Rain forces majority off the track in Belgium

Kobayashi tops 1st practice session for tomorrow’s GP.

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS: Ferrari’s Formula One championship leader Fernando Alonso lapped more than 29 seconds off the pace in a rain-lashed and meaningless first practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix yesterday but Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi ended up with his name on top of the timing screens after a fastest lap of two minutes 11.389 seconds.

Most of the other drivers stayed in their garages for long periods of the morning session as the classic Ardennes track took a steady soaking and prevented any serious attempt by teams to gain data and try out new developments.

Alonso, who has a 40-point lead over Red Bull’s Mark Webber after 11 of the 20 races, ended 22nd and with a time 29.360 seconds slower than Kobayashi. Kimi Raikkonen, winner four times at his favourite circuit and a good bet for victory with Lotus on Sunday, was 23rd and 35.191 off the pace but will be equally unperturbed by the timesheets.

Alonso’s Brazilian teammate Felipe Massa was the only driver to end the morning without setting a lap time and he pulled up at the end of the session with smoke billowing from his Ferrari’s engine.

Michael Schumacher, marking his 300th grand prix with a new helmet design, slid heavily through Eau Rouge without misfortune. Others also aquaplaned in early runs before the weather improved slightly later on.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2012.