The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Massa sets the pace

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Saturday, Aug 05, 2006

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Sport - Racing : Motor

Massa sets the pace

BUDAPEST : Fernando Alonso beat Formula One rival Michael Schumacher in Friday's practice sessions at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

On a cool and overcast day, Alonso took second in the afternoon session in 1 minute, 23.097 seconds at the twisting Hungaroring circuit. Schumacher was eighth in 1:23.931.

Ferrari's Felipe Massa led with a time of 1:21.778. However, teams experiment with tyres and settings before Saturday's qualifying.

In the morning, both Alonso and Schumacher took it easy, barely going out. Schumacher did only five laps and Alonso zero. Kimi Raikkonen, who won last year's race, led the morning session in 1:21.624, but was 25th in the afternoon.

Kubica misses practice

Robert Kubica, usually at the top of Friday practices as a test driver, sat out the morning session and was 10th in the second session. He was promoted to race for BMW-Sauber team to replace Jacques Villeneuve, who crashed at the German GP but did not appear to be hurt.

In three of the last four Friday practices, Kubica, who will become the first Polish driver to race in Formula One, finished first.

There is another practice session Saturday morning before the qualifying in the afternoon.

Sunday's race is 70 laps of the 4.381 km circuit. — AP

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