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With the
WilliamsF1 team coming to the Magny-Cours circuit with a range of
improvements including a new Cosworth engine and updates to the FW28, the
team is looking to see an improvement in their performances which has not
seen them score a point in the last five races. It was reported that Nico
Rosberg has had a Cosworth engine change. This will see him lose ten places
in qualifying if this is the case.
 The first practice session would commence3 with Kubica, Sutil, Doornbos,
Jani, Montagny and Davidson all taking to the track. They would be joined by
Alex and Monteiro. The first drivers to look at setting a time were Davidson
and Alex. The other drivers would pit. At the end of their first lap Alex
would finish ahead of Davidson.
Sato and Albers join Alex and Davidson on track. Adrian Sutil would leave
his pit. Adrian had taken over the third driver role at MF1 this weekend
from Giorgio Mondini. Kubica was back out in his BMW Sauber. Alex would have
a moment running off track at the tricky final chicane. But he would remain
fastest ahead of Davidson and Sutil.
Alex and Davidson would pit as Kubica moved into third and was now on a
quick lap. Kubica would go fastest, half a second ahead of Alex. Jacques
Villeneuve would leave the pit lane on his installation lap in his BMW
Sauber. Kubica would pit leaving Jani, Sutil and Yamamoto on the circuit.
Jani was now second fastest. Robert Doornbos was back out in his Red Bull.
With twenty minutes of the session run Sato, Montagny, Villeneuve, Albers
and Monteiro have all yet to a time. Davidson was back out in his Honda.
Doornbos has moves fifth fastest as Davidson ups his pace in the Honda.
Davidson's lap would see him fastest, 1m:18.677. But Kubica would improve to
move ahead of the Honda driver, 1m:17.790. Only Kubica and Davidson are on
the circuit. Toyota's Jarno Trulli was out on the circuit and would put his
car into the gravel after missing his braking point on the run to Adelaide.
But he was able to get his car going again and returned to his pit. Sato was
now in seventh behind Doornbos.
Half way through the session and Kubica was fastest, while Fisichella would
leave the Renault pit for his installation lap. Sato would spin his car and
return to his pit. Ralf Schumacher would come out for his installation lap.
Sutil would improve three places and was now third fastest, 1m:19.283. Alex
was in fifth with a 1m:19.731. He was back in his pit while Yamamoto would
stop his cat at the Adelaide hairpin with a technical problem. Alonso had
come out for his installation lap with just over fifteen minutes remaining.
Jani was now in third with a 1m:18.962.
Davidson had improved his time with a 1m:17.809 but remained second behind
Kubica. Alonso would pit. With fifteen minutes left in the session only nine
drivers had set a time. Kubica was fastest from Davidson, Jani, Sutil,
Doornbos, Alex, Montagny, Sato, and Yamamoto. Doornbos had moved ahead of
Alex with a time of 1m:19.391. Yamamoto's time was over six seconds slower
than the quickest time. Montagny would move ahead of team-mate Sato. With
twelve minutes remaining only Yamamoto was out on the track. Of the race
drivers only Sato and Montagny had set a time so far in the session.
Alex would return to the circuit. He was joined by Kubica. Sutil was also
out. Pedro de la Rosa, replacing Montoya who had left the McLaren team to go
NASCAR racing, would come out for his installation lap. Kubica was on a
quick lap. He would finish with a time of 1m:16.794 to now be over a second
faster than Davidson. Alex would move up into fourth with a time of
1m:19.055, but he was two seconds off the pace. Scott Speed and Nico were
out for their installation laps. Trulli and Villeneuve were back out. Albers
and Monteiro were also out on the track with seven minutes left.
Jani would move ahead of Alex with a 1m:18.962. Nico was in twelfth with a
1m:22.562. Alex was now in fifth. Liuzzi, Coulthard, and Klien had also come
out for their installation laps. Ralf was now in sixth with a 1m:19.205.
Villeneuve was in seventh followed by Doornbos and Nico. Davidson had
improved with a 1m:17.133 but remained in second. Ralf was now in third with
a 1m:18.752. Button was out on his installation laps. Nico had improved his
time with a 1m:19.401 but was now in tenth as Button moved into third with a
1m:18.297.
With the end of the session we did not see Mark come out even to complete
and installation lap. He was joined by both Ferrari's, Barrichello, and
Heidfeld. Raikkonen had come out to complete one installation lap. Robert
Kubica would finish fastest from Davidson, Button, Ralf Schumacher, Sutil,
Jani, Wurz, Villeneuve, Doornbos and Nico. |
