13/08/2004
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second free practice session, the air temperature has risen to 26 degrees C, while track temperature is up to 39 degrees.
As in the first session, Timo Glock is first out, followed by Baumgartner, Pantano, Leinders, Fisichella, Briscoe and Bruni.
Other than Davidson, the BARs were disappointing this morning, as were the Renaults, while the McLarens were reluctant to do more laps than was absolutely necessary.
Glock sets the benchmark with a 1:25.763, but almost instantly, Briscoe, and then Fisichella go quicker.
Schumacher is another 'early bird' and immediately goes quickest in all three sectors, crossing the line at 1:22.944, ahead of Heidfeld, who goes second ahead of teammate Pantano.
Montoya goes fourth ahead of Pizzonia, as Davidson appears to be on a hot lap. The Englishman goes second with a 1:23.353, just 0.409s off Schumacher's pace.
Meanwhile, the session's over for Bruni who spins off into the gravel, and remains stranded there.
Massa goes fourth as Trulli goes ninth ahead of Wirdheim and Webber, who didn't get to run in the first session.
Pizzonia improves to fourth, both WilliamsF1 drivers having to test their new aero packages in addition to doing the normal tyre evaluations and set-up work.
Barrichello goes quickest with a 1:22.484, as Coulthard goes quickest in the first sector. The Scot loses ground in the second sector, finally crossing the line at 1:22.847, which puts him second, splitting the two Ferraris. Next time around, the Scot goes quickest in the first sector, but then returns to the pits.
Sato goes ninth, and Zonta eighth, as Barrichello raises the benchmark to 1:22.172. Giancarlo Fisichella goes fourth with a 1:23.351.
Raikkonen goes fourth (1:22.949) as Button goes twelfth, 1.987s off the pace. Early days, but the Englishman hasn't sparkled thus far today.
Schumacher leapfrogs Coulthard, and closes to within 0.162s of his Ferrari teammate.
Bjorn Wirdheim posts 1:22.812 to go third, ahead of the McLarens, as Webber moves up to sixth, ahead of Massa and Fisichella. Jarno Trulli improves, but is still running a (relatively) lowly fourteenth.
Barrichello goes quickest in the first sector, then again in the second, crossing the line at 1:21.712, 0.622s quicker than his teammate. Meanwhile, Pizzonia goes quickest in the second sector. The Brazilian goes quickest with a 1:21.574, while teammate Montoya languishes in nineteenth.
Alonso goes third, to split the Ferraris, while teammate Trulli is down in sixteenth position.
Michael Schumacher goes quickest in the first two sectors, and despite losing ground in the final sector, crosses the line at 1:21.551 to go quickest. Elsewhere, Montoya goes fifth, clearly geed up by his teammate's performance, while Zonta goes seventh. Trulli also improves, the Italian goes eleventh with a 1:22.980.
David Coulthard posts personal bests in the first two sectors, but loses ground in the third, and consequently fails to improve on ninth quickest. Meanwhile Jenson Button goes quickest in the second sector. The BAR driver crosses the line at 1:21.766, which puts him fourth, behind Schumacher, Pizzonia and Barrichello.
A 1:21.582, sees Kimi Raikkonen go third, 0.031s off Schumacher's pace, as Olivier Panis goes seventh in the Toyota. Sato improves his time, but remains tenth.
With fifteen minutes remaining, it all goes a little quiet as the drivers prepare for the final onslaught.
Although he's only quickest in the final sector, it's enough for Juan Pablo Montoya to go quickest. He crosses the line at 1:21.185, to go quickest. Moments later however, Schumacher goes even quicker, with a 1:21.009.
Button improves to sixth as teammate Sato goes third with a 1:21.364, 0.355s off Schumacher's pace.
With seven minutes remaining, Kimi Raikkonen goes quickest in the first sector, but loses a little ground in the second. He crosses the line at 1:20.884, to go quickest by 0.125s. Teammate David Coulthard goes fourth, while Olivier Panis goes fifth.
Schumacher comes out for a late attack, going quickest in the final sector. Next time around, he's quickest again in the final sector, but loses time elsewhere. He fails to improve.
The session ends with Raikkonen topping the timesheets ahead of Schumacher, Montoya and Coulthard.
Panis is fifth ahead Sato, Pizzonia, Button, Barrichello and Alonso. Webber is eleventh, ahead of Davidson, Wirdheim, Heidfeld, Glock, Fisichella, Trulli, Zonta, Pantano, Klien, Briscoe, Massa, Leinders, Baumgartner and Bruni.