19/06/2004
NEWS STORY
For the first of today's two, forty-five minute free practice sessions, the ambient temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 21 degrees.
As ever, only the twenty race drivers are taking part.
Before the start of this first session, the drivers have had to nominate what compounds they will use for the remainder of the weekend.
As the lights go green, Cristiano da Matta is first out, followed by Takuma Sato, Pantano and Baumgartner. The Hungarian was impressive yesterday, and continues to give as good account of himself.
Coulthard, who like Sato, missed much of yesterday's second free practice session, is another 'early riser', as are Heidfeld, Panis, Raikkonen and Ralf.
As the drivers return to their garages, having completed their installation lap, Montoya, Alonso, Button and Webber come out.
Ralf comes out again, it looks as though the German might be the first driver to post a time. In fact, the WilliamsF1 driver returns to his pit, as does Coulthard who also looked ready to post a time.
Jenson Button is back on track, and immediately the BAR driver goes quickest in the second sector, but then dives back into the pits.
Twelve minutes of the session run, and still no times. Furthermore, Michael, Barrichello, Trulli, Fisichella, Massa and Klien have yet to make an appearance.
Finally, Giorgio Pantano puts a time on the timesheets, the Italian crossing the line at 1:14.226. Next time around, the Jordan driver improves to 1:14.003.
Ralf is back on track, and immediately goes quickest in the first sector, then again in the second. The German crosses the line at 1:11.671, as Baumgartner goes third with a, 1:16.621.
Heidfeld goes third, albeit 2.5s off the pace, as teammate Pantano improves to 1:13.833.
Minardi's Gianmaria Bruni is the fifth driver to post a time, twenty minutes into the session, the Italian posts 1:14.507, to go fourth, of five.
Fisichella comes out, as does Massa. The Brazilian was involved in an incident with BAR's Japanese driver yesterday, promptly accusing Takuma Sato of 'doing a Sato'.
Fisichella goes second with a 1:12.405, as Felipe goes seventh, 4.7s off the pace.
Meanwhile, Takuma Sato is back on track, as Fernando Alonso goes quickest with a 1:11.509, 0.162s quicker than Ralf.
Massa improves to fourth as Sato heads back into the pits, meanwhile Michael Schumacher is on track and immediately goes quickest in the first sector. The German crosses the line at 1:11.207, out-pacing Alonso by 0.3s, however almost immediately Rubens Barrichello goes even quicker, the Brazilian posting a time of 1:10.911.
Da Matta goes fifth as teammate Olivier Panis goes seventh, only to be pushed down the sheets by Trulli who goes fifth. Meanwhile Montoya goes quickest in the first sector, though the Colombian loses a heap of time in the second. He crosses the line at 1:15.455, splitting the two Minardis.
Jenson Button is on a quick lap, the BAR driver goes quickest in the second sector, then goes on to cross the line at 1:11.071, which puts him second, splitting the two Ferraris.
Just under fifteen minutes remaining, and it's Barrichello, ahead of Button, Michael, Alonso, Ralf, Trulli, Sato, da Matta, Fisichella and Panis.
Kimi Raikkonen goes ninth with a 1:12.015, though we've yet to see a time from his teammate, or indeed Webber and Klien. The Scot finally goes out, and posts 1:16.066, which puts him behind the Minardis. Next time around, the Scot improves to twelfth.
With just over six minutes remaining, this has been a very low-key session, with very little 'action'.
That said, Zsolt Baumgartner produces another one of his Indy specials, and goes fifteenth with a 1:13.396. Meanwhile Christian Klien goes tenth with his first timed lap.
Barrichello is still quickest, ahead of Button, Michael, Alonso, Ralf and Trulli.
With less than four minutes remaining, Webber finally posts a time, the Australian going tenth, with a 1:12.128. Meanwhile, Juan Pablo Montoya improves to twelfth.
Gianmaria Bruni goes seventeenth with a 1:12.957, that's both Minardis ahead of the Jordans.
A pretty tedious session ends with Rubens Barrichello quickest, ahead of Button, Michael, Alonso, Ralf, Trulli, Sato, da Matta, Raikkonen and Webber.
Klien is eleventh, ahead of Montoya, Fisichella, Panis, Coulthard, Massa, Bruni, Baumgartner, Heidfeld and Pantano.