Ralf back on top in 2nd Saturday practice

By Andrew Hooper
August 2 2003

   
German GP Saturday 2nd Practice
 
The second Saturday practice would see a reversal of their earlier practice positions with Ralf Schumacher returning to the top of the times and Juan Pablo dropping to third. This was a very encouraging show of speed by both drivers as the teams prepared for the final qualifying session.

Ralf SchumacherThe session would see several drivers crashing, including McLaren's David Coulthard, and several drivers spinning the most notable been Ferrari's Michael Schumacher.

Ralf would set a time of 1m:15.387 to finish 0.108 seconds ahead of Rubens Barrichello, and 0.329 seconds ahead of his team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya. Rubens had earlier set a time that would se him fastest but this was soon eclipsed by Ralf. Rubens would spin at turn twelve, but was able to recover.

After his earlier problems Juan Pablo was only able to take to the track in the final fifteen minutes of the session. Despite this he was able to quickly set a time good enough for third.

For McLaren's David Coulthard his session would end when he was to crash after making a mistake. He would clipped the grass heading into the Sachs Kurve, spinning and hitting the barriers heavily with the left-hand side of his McLaren.

For Michael Schumacher he would have problems  at turn 12, spinning off but he was not able to get his car back onto the track. He would be forced to abandon his car finishing the session in only eighth. Michael lost control entering the corner and would spin backwards into the gravel. When he tried to drive back onto the track he would drive into the tyre barrier.

Renault drivers Fernando Alonso and Jarno Trulli finished fourth and fifth, with Kimi Raikkonen sixth in the leading McLaren and Jaguar's Mark Webber just ahead of Michael Schumacher in seventh.
 
Pos Driver Team Time Laps

1. R. Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1:15.387 218.425 km/h 13
2. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:15.495 + 0.108 16
3. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1:15.716 + 0.329 7
4. Alonso Renault (M) 1:16.277 + 0.890 19
5. Trulli Renault (M) 1:16.305 + 0.918 13
6. Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:16.320 + 0.933 15
7. Webber Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:16.474 + 1.087 17
8. M. Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:16.493 + 1.106 17
9. Button BAR Honda (B) 1:16.954 + 1.567 24
10. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 1:16.957 + 1.570 24
11. Panis Toyota (M) 1:17.169 + 1.782 11
12. Frentzen Sauber Petronas (B) 1:17.334 + 1.947 17
13. da Matta Toyota (M) 1:17.426 + 2.039 22
14. Fisichella Jordan Ford (B) 1:17.583 + 2.196 16
15. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1:17.647 + 2.260 24
16. Wilson Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:17.766 + 2.379 11
17. Firman Jordan Ford (B) 1:18.403 + 3.016 18
18. Verstappen Minardi Cosworth (B) 1:19.533 + 4.146 20
19. Kiesa Minardi Cosworth (B) 1:20.408 + 5.021 4
 
 
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