Friday Practice: Massa Fastest In First Practice

Fridays first practice session came to a close with the two-championship contenders at the top of board, Massa pipping Hamilton by just under two-tenths of a second.  A stunning drive from both championship contenders saw them finish with a 1-2.

Despite Massa ending the session ahead of the McLaren driver, it was Lewis Hamilton who set the initial target, one that Massa struggled to match in the early stages.  However, as the session went on Massa inched closer and closer until, with only six-minutes remaining, the F2008 managed to demote the McLaren to second position with a lead of 0.19s.

No doubt that the win in first practice will be a massive psychological boost to the Brazilian as he looks to overhaul Hamilton's seven-point lead as they head in to the season finale.

The weather at Interlagos started with a very unpredictable cloud-covered sky, dry but cold track.

It was the Torro Rosso's that topped the timing screens but their efforts were in vain as Hamilton hit the track and took over second off the top time. The Brit was soon joined by Massa and he got to within 0.062s of his title rival before rain began to spit at certain corners of the track and the drivers backed off respectively.

The track never really recovered and even with just thirty minutes remaining, the track didn't look as though it was going to get any better.  Some of the drivers, including, Alonso, Rosberg and Fisichella all struggled to find any grip at some of the faster corners.

As Massa hot the track again, his F2008 found some time in the dryer sector of the track and he managed to find another hundredth of a second, bringing the margin down to 0.47s.

After a few errors from Kimi Raikkonen, the Finn manged to find something within his F2008 and managed to split Hamilton and Massa pushing the "home boy" down to third.

With only six minutes remaining though Massa but in a simply stunning lap, finding traction throughout the track and put in a 1m12.305s which saw him top the time screen and push the 23-year old Brit into second.

The Times at the End of Practice One were:

1.  MASSA         Ferrari       1m12.305s
2.  HAMILTON      McLaren       1m12.495s
3.  RAIKKONEN     Ferrari       1m12.507s
4.  KUBICA        BMW           1m12.874s
5.  KOVALAINEN    McLaren       1m12.925s
6.  ALONSO        Renault       1m13.061s
7.  WEBBER        Red Bull      1m13.298s
8.  PIQUET        Renault       1m13.378s
9.  HEIDFELD      BMW           1m13.426s
10. GLOCK         Toyota        1m13.466s
11. TRULLI        Toyota        1m13.600s
12. ROSBERG       Williams      1m13.621s
13. BOURDAIS      Toro Rosso    1m13.649s
14. BARRICHELLO   Honda         1m13.676s
15. BUTTON        Honda         1m13.766s
16. NAKAJIMA      Williams      1m13.806s
17. VETTEL        Toro Rosso    1m13.836s
18. COULTHARD     Red Bull      1m13.861s
19. SUTIL         Force India   1m14.704s
20. FISICHELLA    Force India   1m14.821s

With thanks to ITV for the final times.