Alonso fastest in Brazil practice
MOTOR RACING: SAO PAULO, Nov. 1 - Renault's Fernando Alonso set the
pace in Brazilian Grand Prix practice on Friday while home hero Felipe
Massa lapped comfortably quicker than title favourite Lewis Hamilton.
Alonso, who took his two Formula One titles at Interlagos in 2005 and
2006 but is out of the reckoning this time, set a best time of one
minute 12.296 seconds on a damp and blustery afternoon.
Ferrari's Massa was fastest in the morning in 1:12.305 and led the
timesheets after lunch until Alonso put in a late quick lap.
The Brazilian, seven points behind McLaren's Hamilton, is embarking
on the final stage of what some see as a Mission Impossible to prevent
the 23-year-old becoming Formula One's youngest champion on Sunday.
"It might only be Friday, but it's important to get off to a good
start on such an important weekend," said Massa. "We found a good set-up
for the car, which seemed to be well balanced in both sessions.
"Racing at home, with the crowd on your side, is a great motivation
for me." Hamilton, who blew his title chance in the Brazilian
season-ender last year, was second in the morning and ninth in the
afternoon after repeatedly locking his brakes on the wet track.
"Our car was blindingly quick this morning despite the cold weather,
which made the track feel quite slippery," said Hamilton.
"This afternoon we focused on our race pace but we were interrupted
by the threat of rain and the changeable wind direction." Ferrari's
outgoing champion Kimi Raikkonen, the Finn who made up a seven-point
deficit to beat the Briton by a single point in 2007, was third and
fourth respectively.
Hamilton needs only finish fifth on Sunday to be champion, even if
Massa wins his home race as expected, and will be unlikely to push too
hard in what will be the second race for his Mercedes engine.
Both the Ferraris have new engines for Brazil, a boost for their bid
to retain the constructors' championship. They lead McLaren by 11 points
with a maximum 18 to be won. "We don't have to win (the race) so that is
a pressure off our shoulders," Hamilton said after his arrival at the
circuit on Thursday.
"We have not come here to finish further down the order but we
obviously know it is not do or die."
Poland's Robert Kubica, fighting to end the season in third place for
BMW-Sauber, was fourth fastest in the morning with McLaren's Heikki
Kovalainen fifth. Toyota's Italian Jarno Trulli was third in the
afternoon.
|