Length: 5.141 km
Number of Laps: 60 (308.355 Km)
Best Lap: M. Schumacher - 1'18''731 (2004, Ferrari)
Record Pole: K. .Raikkonen - 1'18''233 (2004, Mclaren)
2005 Pole: F. Alonso - 1'19''905 (Renault)
2005 Podium: JP. Montoya - F. Alonso - K. Raikkonen

No surprise, however, is the name Michael Schumacher in top spot. The German took the Ferrari around the daunting sweeps of a somewhat cooler Silverstone in 1:20.919, the only driver to break into the 1:20’s, with a typically determined effort. Team mate Felipe Massa finished third, some sixth tenths down on Michael’s time.

Second place for Nick Heidfeld could be considered something of a surprise, but it is merely confirmation that Robert Kubicas stunning pace yesterday was no illusion. Heidfeld and Villeneuve worked hard on the cars all session before Nick’s late effort put him a clear three tenths beyond Massa. Villeneuve set eighth fastest time.

Behind the top three a close battle raged between Kimi Raikkonen and the two Renault drivers. Early in the session it looked as though Fisichella and Alonso had the legs of everyone, but they figured without the pace of the Ferrari’s and the BMW-Sauber, and eventually dropped back to fifth and sixth following a typical late banzai lap by Raikkonen that put the McLaren driver fourth. These three are covered by less than a tenth.

Rubens Barrichello again proved the quicker of the two Honda runners with a close seventh place, half a second up on 11th placed Jenson Button, while the true surprise of the session came with the ninth and tenth runners, Tonio Liuzzi and Scott Speed in the Toro Rosso’s. Having looked to be struggling yesterday the V10 cars mixed it with the big boys here, easily into the 1:22’s and looking very comfortable.

The ‘sister’ Red Bulls of David Coulthard and Christian Klien did not have such a positive session, finishing down in 12th and 14th positions, and sandwiching the impressive Tiago Monteiro in the Midland, who has a McLaren scalp as Juan Pablo Montoya could only manage 15th place.

Toyota and Williams are either holding back for qualifying or struggling for pace, as Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher set 16th and 19th fastest with the two Williams of Webber and Rosberg between them, while the last three runners all experienced problems, and while it is doubtful Franck Montagny and Takuma Sato could have coaxed anything more than last two places out of the Super Aguri, Christijan Albers was forced to sit out the session in the potentially quick Midland.

So an interesting scene is set for qualifying. Do the Ferrari’s really have the legs of the Renault? Can Raikkonen get his recalcitrant McLaren among them, and will BMW-Sauber spring the surprise of the season?