Rd.4 San Marino Grand Prix 2003

18/04/2003

San Marino Grand Prix - First Qualifying Web Report

Panasonic Toyota Racing headed to Imola for the first European round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship hopeful that it could defeat a jinx that has prevented it from scoring points in the first three 'flyaway' races.

Olivier Panis has made a solid start to the weekend with a 1m22.765s lap in the first qualifying session good enough for 12th position after a discouraging morning free practice session. Cristiano da Matta meanwhile is six places further back after making an error in the first sector of his one-shot qualifying lap.

Imola highlights different engineering problems to the old track that prior to the 1994 revisions -- which included the insertion of two chicanes -- placed a great premium on engine power and relatively low downforce handling. Today the chief requirements are braking efficiency and the ability to make the car handle well over the kerbs.

Panis explained: "We had a few set-up problems in morning practice and I couldn't really find the right amount of grip. There were also a couple of issues with the brakes. For qualifying I took a bit of a risk on the set-up and it's better although still not quite where we want to be which is inside the top 10."

Da Matta' assessment was rather more straightforward: "There is not a lot to say except that I made a mistake in the first sector when I had a moment on the exit of the Tamburello Chicane which cost me the best part of two seconds compared to the quickest time in sector one. I got on the radio immediately and apologised to the team and that's the end of the story. Hopefully tomorrow when it really matters will be different."

Team Principal Ove Andersson was not unhappy with the final Friday result. "Considering the morning performance when we struggled a lot I think we should be quite pleased with the first qualifying result. We have found a good way of setting up the car so we hope to continue in this productive way tomorrow morning."

After a difficult start to the season Scuderia Marlboro Ferrari is still aiming for its first 2003 victory and got off to a strong start in front of its enthusiastic home fans. Michael Schumacher (1m20.628s) set the pace some 0.46s quicker than team mate Rubens Barrichello.

Third quickest was Ralf Schumacher (1m21.193s) in the first of the BMW Williams F1 Team cars backed up in fourth place by Colombian team mate Juan Pablo Montoya (1m21.490s). Mark Webber (1:21.669) again managed to put the first Jaguar Racing car into the top five with Britain's Jenson Button completing the top six in his Lucky Strike BAR-Honda.