10/07/2004
NEWS STORY
As the twenty drivers prepare for today's opening free-practice session, the ambient temperature is 14 degrees C, while the track temperature is 18 degrees.
First out is Giorgio Pantano is the Jordan, followed by da Matta and Panis. A short while later, Heidfeld and Sato also emerge, followed by Gene, Button and Coulthard. Webber, Montoya and Raikkonen are also early risers.
After an installation lap, everyone returns to his garage, other than da Matta who continues round, however towards the end of his second lap he too pulls off into his garage.
Ten minutes into the session, Gene re-emerges, and one minute and twenty-one seconds later crosses the line to post the first time of the day. The Spaniard continues round, and improves to 1:20.806.
Now Michael Schumacher is on track, and he too continues round after his installation lap, posting a 1:22.608 at the first attempt. Alonso goes quickest with a 1:20.820 only to be beaten moments later by Schumacher who posts 1:19.837.
After fifteen minutes, only three drivers have posted times, Schumacher, Gene and Alonso.
The Jordan duo of Pantano and Heidfeld is back on track, the German goes fourth with a 1:23.333, while his teammate posts 1:23.426.
Twenty minutes into the session and only five drivers have posted time, while Barrichello, Trulli, Massa, Klien, Bruni and Baumgartner have yet to make an appearance.
Yesterday's big surprise, Giancarlo Fisichella, goes fourth with a 1:22.095, as Barrichello finally emerges from the sanctuary of his garage. Fisi improves to 1:21.191, but remains fourth, as the Ferrari driver posts 1:21.251 to go fifth.
Next time around the Brazilian goes quickest in the first sector, but loses ground in the second. He crosses the line at 1:19.791, have gone quickest in the final sector. Ferraris now 1 and 2.
Juan Pablo Montoya is on track, and the Colombian immediately goes quickest in the first sector. He's quickest again in the second sector, and crosses the line at 1:19.699, having lost ground in the final sector - the stadium complex. Meanwhile his teammate improves but remains fourth.
Next time around, Montoya is even quicker in the first sector, but loses time in the second. He fails to improve.
With fifteen minutes remaining, only eight drivers have posted times: Montoya, Michael, Barrichello, Gene, Alonso, Fisichella, Heidfeld and Pantano. Still no sign of Trulli, Massa, Klien, Bruni or Baumgartner.
da Matta looks set to become the ninth driver to post a time, though Panis and Massa are also on track. The Brazilian goes seventh with a 1:21.273, as Alonso goes fourth with a 1:20.482.
Michael Schumacher is back on track, as Massa goes sixth and Panis ninth. The German fails to improve, unlike da Matta who moves up to sixth only to be forced down again by Massa who also improves.
One of the local heroes, David Coulthard, is on track, the McLarens were surprisingly good here yesterday. The Scot goes fourth with a 1:19.979, just 0.280s off Montoya's pace.
Sadly, the whole thing is put into perspective at this point, with the news that Minardi's Sporting Director, John Walton, passed away last night. A great loss to the sport.
Jarno Trulli goes fifth, as Juan Pablo Montoya goes quickest in sector one, and Jenson Button in sector two. On his home track, and sporting his new 'St George' helmet livery, the Englishman goes quickest, crossing the line at 1:19.468.
Elsewhere, Webber goes fifteenth, of the seventeen drivers that have posted a time, as Barrichello leapfrogs Montoya to go second.
Kimi Raikkonen finally makes an appearance and immediately goes quickest in the second and third sectors, the Finn crosses the line at 1:19.315, to go quickest.
The session ends with Raikkonen quickest, just as he was yesterday, ahead of Button, Schumacher, Barrichello, Montoya, Trulli, Coulthard, Sato, Alonso and Gene.
Neither Minardi driver ran, clearly out of respect for the death of the team's sporting director, John Walton.