Hamilton turns the tables

Updated 21.58 Fri May 23 2008

Keywords: Monaco Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton has turned the tables on Ferrari with the fastest lap in second practice for the Monaco Grand Prix.

The 23-year-old Briton, runner-up in a McLaren one-two last year, clocked in with an afternoon lap of 1 minute 15.140 seconds.

Hamilton clocked in with an afternoon lap of 1 minute 15.140 seconds

His friend and rival Nico Rosberg, also running on the softer tyres, was second quickest.

Ferrari's world champion Kimi Raikkonen, seven points clear of Hamilton and his own Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa after five races, had set the pace in the morning with a time of 1:15.948. He was third in the afternoon.

Despite Ferrari having won four of the season's five races to date, McLaren are strongly fancied to win on Sunday at a circuit that has favoured them more than any team in recent years.

Hamilton was second quickest in the morning. His Finnish team mate Heikki Kovalainen was third and then fifth.

Both sessions were interrupted by red flags, with the first halted for more than 15 minutes when a drain cover worked loose on the uphill slope from the Ste. Devote corner.

The later practice was stopped briefly when double world champion Fernando Alonso, winner with McLaren in Monaco last year and Renault in 2006, hit the barriers coming out of Ste. Devote.

Brazil's Felipe Massa was fourth for Ferrari in both sessions.