*** 2005 Japanese Grand Prix ***

[5vz-fe]

Engine failure for Kimi Raikkonen Another ten position penalty for the Finn Kimi Raikkonen was the victim of yet another Mercedes V10 engine failure this morning in practice for the Japanese Grand Prix. The Finn, who has lost out to Fernando Alonso in this year’s Championship battle, will therefore lose ten positions on the grid for Sunday’s 53 lap race. It is the fourth time this year that Raikkonen has suffered an engine failure in the build up to race day. At Magny Cours, Silverstone and Monza he started back down the field after taking the engine change penalty. McLaren Mercedes head into the penultimate round of the Championship two points ahead of Renault in the Constructors’ Championship. In opening practice Pedro de la Rosa set the pace in the MP4-20 with Juan Pablo Montoya fifth and Raikkonen down in 13th after missing much of the running.

http://f1.racing-live.com/f1/en/head...07061235.shtml

Friday Pratice 1 Times

01 P. de la Rosa McLaren 1:30.532 23 laps
02 R. Zonta Toyota 1:31.075 16 laps
03 J. Button BAR 1:32.043 18 laps
04 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:32.229 23 laps
05 JP. Montoya McLaren 1:32.321 9 laps
06 F. Alonso Renault 1:32.370 22 laps
07 G. Fisichella Renault 1:32.470 19 laps
08 T. Sato BAR 1:32.791 20 laps
09 M. Webber Williams 1:33.098 13 laps
10 C. Klien Red Bull 1:33.139 19 laps
11 F. Massa Sauber 1:33.257 16 laps
12 V. Liuzzi Red Bull 1:33.441 22 laps
13 K. Räikkönen McLaren 1:33.486 8 laps
14 A. Pizzonia Williams 1:33.528 22 laps
15 J. Villeneuve Sauber 1:33.645 15 laps
16 R. Barrichello Ferrari 1:33.700 9 laps
17 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:33.735 10 laps
18 M. Schumacher Ferrari 1:33.886 9 laps
19 J. Trulli Toyota 1:34.535 11 laps
20 S. Yamamoto Jordan 1:36.296 23 laps
21 C. Albers Minardi 1:37.153 16 laps
22 N. Karthikeyan Jordan 1:37.154 13 laps
23 R. Doornbos Minardi 1:37.816 17 laps
24 T. Monteiro Jordan 1:38.250 17 laps

[5vz-fe]

^Haha, Ronin, looks like u are used to Kimi starting from 11th already this season.
I really don't get it, Mclearn keep saying that they will aim for manufactures champ. and yet their engines keep on failing.

[nthfinity]

watching the practice section now, i cant say im suprised with the engine change... but im sure mclaren are very happy it hasnt failed mid race lately

[sameerrao]

Good to Mikey up there. Hope the pace continues for the rest of the weekend 8)

[nthfinity]

BTW, I'm surprised to see Ferrari in the firsts position - even if it's a free session... And again, Pedro on top!!

i was too... but then i remembered that Suzuka is Bridgstones' home GP... mabey they've got some new tire they are testing??? or mabey its just a soft compound that wont last the race duration
i hope the first is true... even though i think its a farce to some degree at this point, i keep hoping that M. S. can pull off a 1rst place finish, throwing off the constructors' title

[bmagni]

seems ferrari is doing fine, hoep they keep like this for the rest fo the season

[|Nuno|]

Originally Posted by nthfinity BTW, I'm surprised to see Ferrari in the firsts position - even if it's a free session... And again, Pedro on top!! i was too... but then i remembered that Suzuka is Bridgstones' home GP... mabey they've got some new tire they are testing??? or mabey its just a soft compound that wont last the race duration i hope the first is true... even though i think its a farce to some degree at this point, i keep hoping that M. S. can pull off a 1rst place finish, throwing off the constructors' title

Nah, no new tyres according to Ross. Only an evolution of the ones used in Brazil... They said the good time is due to them being one of the few teams using fresh tyres on the second session.

[nthfinity]

Originally Posted by |Nuno| Originally Posted by nthfinity BTW, I'm surprised to see Ferrari in the firsts position - even if it's a free session... And again, Pedro on top!! i was too... but then i remembered that Suzuka is Bridgstones' home GP... mabey they've got some new tire they are testing??? or mabey its just a soft compound that wont last the race duration i hope the first is true... even though i think its a farce to some degree at this point, i keep hoping that M. S. can pull off a 1rst place finish, throwing off the constructors' title Nah, no new tyres according to Ross. Only an evolution of the ones used in Brazil... They said the good time is due to them being one of the few teams using fresh tyres on the second session.

2.1 seconds faster then session 1 is farily substantial... were they using a fresh tire in session 1?

the brazil tire seems to have been the best tire we've seen competitively since manaco... so it ought to be a good race

[nthfinity]

Originally Posted by dani_d_mas ^^^ in Indianapolis the tyres were also pretty competitive - they even won the race

wow, pretty impressive since he started from 5th on the grid too (although his race pace appeared to have similar timing to his qualifying lap)
edit:
i just noticed that the practice times being set are over 2 seconds faster then the fastest lap set last year! AMAZING

[SFDMALEX]

I have a good feeling about Suzuka and Ferrari, I think they might actually take this one.

[gis]

^^^ id be surprised if they did.they just aint had it this season.im expecting a good race from Kimi and Montoya.i think we will see either one in 1st place at the end.with a renault in there aswell

[SFDMALEX]

Originally Posted by gis ^^^ id be surprised if they did.they just aint had it this season.im expecting a good race from Kimi and Montoya.i think we will see either one in 1st place at the end.with a renault in there aswell

Lets just that if Schumi gets a top 4 qual spot I see him taking this race. Suzuka is one of the hardest technical tracks on the calendar and Schumi gets off it.

[nthfinity]

Originally Posted by SFDMALEX Originally Posted by gis ^^^ id be surprised if they did.they just aint had it this season.im expecting a good race from Kimi and Montoya.i think we will see either one in 1st place at the end.with a renault in there aswell Lets just that if Schumi gets a top 4 qual spot I see him taking this race. Suzuka is one of the hardest technical tracks on the calendar and Schumi gets off it.

and after brundles comments this week, im sure michael is out to show how its done with his amazing control

i hope your right, alex

[SFDMALEX]

Originally Posted by nthfinity his amazing control

Indeed, watching the man is just a pleasure, he is just text book right in everything he does, he is a robot.

[nthfinity]

1  17  Ralf Schumacher Toyota    1:46.106    
             
2  3  Jenson Button BAR-Honda    1:46.141    
             
3  6  Giancarlo Fisichella Renault    1:46.276    
             
4  15  Christian Klien Red Bull Racing    1:46.464    
             
5  4  Takuma Sato BAR-Honda    1:46.841    
             
6  14  David Coulthard Red Bull Racing    1:46.892    
             
7  7  Mark Webber Williams-BMW    1:47.233    
             
8  11  Jacques Villeneuve Sauber-Petronas    1:47.440    
             
9  2  Rubens Barrichello Ferrari    1:48.248    
             
10  12  Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas    1:48.278    
             
11  19  Narain Karthikeyan Jordan-Toyota    1:48.718    
             
12  8  Antonio Pizzonia Williams-BMW    1:48.898    
             
13  21  Christijan Albers Minardi-Cosworth    1:50.843    
             
14  1  Michael Schumacher Ferrari    1:52.676    
             
15  20  Robert Doornbos Minardi-Cosworth    1:52.894    
             
16  5  Fernando Alonso Renault    1:54.667    
             
17  9  Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes    2:02.309    
             
18  18  Tiago Monteiro Jordan-Toyota        
             
19  16  Jarno Trulli Toyota        
             
20  10  Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes

What an amazing Quali... definately the best/most exciting since Austrailia in the wet, superwet, and flowing river conditions

im highly impressed with m. schumachers control once the heavy rain was going, and he is clearly in a league of his own where the other top runners are two and four seconds slower in the similar heavy rain contitions!

the starting grid is going to be simply CRAZY, and i hope not to many crashes happen upon start :shock:

i would say good work for Honda/BAR and Toyota, but the were out in much less rain... so the race itself will tell how well they do. none the less... Ralf deserved a pole position just even more then Button did in that how well the toyota 'should' be doing.

with the wet tires, and if there is a possibility for a drying track, i cant wait for the race, with tire changes and all.... Super exciting IMHO