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New Ferrari steals the show in Spanish Grand Prix
Barcelona, May 02: Ferrari answered any lingering doubts about their new car with a dominant display in Friday qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
Barcelona, May 02: Ferrari answered any lingering doubts about their new car with a dominant display in Friday qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix.
Defending world champion Michael Schumacher went fastest in a lightning-quick time of one minute 17.130 seconds. And his team-mate Rubens Barrichello clocked the third-fastest time of the session at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona.
Only Renault's Jarno Trulli had an answer for the new-look F2003-GA, posting a brilliant 1:17.149 to eclipse Barrichello. But it later transpired that the Brazilian Ferrari driver had reported a minor technical problem during his lap.
Toyota's Cristiano da Matta pulled off the shock of the session, qualifying fourth in 1:17.443. And BAR driver Jenson Button and Toyota's Olivier Panis rounded out the top six. While the new-model Ferrari impressed, the session was disappointing for its closest rivals McLaren and Williams. Championship leader Kimi Raikkonen and his McLaren team-mate David Coulthard went eighth and ninth fastest.
And, despite setting the pace during free practice, Williams' Ralf Schumacher could only manage 11th spot, with his team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya down in 14th place.
Meanwhile, another top-10 qualification display by Australian rookie Mark Webber piled the pressure on fellow Jaguar driver Antonio Pizzonia. The under-fire Brazilian finished respectably in 13th position, but he may still have much to do to convince his employers to keep him on as rumours of a driver change persist.
Pizzonia did himself no favours during a two-hour private test, when he collided with one of his Jaguar mechanics.
Bureau Report
Only Renault's Jarno Trulli had an answer for the new-look F2003-GA, posting a brilliant 1:17.149 to eclipse Barrichello. But it later transpired that the Brazilian Ferrari driver had reported a minor technical problem during his lap.
Toyota's Cristiano da Matta pulled off the shock of the session, qualifying fourth in 1:17.443. And BAR driver Jenson Button and Toyota's Olivier Panis rounded out the top six. While the new-model Ferrari impressed, the session was disappointing for its closest rivals McLaren and Williams. Championship leader Kimi Raikkonen and his McLaren team-mate David Coulthard went eighth and ninth fastest.
And, despite setting the pace during free practice, Williams' Ralf Schumacher could only manage 11th spot, with his team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya down in 14th place.
Meanwhile, another top-10 qualification display by Australian rookie Mark Webber piled the pressure on fellow Jaguar driver Antonio Pizzonia. The under-fire Brazilian finished respectably in 13th position, but he may still have much to do to convince his employers to keep him on as rumours of a driver change persist.
Pizzonia did himself no favours during a two-hour private test, when he collided with one of his Jaguar mechanics.
Bureau Report