Free 1: Alonso fastest in Monaco

It is under the sun that the first free practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix begins. Blue skies, packed stands, the splendor of the port and splendid yachts: everything is there to ensure that the pilots' pleasure is total. As usual, the first quarter of an hour is very calm. Jaime Alguersuari (Toro Rosso) is the first to set a time (1:30??020).

Lap after lap, the young Spaniard improves, for his first laps of the circuit in F1 at Monaco. He runs regularly in 1?21?? before being joined on the track by Vitaly Petrov (Renault) then Jenson Button (McLaren). The Briton, winner last year, improved to 1:20:564 then 1:18:468.

Felipe Massa (Ferrari) and Sébastien Buemi (Toro Rosso) are approaching the time of the World Champion, who improves further, in 1:17??618. But Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) emerges and passes P1, in 1?17??423. Felipe Massa comes close (1:17:471), as does Robert Kubica (Renault), in 1:17:425.

Felipe Massa put in a very good lap and took the best time, in 1:16??997, but Hamilton got back in front (1:16??963). Massa improves again (1:16??746) before the Briton regains his advantage (1:16??710). Not far from there, Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) stands out, in 1?17??149 (third), before being overtaken by Robert Kubica (1?17??106).

The Red Bull by Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel finally come out mid-session, while the yellow flag is waved for a mistake by Karun Chandhok (HRT) at the Rascasse. Lewis Hamilton improves the reference time to 1:16:647, before being beaten by a driver in very good shape this morning, Felipe Massa (1:16:517).

Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), who started late, never left the track and progressed from lap to lap. However, it was Robert Kubica who stood out by taking the best time, in 1:16:447, before Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) does not arise. The Spaniard climbed to first place, in 1, before improving: 16 then 325. While Felipe Massa feared the Principality, due to a lack of aerodynamic downforce in the F1, these tests are not going too badly for the Scuderia!

Mark Webber is far away (full tank?) but his teammate, Sebastian Vettel, climbs to third place, in 1:16:458. He is preceded by Robert Kubica, very lively in the streets of Monte-Carlo (1?16??447). But, a few minutes later, the German driver moved into second position, in 76 seconds (1). Robert Kubica also improves but remains in third place (16?000??1). Even Mark Webber comes close, fourth in 16’016”1.

Few improvements at the end of the session, which ended with the loss of his front wing for Kamui Kobayashi, which hit the rail and deformed the rim of its left rear wheel. Next meeting at 14 p.m. for the second free practice session.