Alonso retains advantage in practice two 15 Jun 2007
The usual front four, then a closely-matched chasing pack
McLaren’s Fernando Alonso remained in charge at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Friday’s second practice session for the United States Grand Prix.
Conditions were not quite as good as they were in the morning. Even though more rubber had gone down the track was still very slippery and several people slid off during the hour and a half.
Alonso lapped his MP4-22 in 1m 12.156s, compared with his 1m 11.925s this morning, but Lewis Hamilton staged an improvement to 1m 12.309s to take second place just ahead of the Ferraris. Felipe Massa was third on 1m 12.435s and Kimi Raikkonen fourth on 1m 12.587s. That was a boost for the red cars, and moved them clear of the morning’s upstart, Nick Heidfeld in the BMW Sauber.
The German was one who had a couple of off-road adventures, but claimed fifth with 1m 13.026s ahead of David Coulthard who wheeled his Red Bull round in 1m 13.042s. Right behind them was Nico Rosberg in the Williams on 1m 13.057s, then came Renault’s Heikki Kovalainen (1m 13.110s), then Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button in the Hondas (1m 13.144s and 1m 13.202s).
BMW Sauber stand-in Sebastian Vettel (1m 13.217s) dropped from his fourth place in the morning to 11th, followed by Red Bull’s Mark Webber (1m 13.263s), Toro Rosso’s Tonio Liuzzi (1m 13.332s), Super Aguri’s Anthony Davidson (1m 13.364s), Renault’s Giancarlo Fisichella (1m 13.394s), Williams’ Alex Wurz (1m 13.539s), Toyota’s Jarno Trulli (1m 13.692s), Toro Rosso’s Scott Speed (1m 13.712s), Super Aguri’s Takuma Sato (1m 13.753s) and Toyota’s Ralf Schumacher (1m 13.765s).
In case you hadn’t noticed, that’s 16 cars covered by just 0.739s!
At the back, Christijan Albers aced Spyker team mate Adrian Sutil this time, with 1m 14.225s to 1m 14.513s.
It looks like things are going to be very close on Saturday.
