Raikkonen sets pace in Monaco first practice
Thursday, 22 May 2008 16:27
Kimi Raikkonen tops time charts in first practice session in Monaco
World champion Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari was the fastest car around the famous Monte Carlo streets in the first free practice ahead of Sunday's Monaco grand prix.
The Finn completed 26 laps and recorded a best time of one minute 15.948 seconds, 0.268secs ahead of the McLaren of Lewis Hamilton despite the Briton topping the time charts for most of the session.
Hamilton's team-mate Heikki Kovalainen was third fastest with a time of 1:16.248, while Brazilian driver Felipe Massa completed the McLaren and Ferrari-dominated session by narrowly finishing fourth on 1:16.292.
The Williams of Niko Rosberg and Robert Kubica's BMW finished with the same time (1:16.653) in fifth and sixth, with Fernando Alonso's Renault seventh.
The Monaco grand prix, unquestionably formula one's most prestigious race of the year, has been billed as the first race for several weeks that will see the McLarens with a distinct performance advantage over their Italian counterparts.
Ferrari's setup has allowed them to dominate the last few rounds, given their superior straight-line speed.
But due to the twisting, winding streets of the French principality Raikkonen and Massa are expected to have their work cut out to keep up with the British-based team.
Raikkonen currently leads the drivers' championship, with Massa and Hamilton level on points in second and third.
Full timesheet from Monaco grand prix first practice:
1- K. Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:15.948
2- L. Hamilton (McLaren) 1:16.216
3- H. Kovalainen (McLaren) 1:16.248
4- F. Massa (Ferrari) 1:16.292
5- N. Rosberg (Williams) 1:16.653
6- R. Kubica (BMW) 1:16.653
7- F. Alonso (Renault) 1:17.498
8- R. Barrichello (Honda) 1:17.511
9- M. Webber (Red Bull) 1:17.798
10- G. Fisichella (Force India) 1:17.883
11- T. Glock (Toyota) 1:17.942
12- J. Button (Honda) 1:18.153
13- S. Bourdais (Toro Rosso) 1:18.245
14- N. Heidfeld (BMW) 1:18.263
15- K. Nakajima (Williams) 1:18.274
16- J. Trulli (Toyota) 1:18.360
17- A. Sutil (Force India) 1:18.360
18- N. Piquet Jr (Renault) 1:18.955
19- S. Vettel (Toro Rosso) 1:19.176
20- D. Coulthard (Red Bull) no time