Raikkonen shows winning intent

Kimi Raikkonen is clearly intent on a third successive victory after easily topping the timesheets following free practice for tomorrow’s Italian Grand Prix.

Raikkonen, who has cut Fernando Alonso’s championship lead from 36 points to 24 in the wake of recent wins in Hungary and Turkey, was the only race driver to dip under one minute 21 seconds for the 3.6-mile Monza circuit.

McLaren and Toyota testers Pedro de la Rosa and Ricardo Zonta both managed the feat in yesterday’s two practice runs, with the Finn following suit in the final session.

Raikkonen clocked 1:20.916, leaving the rest of the field trailing in his wake, with McLaren team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya second in the standings, but four tenths off the pace.

The BAR of Takuma Sato was a surprise in third, with the Japanese driver just under half a second down, comfortably outstripping troubled team-mate Jenson Button.

The 25-year-old Briton set his fastest time of the four sessions of 1:22.558, but was still 1.6 seconds adrift of the seemingly unstoppable Raikkonen and had to settle for 12th.

Alonso was fourth quickest and Renault team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella sixth, with the Toyota of Jarno Trulli separating the Spaniard and Italian.

Red Bull Racing’s David Coulthard showed significant improvement as the Scot wound up eighth with his best lap time of 1:22.291.

Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher, who appeared to be back on track in the third session after his 100mph spin into a tyre barrier at Parabolica yesterday, was back in 10th and 1.5 seconds adrift.

Narain Karthikeyan suffered a frightening crash late in the final session in his Jordan which eventually side-impacted into a tyre wall at the Variante della Roggia.

The Indian driver lost the back end of his car on braking into the chicane, and after initially sliding onto the grass, he then struck a kerb which launched his car into the air.

The 28-year-old flew across the width of the track, landing in the gravel before finally careering into the tyre barrier, which is certain to result him in starting qualifying in the spare car.

Nick Heidfeld, meanwhile, will miss tomorrow’s Italian Grand Prix after complaining of headaches following yesterday’s practice.

The Williams driver crashed during testing at the circuit eight days ago at the first Lesmo bend, with the 27-year-old German still feeling the effects of the incident.

Following a consultation with the rest of the team, medical delegate Gary Hartstein and former Formula One doctor Professor Sid Watkins, Heidfeld will sit out the race, allowing test and reserve driver Antonio Pizzonia to compete in his 16th grands prix.

Heidfeld said: “I spoke with Gary Hartstein and Sid Watkins this morning and they both recommended that I did not drive.”

Brazilian Pizzonia, whose last drive was at Monza a year ago when he was substitute for Ralf Schumacher following the German’s horror smash at the United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis, was 15th at the conclusion of practice.