Hamilton tops practice as McLaren eyes Monte Carlo win

May 22, 2008, 16:02 GMT

Monte Carlo - Lewis Hamilton led the way in Thursday practice as McLaren-Mercedes seem determined to beat Ferrari at the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix.

Hamilton posted one minute 15.140 minutes on the famed 3.340- kilometres track in the principality, beating German Williams driver Nico Rosberg (1:15.533) and Ferrari's world champion Kimi Raikkonen (1:15.572).

The 2007 championship runner-up Hamilton won the season-opener in Australia in March, but Ferrari took the next four races with two wins each from Raikkonen and Felipe Massa.

McLaren would like to turn the tide again in Monte Carlo, and Hamilton's result from the afternoon session underlined that they don't want to lose any further ground on the Italian rivals.

Ahead of the sixth race of the season on Sunday, Raikkonen leads the drivers' standings on 35 points, with Massa and Hamilton following on 28 apiece.

Ferrari lead the constructors' standings with 63 points, 19 more than BMW-Sauber and 21 more than McLaren.

The Monte Carlo resident Rosberg was the surprise of the day, coming fifth in the morning session led by Raikkonen ahead of Hamilton and then even managing second in the afternoon.

His father Keke Rosberg won the Monaco race in 1983.

Massa was fourth in the afternoon ahead of Finland's Heikki Kovalainen in the second McLaren. BMW driver Robert Kubica was sixth.

There were no major incidents on the narrow course on the city streets, but both Renault drivers Nelson Piquet Jr and Fernando Alonso, the former world champion, were among those who slightly damaged their cars.

Monaco is the only GP where the first practice sessions are held Thursday and not Friday.

The qualifying session follows on Saturday and the Monaco Grand Prix is on Sunday.