Hungarian GP: Michelin Friday practice notes

RÄIKKÖNEN SETS EARLY BUDAPEST PACE ON MICHELINS

Kimi Räikkönen (Team McLaren Mercedes/Michelin) set the fastest lap on the opening day of the Hungarian Grand Prix meeting in Budapest. The Finn lapped in 1m 20.884s during the day's second free practice session and was the only driver to dip below the 1m 21s barrier. All six of Michelin's partner teams had cars in the top 12.

Juan Pablo Montoya (BMW WilliamsF1 Team) was third ahead of David Coulthard (Team McLaren Mercedes, fourth), Olivier Panis (Toyota, fifth), Takuma Sato (B•A•R-Honda, sixth), Antonio Pizzonia (BMW WilliamsF1 Team, seventh), Jenson Button (B•A•R-Honda, eighth), 2003 winner Fernando Alonso (Renault, 10th), Anthony Davidson (B•A•R-Honda, 11th) and Mark Webber (Jaguar Racing, 12th).

In his first appearance as Toyota's official third driver, Ryan Briscoe was eighth fastest in the first session and 21st in the second. The 22-year-old Australian has taken over from Ricardo Zonta, who has been promoted to the race team in place of Cristiano da Matta. Zonta was 13th and 18th in the two sessions.

Briscoe will be following in the footsteps on his grandfather Frank Lehner, who took part in the 1926 Hungarian GP at Nepliget. Lehner served as riding mechanic in a Daimler-Benz.

Jaguar rookie Christian Klien missed part of the first free practice session after spinning into the Turn Nine gravel trap.

Pierre Dupasquier, Michelin Motorsport Director:

"We have been able to glean lots of valuable data about all three of the dry-weather compounds we have available and that has given us an excellent foundation on which to build for the balance of the weekend."

"Michelin's partners dominated last season's corresponding fixture. That provided us with a good starting point from which to develop tyres for this weekend -- and the progress we have made today puts me in a very positive frame of mind."

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