Wurz third fastest in opening Canadian practice

With the WilliamsF1 team completing three days of testing at the Monza circuit as part of their preparations for the North American rounds of the 2006 season the team would commence the opening Friday practice session for the 2006 Canadian Grand Prix. The first car out on the circuit would be the BMW Sauber of Robert Kubica, followed by Yamamoto, Jani, Mondini, Sato and Montagny. WilliamsF1 test driver Alex Wurz would also come out for his first laps of the Gilles Villeneuve circuit. Both MF1's of Albers and Monteiro would also come out, joined by Red Bull's Robert Doornbos and Honda's Anthony Davidson.

Most driver would complete just a single installation lap but Alex would stay out and set the first time of the day, 1m:25.445. Davidson was the only other driver out on the circuit. Davidson was on a quick lap while Alex would lower his time with a 1m:23.449. Davidson would go faster with a 1m:23.083, 0.366 ahead of Alex. Davidson would take his times into the 1m:21 seconds with a 1m:21.544, to now be nearly two seconds ahead of Alex. Kubica was back out while Davidson lowered his time with a 1m:21.029 to now be 2.4 seconds ahead of Alex.

Now we would see the other Friday drivers come out with Yamamoto, Jani, and Mondini returning to the track. Alex would miss the final chicane and he would return to the pits. Kubica was now second with a 1m:21.508. Mondini would stop his MF1 just past the pit lane exit brining out the yellow flags. Davidson was now in the 1m:20 seconds with a 1m:20.767. Anthony would return to his pit. Kubica had improved his time with a 1m:20.943, while Jani was now in third with a 1m:23.005. Alex was now fourth. Yamamoto was slowest with a 1m:31.138, 11.199 seconds slower than the leader. Doornbos was back out joined by the first of the Ferrari's with Felipe Massa. Kubica was now fastest with a 1m:19.464 which was quickly lowered with a 1m:18.746.

Kubica would pit while Doornbos was now in fourth, 1m:22.367. Doornbos would miss the final chicane on one of his laps. Massa was also back in his garage. Sato and Yamamoto were in seventh and eighth with the slowest times. Sato would spin at Turn one. Alex was now back out with forty minutes of the session remaining. Trulli and Liuzzi would come out for their installation lap. Trulli would pit but come back out, while Liuzzi would pit. Alex was now in sixth. Davidson was also back out. Sato was now ahead of Alex with a 1m:22.609. Alex would pit while Kubica was back out on the circuit. Davidson would lower his time with a 1m:19.596. He would lower this with a 1m:19.334.

Jani was still in third with a 1m:20.863. With thirty minutes of the session run only eight drivers had set a time. Montagny was now in sixth ahead of Alex. Kubica would lower his quickest time with a 1m:18.283. Alex was back out again while Toyota's Ralf Schumacher was out for his installation lap. Kubica would go even faster with a 1m:17.998 while Alex would move into third only to be pushed back to fourth by Doornbos. Alex's time was now a 1m:20.497. This was still 2.5 seconds off Kubica's time. Kubica would pit. Jani would move ahead of Alex with a 1m:20.015. Jani would pit. Alex would lower his time with a 1m:20.256 but was still in fifth. Ralf would pit. Yamamoto would set a personal best time but was still slowest, 1m:25.549.

Alex had pitted while Alonso was out on his installation lap. Fernando would pit after one lap. Kubica was back out again. He would quickly set a new fastest time with a 1m:17.483 to now be 1.6 seconds ahead of second placed Davidson. With twenty minutes remaining Kubica would take another four tenths off his time with a 1m:17.059. Davidson was now back out on the track, joined by Jani. The second Renault of Fisichella was on its installation lap. Doornbos was in third with a 1m:19.995. Giancarlo would pit.

Montagny was now the fastest of the Super Aguri's with sixth place. Alex was back out with fifteen minutes remaining. Montagny would miss the final chicane but was able to continue. Kubica and Doornbos had both pitted. Davidson was still in second but with an improved time, 1m:18.655. Alonso was back out joined by Klien. Alex would pit. Scott Speed was out for his installation lap. Alonso had retuned to his garage, as did Klien. Trulli was back out. Albers and Monteiro had returned to the track with under ten minutes remaining. They were joined by Kubica. Speed was back in his garage.

Barrichello was out on his installation lap. At the front Kubica was lower his time even further with a 1m:16.390, to now be 2.2 seconds ahead of Davidson. Trulli would have a moment at Turn nine seeing him take to the grass. Button would join team-mate Rubens out on the circuit with five minutes left. Albers was now in sixth with a 1m:21.329. Alex was in fifth some 3.8 seconds off Kubica's pace. Barrichello would move into seventh with a 1m:21.531. Both Villeneuve and Heidfeld were out, joined by Coulthard as the final minutes counted down. Button's first lap would see him fifth fastest, 1m:19.855.

Alex was down in seventh as Michael Schumacher came out for the first time. Rubens was now in third, 1m:19.070, and Button fourth, 1m:19.165. Michael was in eighth on his first lap just head of brother Ralf in ninth. Alex was able to improve his time to now be in third, 1m:18.941. Trulli would pit. Massa was also out and was in sixteenth, 1m:23.179. Michael was now in fourth with a 1m:18.994.

So with the end of the session the top ten was Kubica followed by Davidson, Wurz, Michael Schumacher, Barrichello, Button, Jani, Doornbos, Liuzzi, and Albers. Neither of the race drivers for McLaren or WilliamsF1 took part in the session.