Auto Racing: Alonso Posts Fastest Time in Brazilian Grand Prix

Topics:  Brazilian Grand Prix

VOA Sports
September 23, 2005

Champion points leader Fernando Alonso has driven his Renault for the third fastest time in Friday's first practice session for the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo. The Spaniard drove the Interlagos circuit at a time of 1:12.0872.

The fastest time of the session was clocked by McLaren-Mercedes test driver Alexander Wurz of Austria. Wurz completed the circuit with a time of 1:01.701.

McLaren-Mercedes driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland posted the fifth best time of the session, 0.193 seconds slower than Alonso. Raikkonen is second in the championship point standings. He trails Alonso 85 to 111. Realistically, the series championship is out of his reach.

With only two races remaining in the season after Sunday, Alonso needs just one third-place finish to become the first champion other than Ferrari's Michael Schumacher of Germany since 1999. At 21 years old, Alonso would become the youngest series champion ever.

Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.