Heidfeld fastest in final practice

The final practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix conjured up a remarkable leaderboard, with BMW Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld topping the timesheets.

Behind the German came Toyota’s Jarno Trulli, Adrian Sutil in his Force India and the Renault of Romain Grosjean as the traditional standings were turned on their head at the Spa circuit.

It was Sutil who was out in front for a lengthy period, and by an astonishing half a second, until deposed from top spot late on by Heidfeld, potentially out of a job at the end of the season given his team’s decision to pull out of Formula One.

The 32-year-old set a time of one minute 45.388 seconds, with the 35-year-old Trulli just 0.074secs adrift, leaving Sutil to settle for his time of 1:45.677.

Grosjean, who crunched a kerb in the dying stages that forced him wide onto the grass, was almost half a second down, followed by Toyota’s Timo Glock and the second BMW Sauber of Robert Kubica.

Williams’ Nico Rosberg was seventh and Giancarlo Fisichella eighth in his Force India, the latter requiring a new nose after hitting an as yet unidentified animal early in the hour-long session.

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton, fastest yesterday with a lap of 1:47.201, was the first of what many would consider to be the frontrunners for victory tomorrow down in ninth for McLaren.

Hamilton was quickest in the first and third sectors, yet due to losing a considerable amount of time in the twisty middle section finished just over 0.9secs behind Heidfeld.

Championship leader Jenson Button was an improved 10th in his Brawn GP, with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen 11th, that after an early trundle across the gravel.

With his engine revs turned down, Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel was down in 14th, 1.359secs off the pace, with last week’s European Grand Prix winner Rubens Barrichello down in 16th.

After Vettel’s engine woes in Valencia, when he blew two Renault powerplants, team-mate Mark Webber was the latest to suffer.

The Australian failed to set a time due to engine trouble, with the team now facing a race against time to fit a new one ahead of the qualifying session later today.

Of the 19 who did set a lap time, Luca Badoer was not last in his Ferrari on this occasion, finishing 18th, narrowly ahead of Kazuki Nakajima for Williams.