Friday October 6th, 2000
Brazilian Rubens Barrichello spun off into the barriers on Friday morning, as his championship-chasing Ferrari teammate German Michael Schumacher topped the times in opening free practice for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.
The little Latin American lost control of his car at the fast sweeping left-hand curve on the return run towards the final chicane and could not prevent it running into the perimeter fencing.
He had to abandon it out on the circuit, with four minutes of the opening hour's running remaining, and travel back to the paddock where Schumacher was already out of his car.
In dry and mild conditions, the only other incident during the session saw Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion, slither off and on the track in his BAR-Honda.
Villeneuve, incidentally, was sporting dyed red hair to, he said, show his support for Schumacher and Ferrari in the title showdown.