By pitpass.com (02/08/2003)
August 2 2003

Juan Pablo Montoya was quickest in the fifteen-minute warm-up ahead of Alonso, Panis, Ralf, Rubens, Kimi, da Matta, Trulli, Michael and Kimi. Weather conditions are ideal - warm and sunny - which means we are more than likely to see a Michelin whitewash this afternoon. As the digital clocks turns to 14:00 Nicolas Kiesa begins his 'out' lap, the Dane failed to post a time yesterday.

Masses of empty space in the Stadium grandstands, never mind a few celebrity two-seater races should fix that.

At the first split Nicolas posts 17.6 followed by 54.176 at the second. As he crosses the line the Dane posts 1:19.174 to set the benchmark.

Jacques Villeneuve is next out, the Canadian also failed to post a time yesterday after spinning. At the first split it's 16.877 followed by a 52.897 at the second, he's 1.2s up on Kiesa. Over the line the Canadian posts 1:17.090 well off the time Button posted yesterday.

Jos Verstappen is next out, the Dutchman has a lot of support here, as he does at most other tracks. At the first split the Minardi star posts 17.279, he's 0.4 down on Villeneuve. At the second split it's 53.993, he's pushing hard the cars slipping and sliding. Over the line it's 1:19.023, a good lap under the circumstances.

Next out is Giancarlo Fisichella, the Jordan team having a nightmare weekend - on and off track. At the first split the Italian posts 16.670 he's up on Villeneuve. At the second split it's 52.788 he's still up on the BAR star and heading for provisional pole. 1:16.831 the Roman does indeed take provisional pole, a great performance.

Fisi's team-mate Ralph Firman is next out, the Anglo-Irish driver posting 16.960 at the first split, down on his fellow Jordan driver by 0.2s. It's 53.645 at the second slit, he's now 0.8s down of Fisichella - fuel strategy? 1:18.341 over the line is enough for third albeit 1.5s off his team-mate's pace.

At the first break it's Fisichella ahead of Villeneuve, Firman, Verstappen and Kiesa.

Next out is Cristiano da Matta in the Toyota. The Brazilian pushes hard using all the track, and then some. At the first split it's 16.7 followed by 52.352 at the second, he's up on Fisichella by 0.4s. 1:16.550 over the line even though he goes mighty wide at the last corner. The Toyota driver takes provisional pole.

The first of the 'home' boys comes out, Nick Heidfeld. At the first split the Sauber driver posts 17.164 he's 0.4s down on da Matta. At the second split the German clocks 53.280 he's now almost a second off the pace. Over the line it's 1:17.557 to go fourth, he'll be disappointed.

Team-mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen is next out, the German veteran has been showing his team-mate the way this weekend, what can he do today? 16.736 at the first split, he's a mere 0.001 off the pace. At the second split it's 53.004, he's lost 0.6s to da Matta. Over the line at 1:17.169 he goes fourth leap-frogging his team-mate.

Jenson Button takes to the track, the English youngster's been looking good this weekend. He goes really wide at Turn 1 but keeps it all together. At the first split it's 17.086 he's 0.3s off the pace. At the second split it's 53.146 he's now 0.7s off the pace. At the line - having run wide again - it's 1:18.085, he goes sixth a second off his team-mate's pace.

David Coulthard is last out before the second break, the Scot needs to do something special. 16.799 at the first split, he's down on da Matta but it's marginal. At the second split the McLaren star posts 52.448 he's still close to da Matta but down. At the line it's 1:16.666 he goes second, it's really not good enough and the Scot knows it.

At the second break the order is da Matta, Coulthard, Fisichella, Villeneuve, Frentzen, Heidfeld, Button, Firman, Verstappen and Kiesa.

Olivier Panis is next out the French star will be keen to join his team-mate at the top of the timesheets. At the first split the Toyota driver posts 16.733, Olivier is a mere 0.002s up on his team-mate. 52.165 at the second split, he's now 0.2s up on the Brazilian. 1:16.034 at the line and Olivier takes provisional pole by 0.516, a superb performance.

Now it's the turn of World Champion Michael Schumacher, what can he do? The crowd goes wild as he begins his flying lap. 16.612 at the first split, he's 0.1 up on Panis. At the second split the German posts 52.348, he's now 0.183 up on the Frenchman. At the line Michael posts 1:15.898 to take provisional pole by 0.136, he was quickest in the first and final sectors.

Team-mate Rubens Barrichello is next out, can the Brazilian match his German? Rubens is on the soft tyre apparently, which give him a better time but cost him in the race. 16.5 at the first split, he's quickest but it's marginal. 51.955 at the second split, he's 0.3s up on the German. At the line it's 1:15.488 he takes provisional pole by 0.410s, a very good smooth lap.

Jaguar's new boy Justin Wilson is next out, he didn't look so impressive this morning. At the first split the Englishman posts 16.897, he's down on Rubens by 0.3s. At the second split Justin posts 53.042, he's now a second down on the Ferrari. The R4 is under-steering like crazy, as a result it's 1:18.021 which is only good enough for tenth. He'll be very disappointed.

Kimi Raikkonen takes to the track, he needs a good grid position. At the first split the Finn posts 16.590, he's down on Barrichello but only just. 51.995 at the second split, he's still very close to the Ferrari's time. 1:15.874 to take second, splitting the Ferraris.

At the final break the order is Rubens ahead of Raikkonen, Michael, Panis, da Matta, Coulthard, Fisichella, Villeneuve, Frentzen and Heidfeld.

Fernando Alonso is the first of the last batch to run, the Spaniard posts 16.808, he's already 0.28 off the pace, not looking too good thus far. At the second split it's 52.533 he's now 0.5s off the pace, can he make the top three? 1:16.483 over the line, which is only good enough for fifth, on the pit-wall Flavio shrugs in disbelief.

Mark Webber is next out, the Jaguar star posting 16.731 at the first split as he works away at the wheel. At the second split it's 52.246, the Aussie is a mere 0.24s off Barrichello's pace. He goes wide at the last corner and as a result loses precious time crossing the line at 1:16.775, 1.287 off Barrichello's pole time. He'll be angry with himself.

Jarno Trulli comes out, the Italian has been looking good all weekend. 16.603 at the first split, slightly down on Barrichello but still looking good. At the second split the Renault star posts 52.117 he's now 0.162s down on the Brazilian. 1:15.679 over the line, the Italian goes second, a really nice clean lap.

It all rests on the shoulders of the WilliamsF1 drivers, and Juan Pablo Montoya is first out.

At the first split the Colombian posts 16.575, he's 0.005 down on Barrichello. At the second split it's 51.182 he's up on the Ferrari driver. Over the line it's 1:15.167 he takes provisional pole by 0.321s

16.5 at the first split for Ralf Schumacher he's setting a blistering pace. At the second split it's 51.616 he's up on his team-mate by almost 0.2s. At the line it's 15.185, somehow he's lost all that time and ends up second, where did he lose his advantage?

Montoya takes pole position - his first of the season and first since Monza last year - to give WilliamsF1 its third front row lock-out of the season.

Barrichello is third quickest ahead of Trulli, Raikkonen, Michael, Panis, Alonso, da Matta and Coulthard.

The first seven cars are covered by less than a second (0.867 to be precise), with only two Bridgestone runners in the top eleven.

The weather forecast for tomorrow is sunshine, and lot's of it, so it would be a brave man that would bet against a WilliamsF1 driver standing atop the podium tomorrow afternoon.


This article was written by pitpass.com and is used with permission.