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Michelin 2006 Canadian F1 GP - free practice

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PRESS INFORMATION

2006 FIA Formula One World Championship
Canadian Grand Prix - Friday June 23
Free practice

KUBICA SETS THE PACE FOR MICHELIN

Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber F1 Team/Michelin) was fastest in both free practice
sessions on the opening day of the Canadian Grand Prix meeting at Montreal's Circuit
Gilles Villeneuve. The 21-year-old Polish test driver posted a 1m 16.390s lap this
morning and was the only driver to dip below the 1m 17s barrier all day. World
championship leader Fernando Alonso (Renault/Michelin) was second on aggregate and
fastest of the race drivers, on 1m 17.095s.

There were eight Michelin drivers from five partner teams in today's top 10, with Kimi
Räikkönen (McLaren Mercedes) setting fourth fastest time ahead of Anthony Davidson
(Honda, fifth), Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault, sixth), Vitantonio Liuzzi (Toro Rosso,
eighth), Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber F1 Team, ninth) and local favourite Jacques
Villeneuve (BMW Sauber F1 Team, 10th).

If Michelin can secure its seventh win of the season this weekend, it will complete a
landmark century of Formula One victories.

Renault has extended current driver Giancarlo Fisichella's contract by another
year. He will now stay with the team until at least the end of 2007.

This morning's first free practice proved to be difficult for Midland. Test driver
Giorgio Mondini pulled off with a technical problem before he'd completed a timed
lap, Christijan Albers sailed down the Turn Three escape road on his first lap out
of the pits and Tiago Monteiro crashed heavily at the final chicane during the
session's final moments.

Michelin's day:
Nick Shorrock, Michelin Formula One director:

"This has been a very, very positive day for us. There have been very few incidents and
all our partners were able to complete full tyre comparison runs, so we have a
comprehensive bank of data to analyse this evening.

"Between them, our six partner teams are using 10 different types of tyre in Montreal and
so far all of them seem to be working very well. We have generated good first-lap
performance and have witnessed only a few signs of graining with our softer compounds.
It augurs well for the rest of the weekend - especially as the weather forecast suggests
the temperature will rise by several degrees, a factor that should put our tyres into their
peak operating window."

Press contact: Andy Pope: +33 6 85 11 58 47
Email: andrew.pope@fr.michelin.com
Copyright free photos available at www.michelinsport.com

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