Rosberg ninth in opening Spanish Practice

The opening Friday practice for the 2007 Spanish Grand Prix would get underway with Nico Rosberg joining a large number of drivers who would come out to complete their installation lap. Adrian Sutil was the first driver out on the circuit. We had yet to see either of the Ferrari's or Alex Wurz take to the track. The Williams team had upgrades for both the aerodynamics and mechanical package of the teams FW29, for this weekends race.

With ten minutes of the session complete there were no drivers on the track. Alex had still yet to come out. Nico would come back out and was joined by Ralf Schumacher. Alex would finally make an appearance leaving just the Ferrari's to come out. Nico would post the first time of the session with a time ten seconds off last years pole. But one must remember that the layout of the circuit has changed with what is a chicane been added before the main straight. Ralf was now fastest but was beaten by his team-mate Trulli with a 1m:22.740. Both Toyota drivers would pit and Alonso would come out. He was joined by both of the Renault's. Hamilton was also on the track.

Alonso would go fastest on his first lap. Kubica was in fourth behind Ralf. Hamilton was in seventh after his first lap. But he would move into second as Alonso lowered his time to a 1m:22.268. Raikkonen was out on the circuti and his first alp would see him in tenth. Alex was down in ninth, 1m:23.495, and Nico eighth, 1m:23.494. Both drivers were 1.2 seconds off Alonso's time.

So with forty five minutes of the session complete Alonso was fastest from Hamilton, Trulli, Schumacher, Kubica, Raikkonen, Fisichella, Nico, Alex, and in tenth Kovalainen. Both Nico and Alex had completed twenty four laps between them as Raikkonen moved into second, 1m:22.398. Webber was now in eighth, 1m:23.451. This would see Nico and Alex in ninth and tenth. Coulthard and Massa had yet to set a time in the session. Slowest was the Spyker's of Sutil and Albers. Both Nico and Alex continued to circulate around the track on a longer run. Heidfeld was now eighth, pushing the Williams drivers down one place in the times.

Nico would pit joining most of the front runners. Coulthard was now in thirteenth. It would take fifty minutes of the session before Massa took to the track. He would move into sixth. He would improve to now be in third, 1m:22.565 but was passed by Hamilton. The McLaren driver would improve on third to go fastest, 1m:22.165. Both Williams drivers were still in their pits. Nico would return to the track with twenty five minutes remaining in the session.

Both Alonso and Raikkonen were back out. Kimi would quickly return to his pit, joined by Alonso. The Spaniard was on a quick lap but pulled off to return to his pit. Of the top ten only Ralf was on the circuit. Ralf would pit as tenth placed Heidfeld came back out. Nico and Alex were in twelfth and thirteenth. Nico would improve slightly to move into eleventh, 1m:23.409. Hamilton was back out, joined by both Renault's. Alex would join Nico out on the circuit with just over fifteen minutes remaining. All four Honda powered cars were way down the order with Sato the fastest in fifteenth.

Hamilton would pit. Both Nico and Alex were also back in their garages with under ten minutes left. Nico was in eleventh and Alex fourteenth. Nico would return to the track with six minutes left. Most of the front runners were also back out for their final laps. Hard tyres were the order of the day but with the final minutes several of the drivers would come out on the softer medium tyres. Kubica was now in fourth, 1m:22.446. Hamilton would improve his best time with a 1m:21.880.

Nico would improve to be in eighth, 1m:23.048. Davidson was now in sixth, 1m:22.6665, pushing Nico down to ninth as the session came to an end. Alex was down in eleventh with a 1m:23.131. The order was Hamilton from Alonso, Raikkonen, Massa, Davidson, Trulli, Schumacher, Nico, Button, and in eleventh Alex.