Montoya fastest in final practice at Silverstone

By Andrew Hooper
July 19 2003

   
British GP Saturday 2nd Practice
 
The second Saturday practice would see both BMW WilliamsF1 drivers at the top of the times with Juan Pablo first and Ralf fourth. This was an encouraging show of speed by both drivers as the teams prepared for the final qualifying session.

As the teams made their final preparations for this afternoons qualifying they would have one forty-five minute practice session left in which to sort out their cars.

MontoyaThe session would see Toyota's Olivier Panis and Cristiano Da Matta first onto the track. They were quickly joined by Renault's Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso. Da Matta would go fastest with Panis second, but they were about three seconds down on Raikkonen's pace from the first session.

Ralf Schumacher would also take to the track and would quickly set the pace. He would move into fifth position. Alonso and Trulli would quickly push the Toyota's from the top times. McLaren's David Coulthard would set the fastest time. Raikkonen would be fifth while Ralf would move into fifth position.

Jaguar's Mark Webber would move into second, a full second up on his time from the first session. Team-mate Pizzonia is now fifth but only four tenths up on his earlier pace. The Sauber team would see Frentzen fifth and Heidfeld ninth. But it would be Michael Schumacher who would set the fastest first sector time of the day, 26.5. He would follow it up with the fastest second sector time of the day, 34.2. These times would see him go fastest with a lpa of 1m:21.608.

BAR's Jenson Button was now in eighth while Ralph Firman was in tenth. For Juan Pablo he would move into sixth position. But in a continuation of his earlier good times Toyota's Olivier Panis takes would set the second fastest time with a lap of 1m:22.257. He is joined by Da Matta in fourth.

MontoyaWith half the session complete Jarno Trulli would go third after another strong time in the third sector. For Juan Pablo he would set the fastest first sector of the day, 26.3sec. But he could not keep up the time losing four tenths in the third, seeing him move into second. Montoya returns to the pits now after his single flying lap run.

Ralf would quickly push his team-mate down the order with the second fastest time. Ralf would also return to the pits. It was very much the case that the WilliamsF1 drivers were challenging Michael. As the session neared a close both Barrichello and Alonso were on quick laps. Alonso finishes sixth but Barrichello goes better and move into fourth.

Pizzonia would strike in trouble, with his Jaguar pulling off to the side of the circuit near the pitlane exit. Again we see the third sector spoil a lap and Raikkonen will only move as high as seventh. Juan Pablo would be back out and after setting the fastest time in the second sector he would move ahead of Michael with the fastest time in a sensational lap. Barrichello would push Michael down the order as he too would move up the order into second.

For BAR's Jacques Villeneuve he could only complete three laps after having technical problems with his car. Ralf would improve his time but would stay in fourth. It was a very encouraging session for the WilliamsF1 team and would make things look very good for the final qualifying session.
 
P. No Driver Team - Engine Tyres Times Ave/Gaps Laps

1. 3 MONTOYA Williams BMW M 1'21"415 227.324 Km/h 12
2. 2 BARRICHELLO Ferrari B 1'21"587 + 0'00"172 18
3. 1 M. SCHUMACHER Ferrari B 1'21"608 + 0'00"193 15
4. 4 R. SCHUMACHER Williams BMW M 1'21"711 + 0'00"296 13
5. 20 PANIS Toyota M 1'22"257 + 0'00"842 17
6. 5 COULTHARD McLaren Mercedes M 1'22"317 + 0'00"902 15
7. 7 TRULLI Renault M 1'22"332 + 0'00"917 23
8. 6 RAIKKONEN McLaren Mercedes M 1'22"400 + 0'00"985 15
9. 8 ALONSO Renault M 1'22"462 + 0'01"047 16
10. 21 DA MATTA Toyota M 1'22"614 + 0'01"199 18
11. 14 WEBBER Jaguar Cosworth M 1'22"910 + 0'01"495 20
12. 16 VILLENEUVE BAR Honda B 1'23"326 + 0'01"911 4
13. 17 BUTTON BAR Honda B 1'23"455 + 0'02"040 21
14. 10 FRENTZEN Sauber Petronas B 1'23"620 + 0'02"205 19
15. 15 PIZZONIA Jaguar Cosworth M 1'23"703 + 0'02"288 14
16. 11 FISICHELLA Jordan Ford B 1'23"944 + 0'02"529 16
17. 9 HEIDFELD Sauber Petronas B 1'23"945 + 0'02"530 20
18. 12 FIRMAN Jordan Ford B 1'23"981 + 0'02"566 16
19. 19 VERSTAPPEN Minardi Cosworth B 1'25"684 + 0'04"269 13
20. 18 WILSON Minardi Cosworth B 1'25"906 + 0'04"491 14
 
 
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