Brazilian GP Free Practice: Toyota Looking Strong
By Luke Marc Carlile-Stanton
October 21 2006
Toyota had a strong start to the final weekend of the season in Brazil with drivers Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher setting times in both sessions and on the pace in both. In session 1 they were 7th and 11th respectivley.
In session 2 they were 4th (Jarno) and 7th (Ralf), giving them reason to be optimistic as Toyota chase BMW-Sauber for 5th in the Constructors Championship.
Brazilian GP free practice session 1:
It's not evry often Toyota set times in the first practice session but today was an exception. Jarno was placed in 7th place on a time of 1.14.888 and was the 4th fastest race driver and Ralf was 11th on a time of 1.16.168 and was the 6th fastest race driver on track. Things were looking good for the constructors race.
Kimi Raikkonen is competiting in his last race this weekend for Mclaren before he jumps ship to replace retiring 7 times World Champion Michael Schumacher at Ferrari for 2007. The Finnish driver beat the Friday testers to the top of the time sheets wit a time of 1.13.764. He finished just ahead of Honda third man and possible Super Aguri race driver for 2007 Anthony Davidson who was in second place and Williams' Austrian third driver and promoted race driver for next year, Alex Wurz who was P3.
BMW-Sauber's young third driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany has impressed in his third man duties this season since making his debut in Turkey. The Formula 3 Euro-Series Championship contender settled for 4th place in the first session ahead of Mclaren and Honda racers Pedro De La Rosa and Jenson Button who were 5th and 6th respectivley. Jarno was 7th ahead of Toro Rosso third man Neel Jani of Switzerland. Hometown hero, Honda's Rubens Barrichello was9th and Red Bull third driver and GP2 ace Michael Ammermuller rounded out the top 10.
Venezulan Ernesto Viso made his Formula 1 debut for Sypker-MF1 and was a respecable 13th place, ahead of the Toro Rosso racers Scott Speed and Tonio Liuzzi and Super Aguri's Sakon Yamamato. Aguri's third driver Franck Montagny who will join Toyota as tester next seaon rounded out the 17 drivers on track.
Brazilian GP free practice session 1 times:
1. K.RAIKKONEN (FIN) McLaren-Mercedes 1m13.764s
2. A.DAVIDSON (GBR) Honda 1m13.902s
3. A.WURZ (AUT) Williams-Cosworth 1m13.922s
4. S.VETTEL (D) BMW-Sauber 1m14.204s
5. P.DE LA ROSA (ESP) Mclaren-Mercedes 1m14.237s
6. J.BUTTON (GBR) Honda 1m14.487s
7. J.TRULLI (ITA) Toyota 1m14.888s
8. N.JANI (SWI) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1m15.159s
9. R.BARRICHELLO (BRA) Honda 1m15.661s
10. M.AMMERMULLER (D) Red Bull Racing 1m15.711s
11. R SCHUMACHER (D) Toyota 1m16.168s
12. T.SATO (JPN) Super Aguri-Honda 1m16.534s
13. E.VISO (VNZ) Spyker-MF1 1m16.737s
14. S.SPEED (USA) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1m17.047s
15. V.LIUZZI (ITA) Toro Rosso 1m17.311s
16. S.YAMAMOTO (JPN) Super Aguri-Honda 1m17.388s
17. F.MONTAGNY (FRA) Super Aguri 1m17.744s
No times set: Heidfeld (BMW-Sauber), Kubica (BMW-Sauber), Albers (Sypker-MF1), Monterio (Sypker-MF1), Coulthard (Red Bull), Doornbos (Red Bull), Fisichella (Renault F1), Alonso (Renault F1), M.Schumacher (Ferrari), Massa (Ferrari), Webber (Williams-Cosworth) and Rosberg (Williams-Cosworth)
Brazilian GP free practice session 2:
Jarno was the fastest race driver in session 2. Finishing in 4th overall he set a time of 1.13.483 whilst Ralf was the fourth fastest racer in 7th place overall with a time of 1.13.765. Things are looking good in the battle between Toyota and BMW-Sauber as the closest BMW-Sauber race driver was Robert Kubica in 16th position.
Wurz was top of the time sheets ahead of Davidson with Vettel third. Micahel Schumacher will always be remembered as one of/the sports greatest drivers. Despite a spin the German who is retiring after Sunday's race was 7th placed in the session. There is still a slim chance that he could win his 8th World Title but it would involve current World Champion Fernando Alonso to not score any points and for Michael to win.
Franck Montagny was a suprise in the Super Aguri-Honda in 8th place bearting two of the sports big names; Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso! A great effort by the Frenchman. And it was Alonso who rounded out the top 10. Super Aguri race driver Sakon Yamamoto finished 29th out of 29 runners.
Brazilian GP free practice session 2 times:
1. WURZ (AUT) Williams-Cosworth 1m12.547s
2. DAVIDSON (GBR) Honda 1m12.653s
3. VETTEL (D) BMW-Sauber 1m12.870s
4. TRULLI (ITA) Toyota 1m13.483s
5. BUTTON (GBR) Honda 1m13.485s
6. M.SCHUMACHER (D) Ferrari 1m13.713s
7. R SCHUMACHER (D) Toyota 1m13.765s
8. MONTAGNY (FRA) Super Aguri-Honda 1m13.792s
9. RAIKKONEN (FIN) McLaren 1m13.803s
10. ALONSO (ESP) Renault F1 1m13.820s
11. DE LA ROSA (ESP) Mclaren 1m13.926s
12. FISICHELLA (ITA) Renault F1 1m14.053s
13. BARRICHELLO (BRA) Honda 1m14.434s
14. AMMERMULLER (D) Red Bull 1m14.436s
15. MONTEIRO (POR) Spyker-MF1 1m14.468s
16. KUBICA (POL) BMW-Sauber 1m14.510s
17. MASSA (BRA) Ferrari 1m14.561s
18. HEIDFELD (D) BMW-Sauber 1m14.793s
19. WEBBER (AUS) Williams-Coswoth 1m14.839s
20. VISO (VNZ) Spyker-MF1 1m14.972s
21. SATO (JPN) Super Aguri-Honda 1m15.023s
22. ALBERS (NED) Spyker-MF1 1m15.086s
23. ROSBERG (D) Williams-Cosworth 1m15.124s
24. COULTHARD (GBR) Red Bull 1m15.214s
25. LIUZZI (ITA) Toro Rosso 1m15.737s
26. SPEED (USA) Toro Rosso 1m15.855s
27. JANI (SWI) Toro Rosso 1m15.868s
28. DOORNBOS (NED) Red Bull 1m16.251s
29. YAMAMOTO (JPN) Super Aguri-Honda 1m18.321s