12/10/2002

Japanese Grand Prix - Qualifying round-up

Panasonic Toyota Racing driver Allan McNish was fortunate to escape with just bruising after a high-speed crash at Suzuka's testing 130R bend on his second qualifying run for the Japanese Grand Prix the final race of the season.

Many drivers will say that along with Eau Rouge at Spa 130R is the most testing corner left in Grand Prix racing. McNish was pushing hard when his Toyota TF102 suddenly oversteered at the exit of the corner spun across the grass going backwards and crashed through the Armco/tyre barriers coming to rest with the front of the car on the banking behind. The session was immediately red-flagged and the Scot taken to the circuit medical centre for a thorough check.

Professor Sid Watkins Formula 1's renowned medical chief said: "He has hurt his knee and neck and I think it was perhaps fortunate that it was a rearward impact. Formula 1 cars are very strong and they are a credit to the designers and engineers that work on them. Allan is under observation and we'll see how he is in the morning but I think he will be fit to drive."

McNish himself told the team that he was prepared to finish qualifying in the spare car but that he had to respect medical opinion.

"The car was a little bit oversteery and I managed to catch it the first time but not the second " the Scot said. "It was a big accident and I just wanted to be out of there as quickly as possible." McNish said. "I'm a racing driver and the best thing to do in circumstances like that is to get straight back into the car. Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to but I'll be straight back in for the warm-up tomorrow."

Meanwhile Mika Salo will line up 13th on the grid for tomorrow's race after a mixed session. "My last run was frustrating " the Finn said. "I was 0.3s quicker in the first two sectors but then a BMW-Williams ran off the road on the exit of 130R just ahead of me. There was a lot of dirt and dust on the road which cost me all the time I had made up. It's frustrating because the three cars ahead of me are close and if I could have carried that speed to the end of the lap I would have had an outside chance of making the top 10."

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro once again dominated proceedings at the front of the field with Michael Schumacher taking pole position ahead of team mate Rubens Barrichello. David Coulthard was third quickest with the first of the West McLaren Mercedes cars a tenth quicker than Kimi Raikkonen. The BMW Williams F1 Team cars of Ralf Schumacher and Juan Montoya completed the presence of the 'Big Three' teams at the front of the grid.