turkish grand prix Massa sets the pace in practice session

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa narrowly beat McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen to set the pace in Friday’s first practice session at the Turkish Grand Prix.

The Brazilian’s best lap of one minute 27.323 seconds at Istanbul Park was just 0.133secs clear of the Finn.

Massa, who has won the last two races in Turkey, traded fastest times with Kovalainen throughout the session.

Lewis Hamilton was third fastest in his McLaren but champion Kimi Raikkonen managed only three laps in his Ferrari.

Raikkonen completed only one flying lap, more than a second off the pace Massa was setting at the time, before a gearbox problem consigned him to the pits for the rest of the 90-minute session.

The Finn was left at the bottom of the time sheets at the endof the session.