Kovalainen quickest in Turkey

Eurosport - Sat, 06 Jun 14:30:00 2009

McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen enjoyed a rare afternoon at the top of the timesheets during second free practice for the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul.

2009 Bahrain GP McLaren Kovalainen - 0

The Finn lapped with a best time of one minute and 28.841 seconds, just 0.006 faster than Renault's double world champion Fernando Alonso, in the afternoon session at the Istanbul Park circuit.

The top 16 cars were separated by less than 0.8 of a second.

Williams' Nico Rosberg, preparing for his 60th Formula One start on Sunday, was quickest in the morning in 1:28.952 -- the third-best time of the day overall.

The German has now been quickest in 10 of the season's 19 practice sessions while failing to finish any higher than sixth in the six races.

"We just run less fuel than everybody else," he had said earlier when asked about the discrepancy between practice and race results.

"We look quicker than we are, so it's not important at all. We just do it because it's the best way for us to prepare for our weekend."

McLaren's world champion Lewis Hamilton was second fastest in the morning but only 13th after lunch.

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, tipped by many to end championship leader Jenson Button's run of three wins in a row this weekend, was fourth and fifth in the two sessions but was halted by a mechanical problem in the afternoon.

Ferrari's Felipe Massa, winner in Istanbul for the past three years from pole position, was fifth in the morning.

Button, winner of five of the six races so far, had a low-key start with the Mercedes-powered team working through their own pre-race programme.

The morning session was briefly red-flagged for repairs to the astroturf lining the kerbs after it was ripped up by some drivers running wide. There was no repeat of the problem in the afternoon.

Morning report

McLaren's world champion Lewis Hamilton was second fastest in the morning but only 13th after lunch after Nico Rosberg pushed Hamilton off the top of the timesheets in the final seconds.

Rosberg, preparing for his 60th Formula One start on Sunday, has now been quickest in 10 of the season's 19 practice sessions while failing to finish any higher than sixth in the six races.

"We just run less fuel than everybody else," he said when asked about the discrepancy between practice and race results.

"We look quicker than we are, so it's not important at all. We just do it because it's the best way for us to prepare for our weekend."

Rosberg's quickest lap of one minute and 28.952 seconds was 0.311 faster than McLaren's Hamilton with Toyota's Jarno Trulli third in a welcome return to form for the Japanese team after a woeful Monaco weekend.

Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, tipped by many to end championship leader Jenson Button's run of three wins in a row this weekend, was fourth fastest.

Ferrari's Felipe Massa, winner in Istanbul for the past three years from pole position, was fifth.

Button, winner of five of the six races so far, had a low-key start with the 11th fastest lap while Brazilian Brawn GP team-mate Rubens Barrichello was ninth.

BMW-Sauber failed to see an immediate boost from their new rear diffuser, with Poland's Robert Kubica 16th and Nick Heidfeld 17th.

The session was briefly red-flagged for repairs to the astroturf lining the kerbs after it was ripped up by some drivers running wide.

Reuters

Comment 65 - 84 of 84

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  1. At least Kovalainen has the satisfaction of out­ qualifying his teammate.

    From sky, on Sat 6 Jun 4:16PM

  2. Quickest???

    From Jerome, on Sat 6 Jun 1:06PM

  3. Looking Good???

    From Jerome, on Sat 6 Jun 1:05PM

  4. 14 eeth inna qalifyin . oh my

    From Francis S, on Sat 6 Jun 12:46PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

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    From WWW.PREMIERSHIP.ALTERVISTA.ORG, on Sat 6 Jun 11:38AM

  6. Yeah but Paul look at what Nicola was ranting about­ this page and the next, jeanette bolan's fake IDs­ all over the place. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat,­ Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat.

    From B.Netzer, on Sat 6 Jun 10:14AM

  7. nicola, if everyone stuck to that then i think there­ would be about 2 posts on every thread.
    On that note,­ touron, you are one big @#$%

    From paulhancock1123, on Sat 6 Jun 10:11AM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hamilton’s got a new sponsor, from the people who­ brought you the Chocolate biscuit with the Marshmallow­ centre.
    Wogon Wheels … ha ha ha ha ... F1 Loosers

    From trmx13, on Sat 6 Jun 6:17AM

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    From Alien, on Sat 6 Jun 5:56AM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    bye guys and gals and confuseds - enjoy your sandpits,­ climbing frames and other kiddies toys - off to speak­ to real people with real lives in real life

    From littlee.69123, on Sat 6 Jun 1:54AM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    bye guys and gals and confuseds - enjoy your sandpits,­ climbing frames and other kiddies toys - off to speak­ to real people with real lives in real life

    From littlee.69123, on Sat 6 Jun 1:53AM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    bye guys and gals and confuseds - enjoy your sandpits,­ climbing frames and other kiddies toys - off to speak­ to real people with real lives in real life

    From littlee.69123, on Sat 6 Jun 1:53AM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    bye guys and gals and confuseds - enjoy your sandpits,­ climbing frames and other kiddies toys - off to speak­ to real people with real lives in real life

    From littlee.69123, on Sat 6 Jun 1:53AM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    bye guys and gals and confuseds - enjoy your sandpits,­ climbing frames and other kiddies toys - off to speak­ to real people with real lives in real life

    From littlee.69123, on Sat 6 Jun 1:52AM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Helro, for many yeers I forrow Formula 1 racing.
    And­ for many yeers I forrow the Ferrari team. They the­ best. But now we have Brawn team who are velly good­ too.
    I am velly excited about this Formula 1 season. It­ much better than the adder seasons because no one know­ what will happen or who will win. I watch the race on­ the terirvision. I have the false gear stick that I­ keep in my pocket and I sometimes play with my­ gearstick during the race if I get bored. The race is­ better in the rain. Many accidents, which better for­ the terrivision speculator. I rike it when it­ rains.
    Here to the good race in Turkey. We have the­ crispy aromatic turkey if Jenson Button win again. I­ chop the turkey up with the knife chop, chop, chop,­ chop.
    Groodnight.

    From Mr Wooey Fooey, on Sat 6 Jun 1:11AM

  16. Hey Burt, go an rape ya father ya stoopid tw at , ya­ opinions stink like a his a rs e.

    From , on Sat 6 Jun 12:53AM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    the hamster is where he belongs, last.

    From Burt, on Sat 6 Jun 12:45AM

  18. hallo evary one it is a mi agin, tha f1 forum is a full­ of sh i te, jus a like mi.

    From , on Sat 6 Jun 12:32AM

  19. this make me a lot of people come on here to talk about­ f1
    but these @#$%. such as
    Touron, POTTER, The­ Master, marnio from peru, adam44kiss
    can you (yahoo)­ pls get rid of them

    no more spam!!!!!!

    From Eugene, on Sat 6 Jun 12:29AM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    "the­­­ f1 is soon to split in the two.
    on the one­ side you­­­ have the mclaren men, mr hamiltons father­ and the­­ toora­ rossers.
    on the othe other side you­ have the­­ ferrari,­ mr moseley and the green­ party."

    Good effort, just try changing the­ "toora rossers" and the "green­ party" around, then perhaps you could establish­ what exactly you are trying to argue on perhaps more­ sturdy foundations. You sir are the outrage!

    From Matthew, on Sat 6 Jun 12:17AM
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