WilliamsF1 improves after Friday practice


Montoya

By Andrew Hooper
April 7 2004

The BMW WilliamsF1 team would improve considerably after the second Friday practice in Bahrain. Juan Pablo would be second, just 0.001 behind the fastest car while Ralf was in sixth. Both drivers would express their satisfaction with how things were going.

   
Bahrain GP Friday 2nd Practice
 
The second Friday practice session gave the BMW WilliamsF1 team a reason to feel that they were making progress when both drivers would improve their earlier Friday positions. Juan Pablo was second, just 0.001 behind the lead car of Rubens Barrichello. Ralf was in sixth having improve dramatically from his earlier time of 1m:34.619 to now set a time of 1m:31.842.

Ralf SchumacherAfter the first practice session there was a lot to be concerned about given the dominance of the Ferrari's. But even though a Ferrari would finish fastest, with Rubens Barrichello, the other teams and drivers were able to reduce the gap.

The session would see several Michelin supplied drivers struggle with tyres losing their tread in the extremely hot conditions, including McLaren's David Coulthard and BAR's Anthony Davidson. Coulthard's tyre problem would see him spin at Turn six.

After his earlier dominance Champion Michael Schumacher could only manage fourth place, 0.282 seconds behind his teammate, with third place taken by BAR test driver Anthony Davidson. Michael would spin at Turn 11

For McLaren their problems would include seeing Kimi Raikkonen stop at Turn nine with a suspected engine failure. If the Finn is forced to change his engine, he will lose ten place on the grid for Sunday's race. Kimi did not set a time in the session.

Alonso's damged rear tyreRenault's Fernando Alonso would have his right rear tyre disintegrated after he went off the track at turn 15 with half the session gone. He would finish in ninth. Teammate Jarno Trulli would also have problems, spinning at Turn 10 and stopping at the next corner with fire coming out of the back of his car. Like Raikkonen if this requires and engine change he will lose ten grid places come Sunday.

Jaguar driver Christian Klien was fifth fastest, despite a spin at Turn 11. Ralf was sixth, with Jenson Button seventh for BAR and Mark Webber eighth in the second Jaguar.
Pos Driver Team Time Laps

1. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:31.450 19
2. Montoya WilliamsF1 BMW (M) 1:31.451 + 0.001 21
3. Davidson BAR-Honda (M) 1:31.488 + 0.038 26
4. M. Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:31.732 + 0.282 22
5. Klien Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:31.789 + 0.339 19
6. R. Schumacher WilliamsF1 BMW (M) 1:31.842 + 0.392 25
7. Button BAR-Honda (M) 1:31.879 + 0.429 21
8. Webber Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:32.041 + 0.591 23
9. Alonso Renault (M) 1:32.234 + 0.784 21
10. Zonta Toyota (M) 1:32.335 + 0.885 26
11. Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:32.495 + 1.045 17
12. Sato BAR-Honda (M) 1:32.680 + 1.230 15
13. Pantano Jordan-Ford (B) 1:32.708 + 1.258 17
14. da Matta Toyota (M) 1:32.761 + 1.311 19
15. Massa Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:33.031 + 1.581 22
16. Panis Toyota (M) 1:33.049 + 1.599 17
17. Fisichella Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:33.061 + 1.611 23
18. Trulli Renault (M) 1:33.437 + 1.987 12
19. Glock Jordan-Ford (B) 1:33.695 + 2.245 25
20. Baumgartner Minardi-Cosworth (B) 1:34.054 + 2.604 12
21. Wirdheim Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:34.317 + 2.867 23
22. Bruni Minardi-Cosworth (B) 1:34.791 + 3.341 14
23. Leinders Minardi-Cosworth (B) 1:36.248 + 4.798 23
24. Heidfeld Jordan-Ford (B) 1:40.573 + 9.123 5
25. Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes (M) no time 1
 
 
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