Ferrari 2nd and 3rd in final free practice


By Greig Murray
September 14 2002

Final free practice at Monza ended with Ferrari in 2nd and 3rd places. The mechanics did a brilliant job to get Barrichello back out on track after his engine failure. Montoya in the Williams was quickest ahead of qualifying.

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The final 45 minutes of free practice ahead of the qualifying session normally gives a much better indication of how things will go when it matters later this afternoon and having topped the times in all the previous sessions Michael Schumacher will be hoping it remains that way. Ferrari however are having major problems with Rubens Barrichello’s chassis. Friday was dogged by brake problems and an engine failure in the morning session has given his mechanics a tough job of changing engine within a very tight limit.

Ross Brawn is in the Barrichello garage as his mechanics work on the engine change. Ross is moving very gingerly and you can see that his back problems may well be still giving him some pain. Schumacher is out and with the fuel loads reduced he is now on a different pace altogether an initial lap of 1.21.883 is quickly followed up by a blinding lap of 1.21.328 to really set a new pace. Montoya is also pushing but he is all over the place in the chicanes and is struggling to match the pace. Schumacher pits and practices a pit stop as Ross Brawn watches on.

20 minutes into the session and it looks unlikely that Rubens Barrichello will be able to take to the track in this session as his car remains on the jacks with the team still hard at work on the engine change. Schumacher is back on track as he is removed from the top of the times as Juan Pablo Montoya goes quickest with a 1.21.319. But amazingly Barrichello is preparing to come out as his mechanics have done a fantastic job and have changed his engine in a remarkable time. Only 15 minutes remain but the no2 Ferrari emerges from the pit lane and is back on track. Michael locks up and goes off at the second chicane, he avoids the speed bumps and returns on his way.

Barrichello finally moves up from his last place and goes into eighth with a lap of 1.22.951 which considering all his problems and lack of track time is not to bad. Montoya is once again off track as he pushes his limits too far once more. Barrichello continues to lap as the clock ticks down to the end of the session and he goes into third with a 1.21.754 it appears that the Bridgestones get better after a couple of flying laps.

Full Times

1. MONTOYA Williams BMW 1'21"319 256.014 Km/h
2. M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari 1'21"328 + 0'00"009
3. BARRICHELLO Ferrari 1'21"754 + 0'00"435
4. R.SCHUMACHER Williams BMW 1'21"764 + 0'00"445
5. RAIKKONEN McLaren Mercedes 1'22"200 + 0'00"881
6. COULTHARD McLaren Mercedes 1'22"522 + 0'01"203
7. DE LA ROSA Jaguar Cosworth 1'22"642 + 0'01"323
8. IRVINE Jaguar Cosworth 1'22"697 + 0'01"378
9. MCNISH Toyota 1'22"967 + 0'01"648
10. VILLENEUVE BAR Honda 1'23"142 + 0'01"823
11. MASSA Sauber Petronas 1'23"206 + 0'01"887
12. HEIDFELD Sauber Petronas 1'23"235 + 0'01"916
13. FISICHELLA Jordan Honda 1'23"375 + 0'02"056
14. SALO Toyota 1'23"442 + 0'02"123
15. SATO Jordan Honda 1'23"453 + 0'02"134
16. PANIS BAR Honda 1'23"501 + 0'02"182
17. TRULLI Renault 1'23"712 + 0'02"393
18. BUTTON Renault 1'24"204 + 0'02"885
19. YOONG Minardi Asiatech 1'24"744 + 0'03"425
20. WEBBER Minardi Asiatech 1'25"169 + 0'03"850

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