Friday, July 02, 2004
Auto Racing | canada.comFerrari's Rubens Barrichello fastest in practice for French Grand Prix
Canadian Press
Friday, July 02, 2004
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MAGNY COURS, France (AP) - Rubens Barrichello had the fastest time of the day under tricky conditions in practice for the French Grand Prix.
On a cool, windy morning with showers briefly wetting the track midway through the session, Barrichello's Ferrari was fastest with a time of one minute 15.487 seconds on the 4.411-kilometre Nevers-Magny Cours circuit.
Then Cristiano Da Matta of Toyota had the fastest time in the afternoon - 1:15.518 - with showers coming and going throughout the session. Da Matta recorded his time in the final minute.
Jarno Trulli of Renault was second in the afternoon practice with 1:16.206.
Michael Schumacher, who's won eight of nine races so far, was second and tied for fourth. He trailed Barrichello in the morning with 1:15.713 as the Ferraris were able to get in quick laps before the rains came.
In the afternoon he clocked 1:16.397, along with BAR-Honda's Jenson Button, the best of the non-Ferrari drivers in the season standings.
Fernando Alonso of Renault was sixth. He and Trulli are the only non-Ferrari winners in almost a year. Alonso won the Hungarian GP last August and Trulli took the Monaco GP in May.
Michael Schumacher and teammate Barrichello have combined for six 1-2 finishes, including the last three races.
Ralf Schumacher won the French Grand Prix at Magny Cours but is missing it this year after cracking two vertebrae in a crash at the U.S. Grand Prix. He will be sidelined until at least September.
Williams hasn't had a car in the standings the last two races, with disqualifications and Ralf's accident.
Ralf's place for this race will be taken by Spain's Marc Gene, who drove two years for Minardi before being the test driver for Williams. He came in third in the opening session with 1:19.348. Ralf had the pole position last year in 1:15.019.
The other Williams driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, crashed in the morning session after losing control on the rain-slicked track.
He spun into the grass, going airborne twice and nearly rolling over. His car remained upright and went into the tire barrier at an angle.
Montoya was unhurt but the car lost a wheel. His team repaired the car and he came back to finish 13th in the afternoon session.
As the second half of the 18-race season begins, Michael Schumacher is on course for his seventh Formula One title and fifth in a row. He's 18 points ahead of Barrichello - 80 to 62 - and 36 better than Button.
Sunday's race is 70 laps. There is practice Saturday morning. Qualifying is Saturday afternoon. The one-lap system is still in use after the International Automobile Federation rejected the teams's proposal to change the format.
Canadian Press
Friday, July 02, 2004
ADVERTISEMENT
MAGNY COURS, France (AP) - Rubens Barrichello had the fastest time of the day under tricky conditions in practice for the French Grand Prix.
On a cool, windy morning with showers briefly wetting the track midway through the session, Barrichello's Ferrari was fastest with a time of one minute 15.487 seconds on the 4.411-kilometre Nevers-Magny Cours circuit.
Then Cristiano Da Matta of Toyota had the fastest time in the afternoon - 1:15.518 - with showers coming and going throughout the session. Da Matta recorded his time in the final minute.
Jarno Trulli of Renault was second in the afternoon practice with 1:16.206.
Michael Schumacher, who's won eight of nine races so far, was second and tied for fourth. He trailed Barrichello in the morning with 1:15.713 as the Ferraris were able to get in quick laps before the rains came.
In the afternoon he clocked 1:16.397, along with BAR-Honda's Jenson Button, the best of the non-Ferrari drivers in the season standings.
Fernando Alonso of Renault was sixth. He and Trulli are the only non-Ferrari winners in almost a year. Alonso won the Hungarian GP last August and Trulli took the Monaco GP in May.
Michael Schumacher and teammate Barrichello have combined for six 1-2 finishes, including the last three races.
Ralf Schumacher won the French Grand Prix at Magny Cours but is missing it this year after cracking two vertebrae in a crash at the U.S. Grand Prix. He will be sidelined until at least September.
Williams hasn't had a car in the standings the last two races, with disqualifications and Ralf's accident.
Ralf's place for this race will be taken by Spain's Marc Gene, who drove two years for Minardi before being the test driver for Williams. He came in third in the opening session with 1:19.348. Ralf had the pole position last year in 1:15.019.
The other Williams driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, crashed in the morning session after losing control on the rain-slicked track.
He spun into the grass, going airborne twice and nearly rolling over. His car remained upright and went into the tire barrier at an angle.
Montoya was unhurt but the car lost a wheel. His team repaired the car and he came back to finish 13th in the afternoon session.
As the second half of the 18-race season begins, Michael Schumacher is on course for his seventh Formula One title and fifth in a row. He's 18 points ahead of Barrichello - 80 to 62 - and 36 better than Button.
Sunday's race is 70 laps. There is practice Saturday morning. Qualifying is Saturday afternoon. The one-lap system is still in use after the International Automobile Federation rejected the teams's proposal to change the format.
