GP Spain 2008

[Catriel]

F1 arrives to Europe, and here starts the season for many teams, the first improvements show up in the cars.

Friday Practice:
Ferrari and Kimi were faster during friday, Renault improved a lot, same Force India, Toyota and Williams a small step back.
In the first practice these were the first times:

1 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:20.649 17
2 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:20.699 0.050 9
3 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:21.192 0.543 20
4 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:21.568 0.919 20
5 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:21.758 1.109 10
6 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:21.933 1.284 18
7 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:21.936 1.287 21
8 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:22.118 1.469


Later, Williams advanced and Renault felt more confortable but Kimi still the faster:
1 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:21.935 38
2 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:22.019 0.084 38
3 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:22.032 0.097 26
4 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:22.172 0.237 35
5 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:22.229 0.294 32
6 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:22.238 0.303 36
7 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:22.266 0.331 33
8 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:22.289 0.354 30
9 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:22.383 0.448 38
10 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:22.548 0.613 38


Saturday Practice:
According to times, it seems many teams like Ferrari and McLaren were testing brakes, tyres, etc, because you see Coulthard in an amazing second potition, but he did not manage to pass first qualy:
1 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:21.269 19
2 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:21.465 0.196 16
3 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:21.599 0.330 16
4 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:21.717 0.448 23
5 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:21.771 0.502 21
6 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:21.942 0.673 19
7 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:21.992 0.723 18
8 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:22.060 0.791 17
9 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:22.075 0.806 16
10 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:22.081 0.812 23

[Catriel]

Qualy

Pos No Driver Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Laps
1 1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1:20.701 1:20.784 1:21.813
2 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:21.347 1:20.804 1:21.904
3 2 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:21.528 1:20.584 1:22.058
4 4 Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 1:21.423 1:20.597 1:22.065
5 22 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:21.366 1:20.825 1:22.096
6 23 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 1:21.430 1:20.817 1:22.231
7 10 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1:21.494 1:20.984 1:22.429
8 11 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:21.158 1:20.907 1:22.529
9 3 Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1:21.466 1:20.815 1:22.542
10 6 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 1:21.409 1:20.894 1:22.699
11 17 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:21.548 1:21.049
12 8 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 1:21.690 1:21.117
13 16 Jenson Button Honda 1:21.757 1:21.211
14 12 Timo Glock Toyota 1:21.427 1:21.230
15 7 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 1:21.472 1:21.349
16 14 Sebastien Bourdais STR-Ferrari 1:21.540 1:21.724
17 9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 1:21.810
18 15 Sebastian Vettel STR-Ferrari 1:22.108
19 21 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 1:22.516
20 20 Adrian Sutil Force India-Ferrari 1:23.224
21 19 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 1:23.318
22 18 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:23.496

There is not such a difference between the first and the last, but these small pieces of second made the difference.
Force India starts back but they seem strong. Coulthard failed to pass the first qualy. Alonso in an outstanding second place!! His partner Piquet also entered the top ten, that means it was Renault what really improved.
Kubica always good in qualies, the McLarens starts from row 3. Webber and Trulli always making good qualies, and it´s weird to see Heidfeld in potition 9.
Honda and Williams exactly in the middle of the grid.

Raikkonen still the faster, another pole potition for him, heading to win and retain the leading.

[Bruce]

Great race for Kimi!
Kovalainen´s accident was really impressive, it remind me Schumacher in Silverstone 99, but fortunately he did not broke his legs and he will be racing in Turk