Nico Rosberg Fastest Today In Monaco Practice Sessions

MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - In the second practice session today for Sunday's Formula 1 Grand Prix of Monaco, Nico Rosberg, driving a Williams Toyota (No. 16), had the fastest lap time of the day, clocked at 1:15.243. theirEarth photographed Nico Rosberg as he took the left turn around the Rascasse Corner (Rascasse Restaurant / Night Club) in the Port section of the Monaco street circuit. Second fastest was Lewis Hamilton in the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 car with a lap time of 1:15.445. In third position was Rubens Barrichello in the Brawn Mercedes with a 1:15.590 lap time.

The second F1 Practice Session in Monaco today had times that were about two seconds on average faster than the laps put down in the morning first Practice Session. Much of the increase in overall average lap speed was due to the track being cleaned up of contaminants as the F1 cars put down their rubber on Monaco's street circuit. Nico Rosberg was disappointed with his first practice session lap time of 1:18.024 (7th place), but was very happy with his first place performance in the second session. 

In 2004, Michael Schumacher set the Monaco lap record of 1:14.439 seconds, which has stood till today. Nico Rosberg's 1:15.243 was only 0.804 seconds off the Schumacher best lap time, and if the temperatures don't get too hot for Saturday's qualifications, there is a good chance that the Schumacher lap record will be broken, and even lap times in the 1:13's could be posted. Some of the new speed at Monaco may be a result the new KERS Systems (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems), with the ability to apply instantaneous electric motor power/torque acceleration exiting corners. Otherwise, the Bridgestone tires are just that much better than in previous years for grip, or it may be a combination of both.