|
Rain has
traditionally
played a
part in
the
Japanese
Grand
Prix –
remember
the
deluge
at Fuji
two
years
ago? –
and the
change
of venue
to
Suzuka
did not
alter
the
trend.
Both
free
practice
sessions
were run
in the
wet,
although
conditions
were
slightly
better
in the
morning.
While it
might
look
frightening
from the
outside,
Formula
1
drivers
are a
special
breed
and most
of them
seemed
to enjoy
the
experience,
as they
evaluated
both the
Intermediate
and
Extreme
wet
weather
tyres
that
Bridgestone
has
brought
here,
just a
short
trip of
322
kilometres
from
their
Kodaira
City
Technical
Centre.
Both
F60s ran
reliably
today,
completing
a total
of only
62 laps,
as
conditions
in the
afternoon
meant
there
was
little
to learn
from
lapping
the
track,
which by
then had
rivers
of water
running
across
it. In
fact, as
Team
Principal
Stefano
Domenicali
pointed
out, in
the end,
they
went out
more to
put on a
show for
the
hardy
fans in
the
grandstands
than for
any work
reason.
Although
being
out on
track at
the end
of the
session
did
entitle
the
driver
to do a
practice
start
off the
grid,
which
could be
useful
if it
was to
rain on
Sunday.
Actually,
the
current
forecast
is that
the
weather
should
improve
with
each
passing
day.
The
morning
times
are
actually
more
relevant
than
those
set in
P2, with
the
fastest
time
being
around
seven
seconds
quicker
than in
the
afternoon.
Giancarlo
was
fourth
and Kimi
was
eighth.
Quickest
this
morning
was
Heikki
Kovalainen
for
McLaren-Mercedes,
ahead of
local
hero
Kazuki
Nakajima
in the
Williams,
with
Adrian
Sutil
third
for
Force
India.
Fifth
was
Sebastien
Buemi in
the
Ferrari-powered
Toro
Rosso,
ahead of
reigning
world
champion
and
winner
in
Singapore
last
Sunday,
Lewis
Hamilton
in the
second
McLaren.
He led a
trio of
world
champions,
as
Fernando
Alonso
in the
Renault
was
seventh
ahead of
Kimi.
There is
one new
name on
the time
sheet
today,
that of
Kobayashi,
deputising
for
Toyota’s
Timo
Glock,
as the
German
driver
was
feeling
unwell.
It is
hoped
that he
will be
back to
work
tomorrow.
.“Even if there
was no real technical reason
for doing so, we decided to
do at least one run at the
end of the day, as a sign of
respect to all the fans who
remained glued to their
seats in the grandstands,
despite the rain,” said
Stefano Domenicali. “We only
ran in the wet and the car’s
handling in the conditions
could be described as
acceptable. Clearly if, as
the forecast predicts,
qualifying and the race are
run in the dry, there will
not be much time to get the
cars working at their best,
which makes predicting any
outcome even more difficult.
For our part however, we are
aware that our potential is
the same as it was in the
last few races, as a result
of a strategic decision
taken regarding the
development of the F60. The
unknown factor remains the
behaviour of the tyres,
which has never been as
unpredictable as it has this
season.”
Kimi
Raikkonen: “The
conditions were very
difficult today: let’s hope
the situation changes for
tomorrow and that we will be
able to run in the dry. This
morning, the track was
changing continually, so it
was difficult to understand
where we were compared to
the others. I concentrated
mainly on the car, trying to
understand its handling and
I think the situation is
reasonably good. We will
have to try everything to
defend our third place in
the Constructors’
classification: it will be
difficult because the
McLarens are very strong and
in Singapore they got a
great result, although they
have not yet got ahead of
us. How was the track after
three years away? It’s
impossible to compare: the
tyres and cars are too
different to those from
2006.”
Giancarlo
Fisichella: “The day was
all about the rain that
however should not be a
factor on Sunday, which
makes everything more
complicated. I am pleased
with the way the session
went this morning, because I
quickly had quite a good
feeling for the car in the
wet and managed to improve
with every passing lap,
running at the same pace as
the best. We hope to improve
compared to Singapore, but
we know that will be
difficult.”
Chris
Dyer: “This morning we
managed to do a good job in
the wet, first on the
extremes and then on the
intermediates. Both drivers
were reasonably happy with
the handling of the car in
these conditions: if it was
to rain for the race, we
have a good basis from which
to work. In the afternoon
the rain was very heavy for
almost the whole session and
the track conditions were
very difficult, to such an
extent that it wasn’t really
worth going out and risking
damaging the car. Giancarlo
felt particularly
comfortable in these
conditions, which confirms
his skill level. Now, we
have to take into account
that the number of sets of
rain tyres available to us
for the whole weekend is
very limited and we have to
manage them carefully, to
avoid finding ourselves in
trouble at the crucial
moment. We only did a
handful of laps at the end
on used tyres and we took
the opportunity to do a
practice start on the grid.”
First session
G. Fisichella: 4th 1.40.985 27
laps
K. Raikkonen: 8th 1.41.577 25 laps
Second session
G. Fisichella: 15th 1.49.553 5
lap (chassis
280)
K. Raikkonen: 11th 1.48.886 5 laps (chassis
279)
Weather
First session: air 22 °C, track 23 °C; light
rain at the beginning, damp track
Second session: air 22 °C, track 23 °C;
rain
|
