Length: 5.338 km
Number of Laps: 58 (309.356 Km)
Best Lap: JP. Montoya - 1'24''770 (2005, Mclaren)
Record Pole: K. Raikkonen - 1'19''146 (2005, Mclaren)
2005 Pole: K. Raikkonen - 1'26''797 (Mclaren)
2005 Podium: K. Raikkonen - F. Alonso - JP. Montoya

True to form, the first fifteen minutes saw the 'Friday' drivers setting the pace, with young Sebastian Vettel having his moment of glory as the BMW-Sauber newcomer topped the timesheets with quarter of the session gone. Soon, however, and earlier than is the norm, the big-shots came out for a run.

First to give it a go were the Ferrari duo, with Felipe Massa and Michael Schumacher each lowering the bar, the German finally settling with a 1:29.224 as the half hour mark approached. Not far behind him was Jenson Button, the in-form Englishman just a tenth away from the Ferrari.

The status quo remained so for a short while before another gaggle of front runners took to the tarmac, headed by the two McLarens of Kimi Raikkonen, quickest this morning, and Pedro de la Rosa.

With twenty minutes of the session left it was the Spanish stand-in de la Rosa who headed the list with a time just one tenth away from breaking into the 1:28's, and the challenge was duly accepted.

Pedro's first sector time had been nothing short of sensational and first to try and match it, with just fifteen minutes remaining, was the World Champion, Fernando Alonso. Match it, however, he could not, the Renault driver either opting not to show his true pace or suffering from the loss of the banned 'mass damper' system that the French outfit had perfected so well.

At the same time Rubens Barrichello proved that the Honda has genuine pace here, putting in a series of times just shy of team mate Button, the Brazilian no doubt mindful that it could have been him atop the Hungary podium but for a disastrous decision to start on full wet tyres.

Worthy of mention at the three quarter point was the performance of Giorgio Mondini, the young Swiss rightfully regarded as one of the F1 'coming men' along with the likes of Vettel, Robert Kubica, Nico Rosberg and others, as he put the MF1 Racing machine within sixth tenths of the fastest time at that point in the session.

With ten minutes left the Toyota twins came out for a serious look, the TF106 wearing a new front wing set up described as a 'significant improvement'. The first runs of both Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher elevated them into the top ten, within shouting distance of a very good time indeed.

As the top dogs began to come out for their final runs, led by de la Rosa, so did Sebastian Vettel. Perhaps mindful of predecessor Kubica's customary top spot on Fridays, the very impressive young German immediately set a time that took him half a second clear of the next man, with fastest times in each sector so far.

With five minutes left on the clock Michael Schumacher found the BMW-Sauber drivers time hard to match, as did de la Rosa, Anthony Davidson in the Honda, and everyone else on track. Kimi Raikkonen, however, had other ideas.

The Finn, untouchable in the race here last year, could make no notable impression, and Felipe Massa in the Ferrari fell short by just over a tenth of a second on his first attempt.

Two minutes left and suddenly the track swarmed with drivers on a final attack, including the pace setter Vettel, and it has to be said that the strength of the opposition looked certain to overhaul the new kid on the block.

Jenson Button suddenly looked the man 'most likely to' as the seconds ticked away, the Honda almost as quick as Vettel in sector one. His second and third sectors were slower, and it was left to Davidson in the sister car to mount an attack. Again, the challenge faltered and, as the flag fell it seemed that BMW have supplied us with another rising star to stand alongside Robert Kubica as a claimant to the F1 crown.

Germany, then, has another hero standing in line to step into the shoes of Michael Schumacher. Vettel finished less than one tenth faster than Massa, but faster none the less.

The order behind them read as follows: Button and Davidson for Honda, Schumachers Ralf, for Toyota, and Michael, just ahead of Robert Doornbos in the Red Bull, the Dutchman something of a 'forgotten man' among the current crop of incomers, yet a very fast and competent racing driver indeed. Raikkonen and de la Rosa for Mclaren and Barrichello in third Honda made up the top ten.

In eleventh place stood the impressive Mondini, just ahead of Alonso in the lacklustre Renault and Neel Jani and Scott speed in the quicker of the Toro Rosso's, with Jarno Trulli next in the second Toyota.

A strong showing by Franck Montagny put the Super Aguri an amazing 16th, with team mates Takuma Sato and Sakon Yamamoto down in 24th and 25th places. Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, in the 'race' BMW-Saubers, kept running to a minimum to record 17th and 27th best times.

Easy to forget this session were Giancarlo Fisichella, the Italian able to run only 18th fastest, and looking in trouble also were the Williams trio with Alex Wurz, Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg in 19th, 21st and 23rd positions respectively, and not short of running either.

Tonio Liuzzi finished 20th in the Toro Rosso, in close company with the 'sister' Red Bulls of Christian Klien (22nd) and David Coulthard in 28th place, while the two MF1 race drivers occupied 26th and 29th positions, Tiago Monteiro marginally not quite as slow as Christijan Albers.

There is no doubt, despite the aid of soft tyres and low fuel loads, that Sebastian Vettel has marked himself out as a true star of the future here today, although attention now turns to qualifying tomorrow and the race on Sunday, when Ferrari will be looking to pitch Michael Schumacher closer to Fernando Alonso in the title race. Renault looked in trouble today, while Ferrari appears to be quicker, with McLaren and Honda looking like true dark horses for the Turkish Grand Prix.

For now, though, the moment belongs to Sebastian Vettel who upheld the BMW-Sauber Friday honour and elevated his name into the ranks of the stars.