Montreal, 8th June 2007

Ice Hockey is the most popular sport in Canada and Kimi Raikkonen as a good Finn, is also a devotee of the game. However, both he and Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro team-mate Felipe Massa struggled a bit today when they discovered that the track surface at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve resembled that of an ice hockey ring in terms of the grip levels on offer.

At the end of three hours of free practice, held in warm conditions as Montreal finally warmed up after a cold week, it was reigning world champion Fernando Alonso who was quickest for McLaren-Mercedes. The Spaniard was the only driver to get under the 1`'17" barrier. Felipe Massa finally put together a strong lap right at the end of the afternoon session, steering his F2007 to second place, ahead of the second McLaren- Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton.


Kimi Raikkonen set the fourth quickest time, while the ever consistent BMW Sauber of Nick Heidfeld was fifth ahead of Nico Rosberg in the Williams-Toyota. The factory Toyota team did not do so well, having a difficult day as Jarno Trulli suffered two front suspension failures after riding the kerbs at Turn 8. This corner also claimed the Renault of Heikki Kovalainen who crashed in the afternoon, while the twins of Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber and Scuderia Toro Rosso's Scott Speed had to go and see the Stewards after the American ran into the back of the Australian on the very last lap.

Tomorrow, Saturday, the whole programme comes forward an hour to better suit European TV schedules, with morning free practice at 10 and qualifying at one in the afternoon local time.