| 09:51:22
| Welcome to F1-Live.com and live coverage of the decisive final round of the championship from Interlagos, Brazil. It is overcast, dry and the first 90-minute free practice session gets underway shortly. |
| 09:53:23
| Most of the news following the Chinese Grand Prix two weeks ago has centred around the standard engine proposal put forward and put out to tender by the FIA. Naturally, the car makers are less than thrilled with this concept leading Ferrari to publically state they would leave the sport should such a rule be introduced. Toyota also said they would look at other forms of motorsport if this plan was to go ahead and many others have privately said the same thing. |
| 09:55:07
| A little further away from the politics that are so prevalent in the sport, David Coulthard is about to make his final Grand Prix start after 15 years in the sport. His Red Bull Renault is painted white this weekend as he pledges support to a spinal cord foundation. |
| 09:56:57
| Rubens Barrichello may also be making his last Grand Prix start as his future is unclear with the Honda team. Speaking yesterday the Brazilian veteran revealed that he is not taking part in the Barcelona tests next month as the team try possible alternatives. Given Barrichello’s recent form against team-mate Button, he feels the team would be making a poor decision if they did not agree a new contract. |
| 09:58:59
| As ever, the morning free practice session will be used to evaluate the Bridgestone tyres on offer. This weekend the tyre firm has gone for harder tyres than last year after admitting in 2007 they had gone too soft. The medium and soft tyre will be in use, the latter bearing the traditional white stripe to differentiate the two. |
| 10:00:46
| The practice session is now underway. |
| 10:01:05
| Giancarlo Fisichella, Adrian Sutil are straight out. |
| 10:01:17
| Most will complete an installation lap and then pit for checks. |
| 10:01:58
| Others are now heading out for an installation lap. |
| 10:02:46
| Rain is expected but it is currently dry. |
| 10:03:20
| Fernando Alonso is on track in his Renault. The team has now secured fourth position in the championship. |
| 10:05:01
| David Coulthard is on track in his white liveried wings for life Red Bull. |
| 10:05:51
| No lap times as yet as Coulthard makes his way into the pits. |
| 10:06:20
| Barrichello has a new yellow and red crash helmet this weekend. He is now on his installation lap. |
| 10:07:52
| There's little activity at the moment. They're all in the pits following that out lap. |
| 10:10:48
| Nick Heidfeld heads out in his BMW Sauber. |
| 10:12:12
| As Heidfeld makes his way around the circuit, the clouds seem to be moving in. With little activity at the start of the session, the teams must be confident the rain will hold off. |
| 10:12:27
| Robert Kubica joins his team-mate on track. |
| 10:12:44
| As ever, all have been on track apart from the Ferrari duo. |
| 10:13:23
| Heidfeld pits the F1.08. |
| 10:13:32
| Kubica has started a timed lap. |
| 10:14:45
| Kubica pits without setting a time. |
| 10:15:20
| 15 minutes are complete, no lap times as yet. |
| 10:16:25
| Jarno Trulli is in his Toyota. He was unwell yesterday and stayed clear of the circuit. |
| 10:17:17
| Raikkonen is suited and booted and getting aboard his Ferrari. His role again is to try and help Massa. |
| 10:19:33
| Massa has a new engine for this event while Hamilton is on his second Grand Prix weekend. Hamilton is unable to play the engine joker in the season finale, so given Kovalainen's recent issues, that will be a concern for Mercedes. |
| 10:21:34
| Nelson Piquet heads out in his Renault. This of course is his first home Grand Prix as he hopes to retain the seat for 2009. |
| 10:22:16
| Sebastien Bourdais heads out in his Toro Rosso. He is hoping to stay with the team but could move back to IndyCar with Newman/Haas if all else fails. |
| 10:23:13
| Piquet and Bourdais are on timed laps. |
| 10:24:12
| Piquet records a first timed lap of the session on a 1:16.5, over four seconds off the 2007 pace. |
| 10:24:30
| Bourdais slots in second in his Toro Rosso. |
| 10:24:58
| Timo Glock heads out in his Toyota. |
| 10:25:35
| Piquet picks up a second and a half and remains fastest from Bourdais who also improves. |
| 10:26:24
| Sebastian Vettel heads out in the second Toro Rosso. |
| 10:27:13
| Piquet continues to chip away at the lap time. |
| 10:28:24
| Bourdais' Toro Rosso is running low as it bottoms out on the main start finish straight. This is common at this circuit although it is not as bumpy as it used to be. |
| 10:28:46
| Kazuki Nakajima joins the action in his his Williams Toyota. |
| 10:29:22
| Glock and Vettel are now third and fourth fastest. Piquet has now pitted after his first stint on the harder tyre. |
| 10:29:31
| Nico Rosberg heads out. |
| 10:30:24
| Vettel and Glock trade times for third fastest as Barrichello heads out. |
| 10:30:45
| No sign of Massa and Raikkonen as yet as Glock moves fastest. |
| 10:32:36
| Now Bourdais has moved fastest in his Toro Rosso from Vettel and Glock. |
| 10:33:34
| First timed laps from Trulli and Rosberg as they slot in fifth and sixth fastest. |
| 10:34:39
| Bourdais pits his STR as Rosberg moves third fastest in the leading Williams. |
| 10:35:18
| Kimi Raikkonen heads out. |
| 10:36:00
| McLaren send out both Hamilton and Kovalainen. |
| 10:36:48
| The circuit is now quite busy as Heidfeld and Button head out. |
| 10:37:25
| Button moves fifth fastest. They're all on the hard tyre at the moment. |
| 10:37:39
| Glock makes a gain and moves second. |
| 10:38:52
| Kovalainen's first lap is good for P7 as Glock moves fastest. Raikkonen pitted at the end of that lap and therefore did not set a time. |
| 10:39:24
| Hamilton moves seventh then runs wide and continues. |
| 10:39:50
| Kovalainen has moved fastest in his McLaren on a 1:13.2 |
| 10:40:39
| Hamilton is now on a fast lap and passes Massa who is just exiting the pits. |
| 10:41:15
| Alonso is on track in the Renault. There are some spots of rain falling as Hamilton moves fastest. |
| 10:42:22
| Massa and Alonso run nose to tail. |
| 10:42:39
| Hamilton improves again as Massa moves fourth. |
| 10:43:32
| Webber moves fourth in the leading Red Bull as Massa is now on a hot lap. |
| 10:43:50
| Massa slots second, two-tenths behind Hamilton. |
| 10:45:40
| Piquet is back out for a second stint and working his way up the order. |
| 10:46:49
| Hamilton has now pitted as Massa narrows the gap to less than a tenth. Alonso has completed two installation laps and is back out again. |
| 10:47:21
| Raikkonen has also completed two installation laps. He remains in the pits at the moment. |
| 10:47:45
| It is still spotting with rain but nothing serious. |
| 10:48:02
| Kubica vaults third fastest in his BMW Sauber. |
| 10:48:30
| The circuit has been declared wet, but it isn't. |
| 10:49:21
| Massa runs wide at turn eight and continues. |
| 10:49:44
| Alonso's first timed lap is not a fast one. |
| 10:50:39
| Rosberg, 15th now, runs off track and continues. Massa joins team-mate Raikkonen in the pits. |
| 10:51:29
| Alonso is now working his way up the order. |
| 10:52:27
| Fisichella and Sutil are on track for Force India, they have yet to set a time. |
| 10:53:23
| The front-runners have pitted. Alonso improves to seventh. |
| 10:54:15
| The Force India duo post their first lap times. Raikkonen must have a problem as he remains in the pits and has not set a time with 35 minutes remaining. |
| 10:55:13
| This will probably be the last race weekend with Ferrari engines for Force India. They are looking to do a deal with McLaren Mercedes for engines and possibly more. |
| 10:55:43
| Hamilton heads back out in his McLaren as Alonso runs wide and continues. |
| 10:58:31
| Just over 30 minutes remain and Hamilton remains fastest from Massa, Kubica and Kovalainen. Only Raikkonen has yet to set a time. |
| 10:59:06
| Kubica, Kovalainen, Webber, Heidfeld all on track with Hamilton. |
| 10:59:43
| All of the front runners are now back out. |
| 10:59:51
| Raikkonen heads out. |
| 11:02:24
| Massa improves again and is now even closer to Hamilton who has pitted. It seems slippery in a few parts as the spots of rain are now making an impact. |
| 11:02:50
| Raikkonen has moved tenth fastest on his first timed lap. |
| 11:04:12
| Raikkonen has a spin in the Senna S. |
| 11:04:47
| The times have dropped away as the rain continues to fall. The circuit is far from wet yet, but it is slowing the drivers. |
| 11:05:41
| Massa, Webber, Alonso, Piquet, Rosberg on track. |
| 11:07:18
| Massa pits. The times have dropped away by a couple of seconds with just over 20 minutes remaining. |
| 11:07:51
| Showing there is still some grip out there, Raikkonen improves his best time and is now fifth fastest. |
| 11:08:40
| Raikkonen is on another better lap showing the grip may be coming back. |
| 11:09:08
| He moves second fastest and splits Hamilton and Massa. Less than a tenth cover the top three now. |
| 11:10:11
| Raikkonen pits, Alonso and Piquet on track. |
| 11:12:22
| Heidfeld, Trulli, Vettel and Nakajima on track. |
| 11:14:29
| Now only Vettel and Heidfeld on track. Most will be making small chassis changes ahead of a final run. |
| 11:14:50
| Massa and Kubica head back out. |
| 11:17:32
| Bourdais, Barrichello and Glock head back out for a final stint. |
| 11:18:16
| No gains at the moment with 12 minutes remaining. |
| 11:18:51
| Hamilton rejoins the circuit as Massa has a slight moment in his Ferrari. |
| 11:20:31
| Kubica, fourth, is pushing hard and looking to make gains. |
| 11:21:39
| Massa regains second position and is now a hundredth of a second slower than Hamilton. |
| 11:22:31
| Massa is on another hot lap in his Ferrari. |
| 11:22:53
| Alonso has moved sixth fastest ahead of Webber and Heidfeld. |
| 11:23:19
| Massa moves fastest. That will please the home crowd. |
| 11:24:46
| Massa has pitted after setting the pace. Five minutes remain as Hamilton is now on a fast lap. |
| 11:25:54
| Hamilton has locked his brakes it seems and taken the best from the tyre. |
| 11:26:43
| Hamilton joins Massa in the pits. |
| 11:27:55
| A number of drivers are on track and pushing hard. |
| 11:28:53
| Now all on track except Massa and Button. |
| 11:29:15
| Massa now heads out as Piquet finds time and moves eighth. |
| 11:30:01
| The chequered flag is out. |
| 11:30:23
| Massa and Hamilton both on a final timed lap. |
| 11:30:34
| Raikkonen is also on a better lap. |
| 11:31:21
| Raikkonen improves but remains third. Hamilton does not improve. |
| 11:31:52
| So Massa is fastest from Hamilton, Raikkonen, Kubica, Kovalainen, Alonso, Webber, Piquet, Heidfeld and Glock. |
