Alonso tops final practice in Monaco

Eurosport - Sat, 23 May 14:24:00 2009

Renault's Fernando Alonso topped final practice for the Monaco Grand Prix from Jenson Button of Brawn GP and McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen.

FORMULA 1 2009 - People watch as Renault's Fernando Alonso takes a curve during the second practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo - 0

Alonso sealed top spot with a run of one minute 15.164 seconds with less than two minutes remaining of the hour-long session.

Kovalainen's team-mate Lewis Hamilton had a firm grip on P1 for the majority of the run-out but the reigning world champion was edged out by 2007 champ Kimi Raikkonen with 13 minutes to go.

Britain's World Championship leader Button then went fastest and seemed set to grab the headlines before Alonso pulled out his hot lap to jump up from second.

The top drivers in the morning session before afternoon qualifying were all on super-soft tyres, with the majority including Button changing to them late to gain an advantage.

Hamilton ultimately finished in seventh with Finn Kovalainen shooting up the order to pip Brawn's Rubens Barrichello to a top-three spot and the improving Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen - who was also in P1 for a spell - and Felipe Massa also ahead of the Briton.

Despite the solid performance of Brawn yet again, the timesheet will make positive reading for McLaren and Ferrari teams who have struggled to cope with the new regulations this season and have high hopes of turning the form book on its head this weekend on the narrow Monte Carlo streets.

However Alonso's team-mate Nelson Piquet Jr, desperate to make it through to Q1 after well-documented problems with qualifying in his debut season, struggled down in 15th.

Driver's championship hopeful Sebastian Vettel could only make it as far as eighth in his Red Bull while Mark Webber was 10th in the other RB5 behind Nico Rosberg, who topped second practice.

His Williams team-mate Kazuki Nakajima was 11th ahead of Adrian Sutil, whose form must be pleasing Force India owner Vijay Mallya.

Sutil's team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella was 14th behind Sebastien Bourdais in the Toro Rosso, while their other driver Sebastien Buemi was 16th.

And there was more woe for struggling BMW and Toyota, with their drivers filling the bottom four spaces.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport

Comment 2 - 21 of 21

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  1. Alonso you are the best enjoy the race!!!!!!

    From zita_brault, on Sat 23 May 3:55PM

  2. Hooray, hooray, hooray!!! Robot's Kube is THIRD ­ fastest again from LAST in Qualifying 1!!! No wonder­ they­ used to call him Taxicab King in Polska/Poland!!!­ How wonderful!!! Hahahaha!!!

    From Chung Liong, on Sat 23 May 1:30PM

  3. Hooray, hooray, hooray!!! Robot's Kube is THIRD ­ fastest again from LAST in Qualifying 1!!! No wonder­ they­ used to call him Taxicab King in Polska/Poland!!!­ How wonderful!!! Hahahaha!!!

    From Chung Liong, on Sat 23 May 1:30PM

  4. Eat Brit rubber Yogesh

    From mick b, on Sat 23 May 1:00PM

  5. Oi yogi bear! We were doing so well up til now. We were­ actually all talking about F1 with out insulting­ anyone. It was a refreshing.
    Vettel is a talented­ driver, there's no doubt about it. I hope he can­ win a championship but i would still put my money on­ Button. He deserves it and has been driving­ brilliantly.
    Once everything settles down with the­ politics the years ahead are gonna be epic. And thats­ when you'll have your Vettel champion.
    Tausand­ Bussi

    From andymiller68, on Sat 23 May 12:59PM

  6. yogesh w, u r a complete c**k

    From wayneconder, on Sat 23 May 12:46PM

  7. Monaco could be the Button and Hamilton show,­ especially if it rains this year. I've loved­ watching Vettel, Barichello and Webber aswell this­ year. Its nice to be talking about drivers rather than­ which constuctor they currently race for. I hope F1­ sticks to its guns and includes a budget cap next year­ to encourage new teams to join and give a level playing­ field to brilliant drivers.

    From mgh0302, on Sat 23 May 12:37PM

  8. go Jenson. this season is yours. win the race!

    From vardbh9, on Sat 23 May 11:58AM

  9. Fernando yet again proving how much he brings out of­ that car. Not running on fumes, he clocked the best­ time in his 3rd or 4th hotlap. He should be challenging­ for a podium this weekend.

    From Jez, on Sat 23 May 11:37AM

  10. Mac the fact is that the tyres are taking upto 2 extra­ laps to realy work well so a single lap specalist is­ going to have more problems. But it is just free­ pratice, lets see what they all do when qualy comes­ along.
    I dont think for one second that what we have­ seen in free practice will be the same as what we see­ when its qualy time. That being said it would be­ intresting to see say massa, lewis, alonso and perhaps­ a red bull up front and the brawns next. But above all­ we need a better race than we saw in spain with­ overtaking not something Monaco is known for.

    From Demo, on Sat 23 May 11:36AM

  11. Hooray, hooray, hooray!!! Robot's Kube is THIRD ­ fastest from LAST in free Practice 3!!! No wonder they­­ used to call him Taxicab King in Polska/Poland!!! ­ Hahahaha!!!

    From Chung Liong, on Sat 23 May 11:32AM

  12. The thing about Monaco is it is less about the car and­ more about the driver. Although it is almost impossible­ to pass it is probably the hardest course to drive. To­ win,
    first you have to qualify on or close to the­ front row and then not make any mistakes.
    One slip up­ and it is race over. I predict a Hamilton, Button and­ Alonso podium.

    From simon, on Sat 23 May 11:32AM

  13. VAMOS ASTURIAN!!

    From stavros h, on Sat 23 May 11:31AM

  14. VAMOS FERNANDO!!!

    From stavros h, on Sat 23 May 11:30AM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    677

    From susan4campbell, on Sat 23 May 11:29AM

  16. Good Luck Fernando Alonso!!! Go Saints go!!! Up &­ On!!!

    From Chung Liong, on Sat 23 May 11:28AM

  17. CONGRATULATIONS TO DOUBLE WORLD CHAMP­ ,,,,,,,,,ALONSO

    LETS HOPE HE CAN SUCCEED TO WIN THE­ RACE

    From susan4campbell, on Sat 23 May 11:24AM

  18. A low fuel run methinks!

    From markrose260, on Sat 23 May 11:22AM

  19. its these damn tyres some teams seem able to make them­ last but some cars just cant do more than 1 lap im­ looking at trulli the master of a 1lap but look where­ he is at the bottom of the pack

    From robert, on Sat 23 May 11:21AM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    hello dave­ :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):­ ):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)­ :):):):):)

    From beynon972, on Sat 23 May 10:54AM
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