18/06/2004
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second free practice session, the ambient temperature has risen to 29 degrees C, while the track temperature is now 44 degrees.
With the choice of tyres for the remainder of the weekend, to be made by 09:00 tomorrow, we can (hopefully) expect a little more action in today's second session. Other than Montoya, none of the big guns gave the Ferraris any problems in the first session, though Davidson, Zonta and Wirdheim were fairly impressive.
At 14:00 precisely, the lights go green and the second session gets underway. Cristiano da Matta is first out, followed by Zonta, Davidson, Glock, Fisichella, Massa and Leinders. Webber and Alonso are also among the 'early risers'.
Wirdheim stops at the end of the pitlane and has to be rescued by the Jaguar crew.
Davidson goes quickest in the first two sectors, crossing the line at 1:12.302, as Zonta goes second ahead of Panis and da Matta. Webber goes fifth with a 1:13.604.
After a quiet first session, Fernando Alonso goes sixth, only to be pushed back down the timesheets by Raikkonen and Ralf Schumacher. The German posts 1:12.987, to go second.
As Michael Schumacher comes out, David Coulthard grinds to a halt in the second sector and Alonso spins off and ends up in the gravel in the third, more problems for McLaren and Renault.
Schumacher goes seventh, then improve to quickest, the German posting 1:12.285.
Barrichello, Button and Sato are all on track, as Zonta goes quickest in sector one. The Toyota tester loses a little ground in sector two, but is quickest again in the final sector, raising the benchmark to 1:12.019. Moments later, Barrichello goes second with a 1:12.032. For just a few milliseconds Button is fifth, until teammate Sato eclipses him.
The Japanese driver's moment of glory is just that, a moment, he tries to pass Felipe Massa but the pair touch, the Japanese driver spins off onto the grass, his front suspension badly damaged. He gets out of the car and is clearly angry with the Sauber driver. Elsewhere, Ralf and Pantano have minor spins.
As in the first session, the red flag comes out as the marshals remove Sato's stricken car.
Eight minutes later and the lights go green, the session resumes.
The three Toyota drivers can't get out there quick enough, nor can Wirdheim, Webber, Pantano, Leinders and Baumgartner.
Zonta is still quickest, ahead of Barrichello, Michael, Davidson and Webber who posts a 1:12.563. Sato is sixth ahead of Button, Wirdheim, Ralf, Panis, da Matta and Raikkonen.
Juan Pablo Montoya goes quickest in the first sector, as Davidson goes quickest in the third. The Colombian is also quickest in the second sector, and again in the third, crossing the line at 1:10.982, to go quickest by over a second.
But now Michael is on track, and immediately goes quickest in the first sector. He loses ground in the two final sectors and is consequently unable to improve, but there's always next time.
Meanwhile, the German is leapfrogged by Raikkonen, who goes fourth with a 1:12.197. However, Michael isn't finished and goes second again with a 1:11.791, as Barrichello goes quickest with a 1:10.974.
As the dust settles, Barrichello is quickest, 0.008s quicker than Montoya, with Michael a further 0.817s 'down the road', ahead of Zonta, Raikkonen and Davidson.
Jenson Button goes quickest in the second sector, going on to cross the line at 1:11.230, and take third.
At half-time, it's Barrichello ahead of Montoya, Button, Michael, Panis, Zonta, Raikkonen, Davidson, Trulli and Webber.
Michael Schumacher has a massive spin, indeed the German does three full 360 degree spins, then gets going again.
Further down the timesheets, Massa improves to seventeenth. Fisichella is twelfth ahead of Wirdheim, Ralf, da Matta and Alonso.
Wirdheim improves his time but remains thirteenth, as Davidson post a personal best in the first sector. In the second sector the Englishman goes quickest of all, finally crossing the line at 1:10.967, to go quickest by 0.007s.
Mark Webber moves up one spot, the Australian posting 1:12.438. Don't forget, according to the small print in his contract, Jaguar needs to be sixth in the championship at the end of the weekend if they are to retain him. In other words, they have to win.
Meanwhile, Rubens Barrichello retakes the top spot, the Brazilian crossing the line at 1:10.365, that's 0.602s quicker than Davidson. Is a 1:09s on the cards?
Elsewhere, Ralf Schumacher is on a good lap, the German posting personal bests in the first two sectors. He crosses the line at 1:11.530, to go fifth. Meanwhile Kimi Raikkonen posts a personal best in the first sector, as does Button.
Michael Schumacher climbs up to fourth, courtesy of a 1:11.036, he's now 0.671s off his teammate's pace.
Davidson and Zonta have both complete 31 laps, both these drivers doing a sterling job for their respective teams this season. The Englishman is currently second, while the Brazilian is eighth.
Moments later, Cristiano da Matta goes seventh, as the drivers prepare for a final assault.
There are fourteen cars on track, but we're not seeing any improvements, though suddenly, from out of nowhere, Baumgartner produces a 1:13.384, to go eighteenth, ahead of all three Jordans, and only 0.2s off Massa's pace. Well done that man.
Just over two minutes remaining, and still no improvements, though we still have ten cars on track.
That said, Glock posts 1:13.446, to go quickest of all three Jordan drivers, though he doesn't beat Baumgartner's time.
The session ends with Barrichello quickest, ahead of Davidson, Montoya, Michael, Button, Ralf, da Matta, Panis, Zonta and Raikkonen.
Webber finishes eleventh quickest ahead of Trulli, Fisichella, Sato, Wirdheim, Klien, Massa, Baumgartner, Glock, Alonso, Heidfeld, Pantano, Leinders, Bruni and Coulthard, who failed to post a time.
Thanks fully we saw Ferrari under a little more pressure in this session, most particularly from the WilliamsF1s and BARs. However the McLarens and Renaults continues to disappoint.
Anyway, let's see what happens tomorrow, for as Scarlet O'Hara said, "tomorrow is another day".