Suzuka Friday: Successful work in session two

By BMW Sauber F1 Team
October 6 2006

The second free practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix started on a slightly wet track, but in the closing stages the BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers were able to switch to dry weather tyres to begin their tyre evaluations and work on a set-up for dry conditions.

BMW Sauber F1 Team driver Sebastian Vettel was the busiest driver of the session, completing 30 laps, four more than the second busiest driver. In the first half of the session, he completed an extended run (19 laps) on the still wet track and constantly succeeded in improving his lap time, while continuing his work on a wet-weather set-up. He followed this with a five-lap stint on intermediates before he went out twice on dry weather tyres, in the closing stages of the session.

At the end of the day, he set a personal fastest lap time of 1:34.912 minutes to finish sixth - 0.575 seconds behind the quickest driver, Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella (1:34.337 minutes). Sebastian was the quickest in the blinding fast corner 130R (301 km/h) and again, he didn't make any mistakes.

"It's a fantastic circuit," said Sebastian. "There are other demanding tracks with challenging corners but here, you've got grass beside the circuit and the spectators are very close. It's great to drive here."

In the closing stages of the session, on the drying track, the BMW Sauber F1 Team GP regulars, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, also contributed to the team's preparations for the remainder of the weekend. Robert completed five laps and set a 1:36.299-minute lap to finish 18th, while Nick (five laps, 1:38.799 minutes) had to settle for 27th position.