Monaco Session 2 Practice

[Ninja_Wookie]

Fernando Alonso fired a warning shot to his rivals by ending Thursday's free practice sessions for the Monaco Grand Prix fastest of all.

The Renault star is looking for a win in the Principality to re-establish his grip on F1 after two races where someone else has set the pace.

Alonso was comprehensively beaten by Kimi Raikkonen in Spain, but although Renault has brought a substantially revised aero package to Monaco, the world championship leader's time was set with his car unchanged.

The only other man capable of dipping below the 1m16s bracket was McLaren test driver Alex Wurz.

David Coulthard starred for Red Bull Racing by setting the third fastest time, while his team-mate Vitantonio Liuzzi also impressed in seventh place.

The Red Bulls, bedecked in Star Wars caper to promote today's opening of Revenge of the Sith, look well capable of springing a surprise this weekend.

Giancarlo Fisichella was fourth quickest, the Italian quietly working through his programme without doing anything spectacular.

Juan Pablo Montoya once again outpaced McLaren team-mate Kimi Raikkonen as both McLarens looked fast and consistent over long runs in the afternoon session.

Felipe Massa impressed until he clouted the wall at Ste Devote late in the session.

The Sauber driver, one of three to visit the barriers in the second session, locked his right-front under braking for the first corner and lost control, smiting the tyre wall side-on.

His car suffered surprisingly light damage.

Still the Brazilian was eighth fastest, more than half a second faster than his team-mate Jacques Villeneuve (14th).

Ralf Schumacher was the leading Toyota driver in ninth, the team clearly not the force it has been in other races this season. Test driver Ricardo Zonta was tenth.

Another team that didn't look forceful was Ferrari.

Both Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello had problems at the chicane – the Brazilian actually spinning – and could manage no better than 11th and 15th best times.

Mark Webber was 12th for Williams ahead of last year's winner Jarno Trulli.

Nick Heidfeld was 15th ahead of Christian Klien who smashed the nose of his Red Bull after spinning on the exit of Casino Square.

Christijan Albers made the same mistake in his Minardi, although he hit the outside barrier.

Jordan test driver Robert Doornbos is the only one in the team with Monaco experience and for the second time today was faster than regulars Tiago Monteiro and Narain Karthikeyan.

So for that matter was Minardi's Patrick Friesacher, who was 19th fastest.


Friday's second free practice times from Monaco

1. ALONSO Renault 1m15.835s
2. WURZ McLaren 1m15.912s
3. COULTHARD Red Bull 1m16.184s
4. FISICHELLA Renault 1m16.519s
5. MONTOYA McLaren 1m16.534s
6. RAIKKONEN McLaren 1m16.558s
7. LIUZZI Red Bull 1m16.640s
8. MASSA Sauber 1m16.914s
9. R.SCHUMACHER Toyota 1m16.917s
10. ZONTA Toyota 1m17.046s
11. M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari 1m17.170s
12. WEBBER Williams 1m17.422s
13. TRULLI Toyota 1m17.487s
14. VILLENEUVE Sauber 1m17.506s
15. BARRICHELLO Ferrari 1m17.663s
16. HEIDFELD Williams 1m17.667s
17. KLIEN Red Bull 1m18.815s
18. DOORNBOS Jordan 1m19.526s
19. FRIESACHER Minardi 1m19.587s
20. MONTEIRO Jordan 1m20.284s
21. KARTHIKEYAN Jordan 1m21.879s
22. ALBERS Minardi 1m22.162s