13/06/2003
NEWS STORY
With minutes to go before the start of the first qualifying session the rain continues to fall on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and the indications are that this could continue for the remainder of the weekend.
As ever the drivers will go out in world Championship order which means that Kimi Raikkonen is first out followed by Michael, Alonso, Barrichello, Montoya and Coulthard with Verstappen and Wilson last out.
As Kimi climbs into his car, far from lightening up the rain is falling harder and harder.
At 14:00 precisely the Finn heads down the pitlane, the session is underway.
The track is incredibly slippery and even on his 'out' lap the McLaren driver has a minor moment. This is no time for heroics and Kimi is extra careful as he continues around, at the first split he posts 27.9. At the second split it's 31.4 as the Finn applies the power as he heads back down the back straight. 1:35.373 is the benchmark.
Schumacher is next out, the 'rain master'. At the first split he posts 26.6 - up 3s on the McLaren driver. At the second split he posts 29.2 but then goes off at the hairpin, somehow avoiding the barriers and managing to keep going. Over the line it's 1:31.969, despite that off.
Fernando Alonso takes to the track, the Spaniard was impressive this morning. At the first split the Renault star posts 27.9 followed by a 30.8 at the second. Over the line he posts 1:35.173 to go second.
Rubens Barrichello is on track, like his German team-mate he's no slouch in the rain. At the first split he posts 26.8 only slightly down on Schumacher. 28.8 at the second split and best time of the session. Over the line the Brazilian posts 1:30.925 to go quickest, a tremendous performance from Rubens.
Monaco winner Juan Pablo Montoya is next out, the WilliamsF1 star posting 28.1 at the first split. He goes wide and loses time on the grass completing the second sector in 32.5. At the finish-line it's 1:37.479 that's 6.5s off the provisional pole time.
It has to be said that even before his 'off' Montoya was already down on Barrichello, while Schumacher's 'moment' must have cost him at least 2 or 3 seconds.
At the first break, and as the rain continues to fall, the order is Barrichello, Schumacher, Alonso, Raikkonen and Montoya.
Next out is David Coulthard. The Scot heads down the pitlane and the rain appears to be falling even harder.. to give you some idea, there are seagulls splashing about in the puddles.. on the main straight!
The McLaren goes off a turn three but is able to continue, though at the first split he posts 29.6, he's lost a heap of time. At the second split it's 30.4, while he crosses the line at 1:36.463 a second quicker than Montoya.
Ralf is next out, like his brother the German has been known to be good in the rain. At the first split the WilliamsF1 star posts 29.0 already off the pace. The FW25 is wobbling like crazy, it's a real handful. At the second split he posts 31.6, crossing the line at 1:38.210, the slowest lap of the session. An ultra bad lap or are conditions getting that much worse?
Jarno Trulli takes to the track, what can the Renault star do? Conditions are indeed getting worse, this is madness.
At the first split the Italian posts 29.9 he's already 3s down on Barrichello. At the second split he posts 32.4 the car jerking wildly as he applies the pressure. At the line it's 1:41.413, clearly conditions have deteriorated.
One thing, imagine if this session was being held using the old - all out at once - format.
Brazilian GP winner Giancarlo Fisichella is next out, at the first split he posts 28.8 followed by a 31.9 at the second. He has a slight off and is already losing time. At the line he posts 1:38.617 to leapfrog Trulli.
Jenson Button is next out, the BAR star still under scrutiny following his Monaco crash. At the first split he posts 29.4 followed by a 31.5 at the second split. Over the line the Englishman posts 1:38.109 to take seventh splitting the two williamsF1s.
At the second break it's still Barrichello ahead of Schumacher, Alonso, Raikkonen, Coulthard, Montoya, Button, Ralf, Fisichella and Trulli.
Sauber's Heinz-Harald Frentzen is next out, the Swiss outfit appears to have lost momentum recently but as we all know rain is the great leveller.
At the first split the German posts 28.1, not too bad under the circumstances. At the second split he posts 30.5 followed by a 1:35.776 to go fifth, a great lap. Now, was that a great performance from Heinz-Harald, do the Bridgestones have the edge or are conditions improving?
Now for the man that usually spring a surprise, Mark Webber. At the first split the Australian posts 28.3 followed by a 31.1 at the second split. There's a wobble at the hairpin but he keeps going crossing the line at 1:36.699 to go seventh.
Cristiano da Matta is next out, the Brazilian was mighty impressive in Monaco. 28.7 at the first split for the Toyota driver followed by a 31.7 at the second. He crosses the line at 1:38.244 to go eleventh ahead of Fisichella and Trulli.
Local hero Jacques Villeneuve is next out, the BAR star very keen to impress. The car looks a real handful as the 1997 champion posts 28.7 at the first split and a 30.9 at the second. At the last corner he opt to use the kerb and it costs him, he spins, slightly brushes the wall and crosses the line at 1:44.702, last!
Nick Heidfeld is on the track the German posting a mighty impressive 27.2 at the first split. At the second split the Sauber star posts 29.8, a very smooth lap, thus far. Over the line it's 1:32.778 a stupendous lap from the Bridgestone shod youngster.
With five cars still to run the order is: Barrichello followed by Schumacher, Heidfeld, Alonso, Raikkonen, Frentzen, Coulthard, Webber, Montoya and Button.
Ralph Firman is next out, this will be good preparation for his roller-coaster ride scheduled for next month - a revealed by pitpass earlier this week!
At the first split the Anglo-Irish driver posts 27.9 followed by a 30.6 at the second. At the line the Jordan star posts 1:34.759, fourth fastest for yet another Bridgestone runner. A very impressive lap nonetheless, especially when you consider that he's almost 4s quicker than his team-mate.
This morning's pacesetter Antonio Pizzonia is next out. At the first split the Brazilian posts 29.3 followed by a 31.4 at the second. Over the line the Jaguar driver posts 1:38.255 to go fourteenth.
Olivier Panis, who has had a torrid season thus far, is next out, the car going very wide at the first corner. At the first split the Frenchman posts 28.5 followed by a 31.2 at the second. It's a smooth lap typical of the former Monaco winner. Over the line it's 1:37.313 to crawl into the top ten. A good tidy lap.
All eyes on Jos the Boss who takes to the track in the Minardi. At the first split the Dutchman posts 28.7 followed by a 31.3 at the second split. Over the line the Minardi star posts 1:37.426 to go eleventh, a brave brilliant lap from the veteran racer.
Finally it's the turn of Justin Wilson. The English youngster posts 28.7 at the first split, about even with his team-mate. At the second split it's 31.1 but he goes wide and loses time at the hairpin. At the line it's 1:38.088 to go thirteenth on Friday the thirteenth. If it hadn't been for the mistake at the hairpin he could have been in the top ten.
The session ends with Barrichello quickest ahead of his team-mate Michael Schumacher followed by Heidfeld, Firman, Alonso, Raikkonen, Frentzen, Coulthard, Webber and Panis.
However looking at it in another way, the order is Bridgestone followed by Bridgestone, Bridgestone, Bridgestone, Michelin, Michelin, Bridgestone, Michelin, Michelin, Michelin.
As we said rain is forecast for much of the weekend and certainly if the grid for Sunday is anything like this provisional grid then we could be in for an epic race.
The massive advert at the hairpin is for a local casino, certainly today's qualifying session has been a game of chance and if conditions don't improve the 2003 Canadian GP could be a lottery.