Timo Glock may have snuck in the fastest time of anyone during free practice in Japan this morning, but in the all-important championship title battle, Lewis Hamilton edged Ferrari’s Felipe Massa on the time sheet. If only by three hundreths of a second.
It’s going to be a close run thing between the two throughout the whole weekend, and you get the feeling that if one of them makes even the slightest error – or a big one, like ripping a fuel rig out or beaching themselves in a gravel trap for example – that the other will be quick to capitalise on it.
They both look supremely confident on track and in interviews, with neither of them giving anything away. If there’s nerves there then they’re not showing them.
Lewis was even crowd-pleasing during free practice with some tail-sliding, which always puts a smile on the Top Gear office’s face at least.
Renault’s Fernando Alonso continued with his car’s new found form to occupy the second spot, just 0.043s shy of Glock, and Kimi Raikkonen kept to himself in fifth.
We’re certianly amped up for qualifying tomorrow – live on telly at 5:15am if you’re man enough – and getting very twitchy for the race.
After I jinxed Lewis last year I’m not going to make any calls about who’s going to win, but you are more than welcome too…
“Who’s going to win”? way too early to tell yet. Besides, you know how it is – hamilton takes practice, Massa takes quali, and then whoever doesn’t cause an incident wins.
So deciding who’s going to win between hamilton and massa is a bit like flipping a coin. I’d do so, but if i say hamilton is heads and it lands on tails, and then Massa wins on sunday, i’ll never forgive myself.
If saying who wins causes them to lose then I say Massa will win.
He will win the season.
;D
It was rather hard to tell the difference between the prime and option tyres because of the stupid green stripes on the tyres.
McLaren were faster this morning but I think Ferrari will have the edge come the race. Unless it rains, which doesn’t look likely.
Jamie Hibbard? – the same jamie hibbard that has previously written for MBUK and Metal Hammer? now doing F1 race coverage?
due to the smooth surface at fuji i’m predicting that massa will probably come to his usual mistake ridden form. I hope ferrari get rid of their semi automated pit release for this race, if they dont then i’m giving the race to lewis. other than that, come on honda, finish a race!
Yup, that’s me.
I think that it will be a close call. It depends if Kimi crashes(again) and Ferrari cock up Massa’s race. Only then will Lewis win. Ferrari really need to sort themselves out if they have any hope of grabbing the title.
Its Hamiltons year and he looks supremely confident. I hope he wins it. It’s about time we had another british driver on top of Formula 1. If he can do it, I see no reason why he can’t dominate the sport. He certainly has age on his side. Come on lewis!
I stayed up last night for 30 minutes of practice 1, track looked ok in the dry but i really miss Suzuka.
Glock should be fast as Toyota own this circuit and will give him and Trulli every advantage they can.
Hamilton will win and Massa will DNF. That will give Lewis a 17 point lead into the last 2 races……. which is exactly what was thrown away last year.
I don’t think my nerves can take it if that scenario springs up again!
Lewis ALL THE WAY !!!
Practice means nothing. Usually in FP1 and FP2, drivers test different settings, and try to fine tune them. Unfortunately, sometimes there is no time to revert a bad setting, so they leave it for FP3. So.. you have nothing..
Go Hammy, Go Hammy. Don’t mess up, Don’t mess up. Or Massa will clean you up. Or Massa will clean you up.
I will not count out Fernando Alonso of having a chance to win this race (if Mclaren dont screw up).
So Hammy watch your back, they are gunning for your neck!!!
the sprinting horse will definitely spank tat hammy into ham…
friday’s would be a lot better if they decide to hold that friday shootout they mentioned. no points scored, winner takes a million dollars/euro/rubles/whate ver. they could mix it up, too. standing start one week, then a flying lap, then starting in the pit box with the tires in the back of the garage, then some of this: http://www.youtube.com/wa tch?v=RHgjFPhhzY8
I don’t know who’s going to win… but i’m sure both toyota & renault would do good… timo glock & fernando alonso, & my 3rd place winner would be sebastian vettel!
they should do the quali as normal then do it back to front it would be good to watch
I hope that Hamilton does win, he’s renewed my faith in F1, after too many years of boring Schumacher wins we’ve finally got another British driver who gives his all and is willing to charge / risk all in the style of Mansell. Less of the corporate b******t please and more passion!
I bet Alonso gets 1st this race to. Great to se him up in the charts again!
I wish.. I can see another episod of ‘Drag and pull out the Fuel pipe at a pit stop’ again in Fuji.
i THINK THE PRACTISE WAS WAY COOL
GLOCK,DU BIST EINE KLASISCHE DEUTSCHE SCHWEINE. GLOCH,GERMAN SWINE,HOW MUCH ?