Montoya fastest in Monaco Free Practice - Thu 25th May 2006
Juan Pablo Montoya raised McLaren hopes after clocking the fastest time of the recognised race drivers in free practice at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Williams tester Alex Wurz was the pacesetter in second practice with one minute 15.907 seconds, followed by Honda counterpart Anthony Davidson.
But Montoya was in impressive form, finishing 0.231 seconds behind Wurz.
World champion Fernando Alonso, quickest in the first session with 1:16.712, was fourth in his Renault.
He was one clear of Red Bull tester Robert Doornbos, while Montoya's team-mate Kimi Raikkonen recovered from a morning scare to go sixth.
Finn Raikkonen parked up with smoke coming from the back of his McLaren in first practice but fears of an engine failure were allayed when a burnt-out wiring loom was found to be the culprit.
Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella was seventh, ahead of Briton David Coulthard's Red Bull.
Coulthard's compatriot Jenson Button, preparing for his first race at Monaco since 2004, was ninth for Honda.
Earlier, Button - who was eighth in the morning session - wrote off his chances of breaking his Formula One duck in his own back yard in Monaco.
"I'd love to win but that's not really on the cards I would say," said the 26-year-old, who lives in Monaco.
"On this sort of circuit you can get closer and we can make a bit of a difference but we are not going to be close to the Renaults or the Ferraris, no way."
A stray bollard and Robert Kubica caused the other two red flags - the Pole damaging the right rear wheel on his BMW-Sauber in a last-turn smash.
