By Jamie Makin
August 28 2004

SAUBER PETRONAS drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Felipe Massa finished 12th and 11th respectively after today´s first practice sessions for the Belgian Grand Prix. Friday, Free Practice 1:

Driver	Chassis	Best Time	Position
G. Fisichella	C23-04	1:47.648	14
F. Massa	C23-01	1:47.765	16
Spare Car	C23-02	-	-

Friday, Free Practice 2:

Driver	Chassis	Best Time	Position
G. Fisichella	C23-04	1:45.978	12
F. Massa	C23-01	1:45.960	11
Spare Car	C23-02	-	-

The SAUBER PETRONAS team was thrilled to return to Belgium's Spa-Francorchamps circuit this weekend. Widely regarded by the drivers as a favorite, the classic roller coaster of a track had been axed from last year's schedule over a ban on tobacco advertising. The return to the track this year came under favorable conditions for the SAUBER team, as the cool and overcast conditions suited their car and Bridgestone tyres well. Both drivers put in solid, trouble-free runs and were just over a second behind the Ferrari's by the end of the practice session. The team is well prepared and optimistic for Sunday's race.

"I am quite happy with the way things went today," said driver Giancarlo Fisichella. "The balance is okay, and we only have to adjust the set-up a little bit more. We are going in the right direction. The car is very consistent on long runs and we are competitive, so I am happy and optimistic."

His teammate Felipe Massa echoed the sentiment. "That was very good! I’m happy with the car’s balance, especially at high speed when it really inspires a lot of confidence. We are strong here and things look good for the race. Like Giancarlo, I’m feeling very optimistic."

Peter Sauber is confident that the team has a firm grasp on race strategy. "After our one-year absence from Spa-Francorchamps we concentrated on tyre choice and long runs for race preparation, and I am pleased with the work that we did and with the result. We are looking strong for the race."

The Bridgestone teams look to have the upper hand on their Michelin rivals this weekend. Some of the Michelin teams like BAR-Honda and McLaren-Mercedes were quick in practice today but their tyres showed signs of serious wear and blistering after half a dozen laps. The Bridgestone tyres performed very consistently in the ideal weather conditions and could give SAUBER PETRONAS an advantage over some of their rivals.

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