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| May 13, 2006 | Saturday | Rabi-us-Sani 14, 1427 |
Schumacher and Alonso top times
BARCELONA, May 12: Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher look set for another duel after posting fast times in practice on Friday for the Spanish Grand Prix.
Most of the top drivers skipped the morning's first practice as wet conditions limited track time.
But in the afternoon session, Alonso was the fastest of the race drivers with a time of 1 minute, 16.860 seconds, while Schumacher clocked 1:17.100. Test drivers Anthony Davidson (1:16.533) and Robert Doornbos (1:16.624 ) were quickest, but they will not race.
The second fastest race driver was Red Bull’s Christien Klien in 1:17.086. Red Bull had earlier denied that Klien was to be replaced by Doornbos at the Monaco GP on May 28 after he failed to finish the last four races.
There are no discussions of any driver changes,'' Red Bull sporting director Christian Horner said.
''The problem in the first five races was not Christian, it was the car.''
In the morning session, Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Schumacher went out briefly for one timed lap, recording the top two times among nine drivers. Fastest time of the morning went to Massa with 1:15.796, followed by Schumacher at 1:16.099.
Alonso, who last year became the youngest driver and first Spaniard to win the Formula One title, did not take part as the Renault team held off.
He has finished behind Schumacher in the last two races after winning two of the first three GPs this season.
Alonso leads the championship after five races with 44 points, followed by Schumacher at 31.
There is another practice Saturday morning, with qualifying in the afternoon.
The 60-lap race on Sunday is on the 4.627-kilometer (2.875-mile) circuit.
Alonso fined US$2,000
Spaniard Fernando Alonso has been fined 2,000 dollars on Friday after breaking the pit lane speed limit during the first free practice session for this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix.
World drivers' champion Alonso, 24, who drives for Renault, only completed one installation lap during the session.
But he was found to have broken article 101 of Formula One's sporting regulations after having his speed recorded at 68.5 kilometres per hour and was handed the fine.—Agencies
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