Length: 4.411 km
Number of Laps: 70 (308.586 Km)
Best Lap: M. Schumacher - 1'15''377 (2004, Ferrari)
Record Pole: F. Alonso - 1'13''698 (2004, Renault)
2005 Pole: F. Alonso - 1'14''412 (Renault)
2005 Podium: F. Alonso - K. Raikkonen - M. Schumacher

Robert Kubica, as has become almost a foregone conclusion this season, ruled the roost in style in the BMW-Sauber, leading the pack home with a 1:16.794, almost four-tenths ahead of a hard trying Anthony Davidson in the Honda. The young Polish driver must surely be top of the shopping lists by now.

Jenson Button put in a last minute effort (thanks Jenson, nice to see a ‘name’ driver out there) to snatch third place for Honda, too, his 1:18.1s a long way from Davidson, but it was his only time of the session.

Kudos, too, to Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli who both came out for the last ten minutes; the German posted fourth fastest, the Italian 12th.

Of the rest, Adrian Sutil again impressed in the Midland, fifth place a fine effort among the competition, Neel Jani started a busy weekend with sixth in the Toro Rosso, and Alex Wurz could not get any pace out of the Williams and finished seventh, a long way from the pace.

All three Super Aguri’s had a run, Sakon Yamamoto’s ending out on the circuit (well, one Aguri is almost guaranteed to do so) and the two Midland boys, Monteiro and Albers, had cursory runs, too.

So, as is the norm, very little of note to report from Friday morning; please join us later on for the second, hopefully more interesting, session.