Date:25/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/25/stories/2007052504581900.htm

Sport - Racing : Motor

Alonso sets the pace

Monte Carlo: World champion Fernando Alonso, driving a McLaren-Mercedes, twice posted the fastest time on Thursday in the free practice for Sunday's Monaco Formula One Grand Prix.

The Spaniard followed up his time of one minute, 16.973 seconds from the first session with a 1:15.940s in the afternoon session on the 3.340km-long track.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen followed in the second session 0.275 seconds behind, while Alonso's team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who leads the championship standings, was third.

Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella were surprising fourth and fifth-placed, ahead of Ferrari's Felipe Massa, who has won the last two races.

In the second session Hamilton was involved in a crash, but emerged from the car uninjured. — DPA