Saturday July 1st, 2000
Cool Coulthard stays fastest
David Coulthard made maximum use of track conditions to retain the fastest practice time for McLaren. The Scot set his quickest time early in the session, and then watched as a fast-rising air temperature prevented anyone else from challenging it. The Scot's morning was not untroubled, however. In the second half of the session he again stopped with mechanical problems, his engine breaking after, it was suspected, the oil tank may have cracked as it had yesterday. Mika Hakkinen was second fastest and much happier with his McLaren, setting a time less than two tenths slower than Coulthard after the temperature had risen.
Barrichello third for Ferrari
While Michael Schumacher used old tyres and focused entirely on setting up his Ferrari F1-2000 for qualifying, Rubens Barrichello tried new tyres at the end. "I could have been half a second faster," the Brazilian said, "but I caught traffic at the end of the lap." Schumacher tried smaller and lighter brake discs, and made several changes to his mechanical and aerodynamic set-ups all through the morning.
A better morning at Williams
Ralf Schumacher and Jenson Button were happier with the balance of their Williams-BMWs after the team switched from race set-up work yesterday to focus solely on qualifying trim today. But there were worries over rear tyre wear and poor performance, relative to Button's car, from Schumacher's engine.
Jordans evenly matched
Jarno Trulli and Heinz-Harald Frentzen were separated by less than three hundredths of a second, each only trying new tyres at the end of the session. "Nothing was difficult, but nothing was easy," Frentzen reported. "With the changing track conditions, qualifying is going to be very difficult."
Promising runs for Jaguar
Eddie Irvine took seventh fastest time for Jaguar, with Johnny Herbert 11th less than two tenths behind despite jumping over one chicane. Both focused on set-up work, but Irvine was concerned that his R1 was 5 km/h slower than Herbert's in straightline speed.
Fisichella goes backwards, but Wurz happier
Giancarlo Fisichella was very unhappy with his Benetton's balance, and slid over a gravel bed at one stage, but Alexander Wurz reported himself happier with his car's behaviour, especially the level of grip.
Disappointment at Sauber
Mika Salo and Pedro Diniz were both disappointed with their lap times at Sauber. "We have the latest evolution of the engine today," Salo said, "yet still my lap times are slower than yesterday when I was fifth fastest in similar temperatures." The Finn said the newer engine had inferior driveability.
In brief...
Nick Heidfeld, Ricardo Zonta and Marc Gene all took trips over gravel beds. Only one Evo IV Peugeot engine was used, by Alesi, but both drivers will have fresh versions of the unit fitted in time for qualifying.
Pos Driver Team Times
1. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes 1:15.965 201.456 km/h
2. Hakkinen McLaren Mercedes 1:16.144 + 0.179
3. Barrichello Ferrari 1:16.679 + 0.714
4. R.Schumacher Williams BMW 1:16.827 + 0.862
5. Trulli Jordan Mugen-Honda 1:16.956 + 0.991
6. Frentzen Jordan Mugen-Honda 1:16.983 + 1.018
7. Irvine Jaguar Cosworth 1:16.993 + 1.028
8. M.Schumacher Ferrari 1:17.060 + 1.095
9. Button Williams BMW 1:17.104 + 1.139
10. Herbert Jaguar Cosworth 1:17.135 + 1.170
11. Fisichella Benetton Playlife 1:17.372 + 1.407
12. de la Rosa Arrows Supertec 1:17.446 + 1.481
13. Salo Sauber Petronas 1:17.500 + 1.535
14. Villeneuve BAR Honda 1:17.580 + 1.615
15. Wurz Benetton Playlife 1:17.660 + 1.695
16. Verstappen Arrows Supertec 1:17.744 + 1.779
17. Zonta BAR Honda 1:17.870 + 1.905
18. Heidfeld Prost Peugeot 1:17.909 + 1.944
19. Diniz Sauber Petronas 1:18.046 + 2.081
20. Alesi Prost Peugeot 1:18.211 + 2.246
21. Mazzacane Minardi Fondmetal 1:18.759 + 2.794
22. Gene Minardi Fondmetal 1:18.778 + 2.813
All Timing Unofficial