Spanish Grand Prix - Practice and Qualifying thread

[Dixie Flatline]

Third official practice session now under-way. For Webber fans, good news, he's out on track and currently fastest with a 1:18.064, but with only three drivers so far completing laps, it's difficult to estimate how the Williams is doing.

[Dixie Flatline]

As I type the first message, he improves his time to 1:18.056, 0.705 faster than Liuzzi, with Friesacher 8.3 seconds off Webber's pace.

[Dixie Flatline]

Five minutes remaining in the first practice session for the day, and it's Michael Schumacher who leads the way with a 1:15.735 to be the only person that quick so far this morning. Vitantonio Liuzzi is showing encouraging speed in the RBR-Cosworth, sitting 0.5 seconds behind Michael and 0.4 seconds quicker than Ralf Schumacher. Behind Ralf, it's Rubinho, DC, Kimi, Fisico, Heidfeld, Webber, Karthikeyan, Trulli, Monteiro, Massa, Friesacher, Albers, and JV. No times yet from Montoya or Alonso. It appears that Albers has come to grief somewhere in the third sector.

[Dixie Flatline]

Fisico is the man on the move, leaping to the top of the timesheets to take the honours, just 0.026 seconds quicker than Michael. His teammate, however, did not record a time for the session.

[Dixie Flatline]

G. Fisichella     1:15.605          6
M. Schumacher     1:15.631 0.026   10
R. Schumacher     1:15.860 0.255   10
R. Barrichello    1:16.004 0.399   10
V. Liuzzi         1:16.241 0.636   16
D. Coulthard      1:16.323 0.718   12
J. Montoya        1:16.560 0.955    4
K. Raikkonen      1:17.363 1.758    5
N. Heidfeld       1:17.615 2.010    7
M. Webber         1:17.701 2.096   15
T. Monteiro       1:17.870 2.265   12
N. Karthikeyan    1:18.198 2.593    7
F. Massa          1:18.209 2.604    7
J. Trulli         1:18.215 2.610    3
J. Villeneuve     1:18.686 3.081    6
P. Friesacher     1:20.417 4.812   15
C. Albers         1:21.145 5.540   10
F. Alonso         no time  ---      2

[Dixie Flatline]

Fourth official session now under-way, with Kimi on top from Fisico, Michael, JPM, DC, Massa, JV, Ralf, Narain and Tiago.

[Dixie Flatline]

Now we have the Kimster, Alonso, Fisico, Heidfeld, DC, Rubinho, Liuzzi, Schumi, Montoya and Ralf in the top ten.

[Mr V]

Ralf topping the 2 McLarens and 2 Renaults, Rubens 8th, Michael 10th

[Dixie Flatline]

Thanks, Mr V, I was beginning to think I was talking to myself!

[Dixie Flatline]

Times from the second and final practice session:

R. Schumacher     1:14.280          13
K. Raikkonen      1:14.462  0.182   11
J. Montoya        1:14.672  0.392   12
M. Webber         1:14.689  0.409   11
F. Alonso         1:15.030  0.750    9
G. Fisichella     1:15.048  0.768   19
J. Trulli         1:15.087  0.807   13
N. Heidfeld       1:15.253  0.973    6
D. Coulthard      1:15.339  1.059   15
R. Barrichello    1:15.374  1.094   12
M. Schumacher     1:15.378  1.098   12
F. Massa          1:15.511  1.231   16
V. Liuzzi         1:15.546  1.266   14
J. Villeneuve     1:16.291  2.011   11
N. Karthikeyan    1:17.569  3.289   14
T. Monteiro       1:17.848  3.568   12
C. Albers         1:19.031  4.751   14
P. Friesacher     1:19.296  5.016   14

[Meroo]

It's very quite here

[ralf fan]

Ferrari's struggling..... the Mac looks quite good....

[dsg]

So far the Ferrari's have not shown great pace but the next 60 minutes should give us a better idea.

[Dixie Flatline]

Alonso on course for provisional pole, while disappointment for Ferrari with Schumi seventh and Rubens ninth. In the end, Alonso ends up second to Trulli.

[Dixie Flatline]

The first completed qualifying session:

1.  J. Trulli        1:14.795    
2.  F. Alonso        1:14.811    0.016
3.  K. Raikkonen     1:14.819    0.024
4.  R. Schumacher    1:14.870    0.075
5.  N. Heidfeld      1:15.038    0.243*
6.  M. Webber        1:15.042    0.247
7.  M. Schumacher    1:15.398    0.603
8.  G. Fisichella    1:15.601    0.806
9.  R. Barrichello   1:15.746    0.951
10. D. Coulthard     1:15.795    1.000
11. F. Massa         1:15.863    1.068
12. J. Montoya       1:15.902    1.107
13. V. Liuzzi        1:16.288    1.493
14. J. Villeneuve    1:16.794    1.999
15. N. Karthikeyan   1:18.557    3.762
16. T. Monteiro      1:19.040    4.245
17. C. Albers        1:19.563    4.768
18. P. Friesacher    1:20.306    5.511

* Heidfeld will be penalised ten grid position as a result of an engine change.

[pitcrew]

well done trulli, Come on ferrari

[Russ-Turner]

Originally Posted by Dixie Flatline

Third official practice session now under-way. For Webber fans, good news, he's out on track and currently fastest with a 1:18.064, but with only three drivers so far completing laps, it's difficult to estimate how the Williams is doing.

Looking good for tommorrow after quali 1.

[BootsOntheSide]

Rubens has a penalty was well.

Kimi's lap was superb considering how early it was, and the mistake in session 2 is unlikely to be repeated tomorrow, so he has to be favourite for pole. The Toyota's were closer than before, and Williams were closely matched on raw pace. JV slipped back into his old ways, while Liuzzi put in a ragged lap off DC's pce/

[Hugh Jarce]

Well, that 2.5 sec Ferrari advantage in Imola seems to have evaporated. And, as ever poor old Rubens get's the 'Friday afternoon' build!

But, well done Trulli and Alonso. And, if Kimi sticks in a quikie in tomorrow's qualie it should be a first stint.

Couldn't help but notice the gap forming ahead of Jordan and Minardi.

[Dixie Flatline]

Yes, JV being the best part of a second slower than his teammate is not a good sign. JV hasn't been quick at all so far this Grand Prix.

Unfortunately, looks like my prediction of Schumi on pole will not happen at the half-way point in qualifying.

[Gt_R]

So far things are going as expected.

Kimi's lap is very quick. Trulli and Alonso looks extremely fast too. Considering Toyota and Renault's pace has so far been proven in race-trim, they look strong for the race. Kimi should be right up there too.

As for Ferrari-Bridgestones, it's quite expected that they'd struggle. Michael is usually honest with his assessment of his chances, and it's really difficult for Ferrari and Bridgestone to have an edge over Michelin and their teams who has extensive test-records here which gave them a better groudwork. There's an outside bet that the Bridgestones perform better in race distance than one-laps and Ferrari can pull themselves back in. But it's going to be mighty tough. in pure qualifying spec, the Ferrari is already 0.6s a lap slower.

[Hugh Jarce]

I wonder how Brawn will mix it up to try and spring a chance.

A very long stint somewhere I suspect.

[pirenzo]

Yep, especially if they're on the hard tyres, that means their race pace ought to be pretty consistent.
I just hope its not 2 seconds faster than everyone else at the same time, because assuming Michael doesn't go off again in quali 2 tomorrow, he'll have this in the bag, and it doesn't bode well for a particularly close fought season. Then again, watching him at Imola was awesome, so maybe I do want to see him romp away with it

Whatever the case I hope Kimi finishes tomorrow, for me he is the big unknown, for all we know he could have gone faster still than Michael in Imola.

[dcp2685]

What are the chances of Webber grabbing a podium this time around?

W/ Heidfeld starting from 15th Webber will start 4th. If the williams speed is there i think it's his best shot yet.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by dcp2685

What are the chances of Webber grabbing a podium this time around?

Still don't think the cars got what it takes over a race distance. The other thing of course is, he's gotta finish ahead of Jarno, Fernando and Kimi, a very tall order indeed if they are all reliable.