Saturday, August 29, 2009

Webber suffers as Heidfeld shines

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX
Venue: Spa-Francorchamps Dates: 28-30 August 2009 Coverage: Live coverage of Friday practice, Saturday qualifying and Sunday's race - which starts at 1300 BST - across BBC TV, radio and online platforms. Find full listings here

Nick Heidfeld
Heidfeld came through in the final moments with the fastest time of the session

By Chris Whyatt

Nick Heidfeld topped the final practice session as Red Bull's title contender Mark Webber had engine problems ahead of Belgian Grand Prix qualifying.

The Australian, third in the drivers' championship behind the Brawns, could manage only three laps and will need a new engine for qualifying at 1300 BST.

Heidfeld's time of one minute 45.388 seconds showed BMW Sauber's improvement courtesy of a new aerodynamic package.

Championship leader Jenson Button was 10th in the timesheets.

After the fastest lap of the hour-long session in cool temperatures at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit had changed hands on numerous occasions, Toyota's Jarno Trulli emerged second ahead of Force India's Adrian Sutil who had Renault's Romain Grosjean behind him.

Less than two seconds separated the 19 drivers who posted times.

The biggest problem for the one who did not - Webber - whom many observers consider to be the race favourite, is not a new engine but the lack of track time on a fast, undulating circuit considered to be one of the most demanding, and beautiful, in Formula 1.

His team-mate Sebastian Vettel, fourth in the hunt for the 2009 drivers' championship behind Webber, Brawn's Rubens Barrichello and Button, was 14th fastest.

606: DEBATE
Who is your tip for qualifying?

But, as the names at the top of the timesheets suggest, practice is not an accurate barometer of how qualifying or the race itself will pan out, and Red Bull - whose car appears perfectly suited to Spa's high-speed corners - are unlikely to be unduly worried.

Lewis Hamilton, first and second in the last two grands prix of this season, finished ninth ahead of Button.

The reigning world champion is likely to be encouraged that his McLaren - which also has the benefit of a Kers (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) power-boost system - was the fastest car through the first and last sectors of the track.

In a relatively eventful session, some cars - most notably Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and Renault's Fernando Alonso - ran wide on the run down to the challenging Rivage hairpin corner.

Tension also appeared to simmer in the Ferrari garage as race engineer Rob Smedley sought to get the best out of Luca Badoer, who is preparing for his second race as a replacement for the injured Felipe Massa.

The Italian was not the slowest man in practice either, finishing just ahead of Williams driver Kazuki Nakajima.

Qualifying is likely to be fraught in a season which is becoming increasingly open.

Eight different drivers have set the fastest lap in each of the last eight races and, more tellingly, the past five races have been won by five different drivers.

ะพ 1:16 AM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)