| | Reuters
HOCKENHEIM, Germany -- Michael Schumacher
let his driving do the talking on Friday by setting the fastest
time in opening practice for Sunday's German Formula One Grand
Prix.
After Thursday's war of words with former Ferrari teammate
Briton Eddie Irvine and Canadian Jacques Villeneuve over
Schumacher's aggressive driving style, the 31-year-old German
concentrated mainly on set-up work.
"I did a lot of laps and I am happy with the work we have
done and with the balance of my car," the world championship
leader said.
"It works well in both the wet and the dry, although we did
not get enough running in the wet to finalise a wet weather
setting.
"It is very difficult to find the right compromise to suit
both the straights and the stadium section on this circuit.
"Our engine specification is the same as the one we used in
the last race and I think qualifying will be very close and now
I am looking forward to going up against our usual rivals for
the front row."
Schumacher, with a time of one minute and 43.532 seconds,
was just faster than compatriot Heinz-Harald Frentzen on a day
of changeable weather at the high-speed Hockenheimring circuit
in pine forests south of Heidelberg.
Schumacher set his best time during the morning's opening
session and failed to improve in the afternoon when Frentzen, in
a Jordan, cut his time to within four-hundredths of a second of
Schumacher's best lap.
Frentzen, who was second on the grid for last year's German
Grand Prix and who signed a new two-year contract with Jordan
this week, improved his time to 1:43.575 as the circuit dried
out following a wet lunch interval.
World champion Mika Hakkinen of Finland was third fastest in
his McLaren, ahead of Brazilian Rubens Barrichello in the second
Ferrari.
"I am sure our car is well-suited to this track which means
we will be in a strong position in qualifying and for the
race," the Finn said.
Briton David Coulthard, who is second in the standings six
points behind Schumacher, was fifth fastest in the second
McLaren ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli in the second Jordan.
Brazilian Ricardo Zonta was seventh fastest, ahead of his
BAR team-mate Villeneuve.
The heavy rain increased the dirtiness of the track and left
Barrichello complaining that his visor was covered in debris
thrown up from the surface of the circuit.
The day had few incidents except for one in the morning
session when Briton Jenson Button slid his Williams into the
barriers, damaging the nose of his car slightly.
"I think we learned a lot today," said the sought-after
20-year-old Englishman who is expected to leave the Williams
team and join Benetton, Jaguar or BAR at the end of the year. | |
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