10/05/2002

Free Practice Round-Up

The Formula 1 World Championship moves to Austria for round six this weekend and Panasonic Toyota Racing is at a circuit where it has previous experience.

As well as being chief designer Gustav Brunner's home country Austria is also where the team did a full race simulation last year. It was a chance for everyone to get used to the pressures and timings of a Grand Prix schedule. Those benefits became clear with Allan McNish challenging for a position in the top 10 early in Friday's second session of free practice.

Despite a spin at the first corner he finished up an excellent fifth his 1m11.140s lap just 0.6s behind the fastest time of the session. "The car set-up was pretty good straight away and we made some good progress" McNish explained. "I think the fact that I have raced here before has helped because Barcelona was the first circuit where that was the case. That's been an advantage definitely. It was a funny situation being out there and actually finding yourself faster than some of the top drivers at times."

Mika Salo finished the session in 19th place with a 1m12.375s best and added: "We managed to complete the programme that we wanted to do. The car set-up is quite good although there is still a slight balance problem at high speed. There were no other problems and I'm confident for qualifying tomorrow."

Gustav Brunner elaborated: "It was a good session the cars ran without problems but the circuit will change. It will be quicker tomorrow and it is difficult to know where we really are. Put new tyres on and you gain a second take the fuel out and you gain a second and you never know precisely who is doing what.

"Allan was doing a tyre comparison on a lower fuel load and Mika was doing one with higher levels. The grid will be very close tomorrow with tenths of a second making a big difference. It will all come down to how well we work as a team."

Ferrari continues to show the form that has allowed Michael Schumacher to win four of the season's first five races although it was team mate Rubens Barrichello celebrating a new contract that will see him stay at Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro until the end of 2004 who set the fastest time. Behind Schumacher Juan Montoya was third quickest for BMW Williams F1 Team ahead of Kimi Raikkonen's McLaren-Mercedes Allan and Enrique Bernoldi's Arrows.