Written by:
Kevin Krefting
Fisichella edged Massa by 0.071 to top the Friday charts at Suzuka. (LAT Photo)
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Renault and Ferrari showed that this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix should be an extension of this year's title battle as the French and Italian teams swept the top-four positions in the first day of practice at Suzuka.
The "number two" drivers were the ones shining, however, with Giancarlo Fisichella posting a best lap of 1:34.337, leading Felipe Massa by just 0.071. Title contenders Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso came next, trialing Fisichella by 0.2s and 0.5s respectively.
Honda's Anthony Davidson completed the top-five, ahead of BMW's Sebastien Vettel. The Briton had paced the morning practice session, in which only 11 cars logged official lap times due to the very wet conditions.
Scott Speed posted the 21st-best time in the afternoon, after being sixth in the morning session, when Scuderia Toro Rosso third driver Neel Jani was second. Speed's racing teammate Vitantonio Liuzzi was 20th, a scant 0.060 ahead of the American.
Japanese Grand Prix – Practice 2 times:
1) Fisichella, Renault (M), 1:34.337
2) Massa, Ferrari (B), 1:34.408 + 0.071
3) M.Schumacher, Ferrari (B), 1:34.565 + 0.228
4) Alonso, Renault (M), 1:34.863 + 0.526
5) Davidson, Honda (M), 1:34.906 + 0.569
6) Vettel, BMW-Sauber (M), 1:34.912 + 0.575
7) Button, Honda (M), 1:35.002 + 0.665
8) de la Rosa, McLaren-Mercedes (M), 1:35.064 + 0.727
9) Trulli, Toyota (B), 1:35.343 + 1.006
10) Raikkonen, McLaren-Mercedes (M), 1:35.367 + 1.030
11) R.Schumacher, Toyota (B), 1:35.375 + 1.038
12) Ammermuller, Red Bull-Ferrari (M), 1:35.433 + 1.096
13) Barrichello, Honda (M), 1:35.528 + 1.191
14) Webber, Williams-Cosworth (B), 1:35.866 + 1.529
15) Rosberg, Williams-Cosworth (B), 1:36.176 + 1.839
16) Albers, Spyker MF1-Toyota (B), 1:36.180 + 1.843
17) Wurz, Williams-Cosworth (B), 1:36.234 + 1.897
18) Kubica, BMW-Sauber (M), 1:36.299 + 1.962
19) Montagny, Super Aguri-Honda (B), 1:37.354 + 3.017
20) Liuzzi, Toro Rosso-Cosworth (M), 1:37.441 + 3.104
21) Speed, Toro Rosso-Cosworth (M), 1:37.501 + 3.164
22) Coulthard, Red Bull-Ferrari (M), 1:37.596 + 3.259
23) Monteiro, Spyker MF1-Toyota (B), 1:37.702 + 3.365
24) Jani, Toro Rosso-Cosworth (M), 1:37.741 + 3.404
25) Doornbos, Red Bull-Ferrari (M), 1:37.788 + 3.451
26) Sato, Super Aguri-Honda (B), 1:38.533 + 4.196
27) Heidfeld, BMW-Sauber (M), 1:38.779 + 4.442
28) Yamamoto, Super Aguri-Honda (B), 1:38.955 + 4.618
29) Sutil, Spyker MF1-Toyota (B), 1:43.914 + 9.577
Practice 1 times:
1) Davidson, Honda (M), 1:45.349
2. Jani, Toro Rosso-Cosworth (M), 1:46.138 + 0.789
3) Vettel, BMW-Sauber (M), 1:46.585 + 1.236
4) Ammermuller, Red Bull-Ferrari (M), 1:47.162 + 1.813
5) Sutil, Spyker MF1-Toyota (B), 1:47.773 + 2.424
6) Speed, Toro Rosso-Cosworth (M), 1:47.814 + 2.465
7) Albers, Spyker MF1-Toyota (B), 1:47.838 + 2.489
8) Montagny, Super Aguri-Honda (B), 1:47.918 + 2.569
9) Wurz, Williams-Cosworth (B), 1:47.919 + 2.570
10) Sato, Super Aguri-Honda (B), 1:48.042 + 2.693
11) Yamamoto, Super Aguri-Honda (B), 1:50.479 + 5.130
12) Webber, Williams-Cosworth (B), No time
13) Rosberg, Williams-Cosworth (B), No time
14) Raikkonen, McLaren-Mercedes (M), No time
15) Liuzzi, Toro Rosso-Cosworth (M), No time
16) Doornbos, Red Bull-Ferrari (M), No time
17) Kubica, BMW-Sauber (M), No time
18) Coulthard, Red Bull-Ferrari (M), No time
19) Alonso, Renault (M), No time
20) Heidfeld, BMW-Sauber (M), No time
21) Fisichella, Renault (M), No time
22) Monteiro, Spyker MF1-Toyota (B), No time
23) de la Rosa, McLaren-Mercedes (M), No time
24) Barrichello, Honda (M), No time
25) Trulli, Toyota (B), No time
26) R.Schumacher, Toyota (B), No time
27) Button, Honda (M), No time
28) M.Schumacher, Ferrari (B), No time
29) Massa, Ferrari (B), No time
