Budapest, 4th August 2006

It is always quite difficult the significance of the time sheets at the end of the two hours of free practice on Fridays at the grands prix, as teams run different programmes to suit their own particular priorities over the weekend. In addition, the Hungaroring has always thrown in the additional complication that it is usually very hot and the track is normally very dusty and dirty through lack of use. This year, an further unknown has been added to the equation, as the event celebrates its twentieth consecutive year on the Formula 1 calendar: it has been incredibly cold, with temperature barely getting into the twenties, whereas usually Budapest is one of the hottest races of the year with temperatures often reaching the 40 degrees mark. Naturally, Bridgestone and their rival have both brought tyres to deal with much hotter weather and, adding to the complexity of evaluating the behaviour of the cars, heavy overnight rain has left the track surface even "greener" than usual.

However, whatever the conditions, it is always good to top the time sheet and that is exactly what Felipe Massa did today. The Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver was the only man to dip below the 1m 22s this afternoon, having not run at all in the morning hour. Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella were second and third fastest respectively for Renault, followed Red Bull's Friday driver, Robert Doornbos. Fifth was another third driver, Anthony Davidson for Honda, with Ralf Schumacher completing the top six for Toyota. His brother Michael took the 248 F1 to eighth spot behind the second Toyota of Jarno Trulli. Usually the Friday time sheet has been topped by Robert Kubica in the BMW-Sauber. But not today, because this weekend he makes history by becoming the first Polish driver to compete in a grand prix, as he stands in for the injured Jacques Villeneuve.