Italian Grand Prix Tomorrow, Ferrari Shines In Free Practice

Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 2:56 pm under Sports News Italian Grand Prix Tomorrow, Ferrari Shines In Free Practice

MONZA, Italy: Defending drivers world champion Kimi Raikkonen of Finland wound up fastest in the Friday afternoon session on the opening day of practice for Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix.

The 28-year-old Ferrari driver gave the few fans who had sat through hours of torrential rain for a brief respite of sunshine something to cheer with his driving in a delayed second session.

Raikkonen, who has stubbornly refused to abandon his hopes of defending his title despite being 19 points behind leader Briton Lewis Hamilton of McLaren Mercedes, topped the times with a best lap of one minute and 23.861 seconds.

This lifted him clear of nearest rival Pole Robert Kubica of BMW Sauber and his team-mate German Nick Heidfeld who proved, by taking second and third places, on this pure ‘power’ circuit that they may upset the top teams in Sunday’s race.

Hamilton was fourth fastest and his McLaren team-mate Finn Heikki Kovalainen was seventh behind sixth-placed Brazilian Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari.

The top ten were separated by less than a second, but it was too much for two-time champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso who struggled to clock the 18th best time in his Renault.

Today, drivers will take track for pool position while the Italian Grand Prix will be held on Sunday.