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2004 Brazil GP - Saturday Free Practice 1
Report
Ahead of today's third free practice session, the air temperature is 20 degrees C, while the track temperature is 22 degrees.
There has been much confusion in recent days regarding the timing of today's sessions, with some websites stating that the action gets underway at 09:00 local time, whereas in fact it begins at 08:00. Overnight, we even received an e-mail from a reader, who is attending the race, asking what time the action gets underway. Sadly, it appears that due to the lack of correct information, that particular group of fans will miss today's first session.
Unbelievably, even the official Brazilian GP website has the wrong times - at least it did last night. I've just checked, and it still says 09:00 - 09:45.
Even the FIA's website claims that tomorrow's race gets underway at 15:00 local time, when in fact the race begins at 14:00. Let's just hope that none of the drivers have got their times confused.
Although it is dry, following overnight rain, we are expecting more rain during the course of the day, and storms tomorrow, with as much as 25mm of rainfall expected.
Timo Glock is first out, followed by Bruni and Baumgartner. Raikkonen, Coulthard, Sato and Heidfeld are other early risers.
Ralf Schumacher and Montoya come out, but the session is immediately red-flagged when a dog runs on to the track. Not a man in a kilt, but a dog.
This is quite spooky. As officials attempt to catch the dog I am reminded of an incident during the 1962 world cup when England was playing Brazil. A dog ran on to the pitch and after evading all efforts to capture it, the dog was eventually caught by Jimmy Greaves, who at the time was a Tottenham player. Greaves got down on his knees and persuaded the dog to come to him, the dog obeyed. The spooky part is that Jimmy Greaves' Spurs boss at that time, Bill Nicholson, died yesterday.
On a more serious note, if this was happening at Silverstone, Bernie would be having a fit. We have now lost ten minutes of the session. Remember, last year we had the timing fiasco, while previously we had the advertising hoardings falling down.
No doubt Michael Schumacher, a known dog lover, will want to adopt the hound, that's if Bernie doesn't sue it.
Ironic also, that at a Grand Prix which witnesses the demise of 'the cat', it's a dog that grabs the headlines.
As the dog is finally captured, the stewards announce that the session will resume at 08:30 and end at 08;45, which means the drivers have 'lost' twenty-five minutes track-time.
Sato is first out, followed by Glock, Bruni, Baumgartner, Button, Klien and Zonta. Within moments, there are sixteen cars on track.
Glock sets the benchmark (1:15.867), but moments later Webber has posted 1:13.338, while Michael crosses the line at 1:11.918.
Alonso goes second but is almost immediately bumped down by Montoya, it's fast and furious out there.
Ralf goes second, crossing the line at 1:12.154, only for Sato to go quickest of all with a 1:11.580. Teammate Jenson Button is twelfth, on 1:19.426.
Yesterday's pace-setter, Rubens Barrichello, posts 1:11.867, to go third, as Fisichella goes fourth and teammate Massa, fifth.
The Italian begins his next lap, and immediately goes quickest in the first sector. Meanwhile Raikkonen (1:11.991) goes fifth, splitting the two Saubers.
The Finn improves by 0.4s to go second, just 0.011s off Sato's time, however, his Scottish teammate has yet to post a time.
As Barrichello goes third (1:11.641), Coulthard posts 1:12.085 to go sixth. However, moments later, Jenson Button goes straight to the top of the timesheets with a 1:11.466, that's exactly 0.300s off Barrichello's best time on Friday.
The only driver that hasn't posted a time is Jacques Villeneuve, the Canadian waits patiently in his garage.
Both Schumachers improve their times, yet remain fifth (Michael) and sixth (Ralf). Moments later, the WilliamsF1 driver leapfrogs his Ferrari rival with a 1:11.714.
The session ends, with Button quickest, ahead of Sato, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Ralf, Michael, Fisichella, Massa, Coulthard and Montoya.
One hesitates to think what surprises are in store for us in the second session - a plague of locusts perhaps?
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