Formula One world champion Kimi Raikkonen celebrated the extension of his Ferrari contract with the quickest lap in free practice for the team's home Italian Grand Prix on Friday. The Finn, without a win since the end of April and with no points from his last two races, blasted around the sport's fastest circuit in one minute 23.861 seconds as morning downpours gave way to brilliant sunshine. Poland's Robert Kubica, a driver who might have hoped to replace Raikkonen at Ferrari had the Finn's contract not been extended to the end of 2010, was second on the timesheets for BMW-Sauber with a lap 0.070 slower. In a sign of the Swiss-based team's promise at Monza, Germany's Nick Heidfeld was third. McLaren's championship leader Lewis Hamilton, just two points clear of Ferrari's Felipe Massa with five races remaining after being stripped of victory in Belgium last weekend, lapped fourth quickest. Brazilian Massa, who has also been confirmed at Ferrari to 2010, could manage only the sixth best time. The blue skies and sunshine of the afternoon were a complete contrast to the heavy rain that washed out the morning's first practice. With the drains struggling to cope with the downpour, mechanics wielded brushes to sweep water out of the garages while a scattering of fans huddled under umbrellas in the main grandstand. They had little to watch other than the rain lashing down, with drivers giving up 15 minutes from the end and the session abandoned because of the conditions with five minutes remaining on the clock. Hamilton was one of six drivers who did not attempt to complete a timed lap in the session. What times were set meant nothing, with Massa 14th and a massive 7.3 seconds off Force India driver Adrian Sutil's fastest time of one minute 32.842 seconds. McLaren appeal FIA agreed to hear McLaren's appeal of the drive-through penalty that cost Lewis Hamilton the Belgian Grand Prix. The governing body said Friday the hearing will take place at FIA's Paris headquarters on Sept. 22 in front of the body's International Court of Appeal - six days before the Singapore GP. A decision is expected the next day. Hamilton was penalized 25 seconds after being deemed to have gained an unfair advantage over race leader Kimi Raikkonen by cutting across a chicane. Hamilton ceded his place to the Ferrari driver but overtook soon after. Ferrari's Felipe Massa was handed the victory to move to two points of F1 championship leader Hamilton, who was pushed down to third place. It was initially unclear whether McLaren could appeal a drive-through penalty but the appeal was given the go-ahead since the 25-second penalty was imposed at the end of the race. Massa had finished nearly 15 seconds back of Hamilton, who maintained that he did not gain any advantage despite quickly overtaking Raikkonen. On Thursday, Hamilton pointed the finger at Raikkonen for braking too early. “That is how he drives. If you don't ... brake late then that is your problem,” said the 23-year-old Briton, who was demoted to third behind BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld as a result of the penalty.
