qualifying sessions, and the chose fuel loads, will be absolutely crucial, for a spread as tight as this means positions will be decided in hundredths rather than tenths. Can, however, Force India take their second pole position on the trot?

Written: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:17:13