The BMW's start the GP dancing in the typical Spa rain

By BMW Sauber F1
August 28 2009

The BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers have completed the first free practice ahead of the 12th race of the year, the Belgian Grand Prix, and have already had a taste of the typical Ardennes weather. Robert Kubica ended the first 90-minute session as ninth fastest, with Nick Heidfeld back in 14th in rainy conditions.

The first free practice in Spa-Francorchamps started in dry weather with temperatures reaching around 17 degrees Celsius. Both BMW Sauber F1 Team drivers headed out of the pits at the start of the session for their installation laps. About 25 minutes later, Robert and Nick hit the track for some more purposeful laps.

Robert completed eleven laps in total, over three stints, and recorded a fastest lap time of 1:53.560 minutes. A few minutes later the Ardennes weather lived up to its reputation as the first drops of rain started falling on the "Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps". All the drivers immediately returned to the pits to fit wet-weather tyres and adjust the set-up. The initial drops soon became lengthy showers. For 30 minutes spectators at the 7.004-kilometre circuit barely witnessed any driving. By this point, only half of the drivers had recorded any quick lap times.

The rest of the field, including Nick, returned to the track in wet conditions about half an hour before the end of the session and were, of course, considerably slower than at the start of the practice. Nick was out on the track for three stints and completed 14 laps in total. The German's fastest lap was clocked at 2:05.614 minutes. This put him 14th in the list of fastest times. The first free practice at the Belgian Grand Prix ended with some practice starts.

With a time of 1:49.675 minutes, Jarno Trulli (Toyota) was the fastest man in Spa-Francorchamps during the first session. The second free practice for the Belgian Grand Prix gets underway at 14:00hrs local time (13:00hrs BST).