Coulthard tops morning practice

Michael Schumacher had topped the times for the most of the session in his Ferrari, but then David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen emerged with ten minutes to go and shot to the top of the times.

The Scot ended up fastest, just 0.08s quicker than Hakkinen. Ralf Schumacher's Williams and the second Ferrari of Rubens Barrichello completed the top five.

Unsurprisingly several drivers left the road in the treacherous conditions. Jenson Button spun terminally into the gravel at Brooklands early in the session and was soon joined by Eddie Irvine. The spinning Jaguar actually made contact with Button's stationary Williams.

Pedro Diniz and Ricardo Zonta also had less harmful spins and were able to continue.

Giancarlo Fisichella missed the session after suffering an oil leak in his Benetton. Practice will resume in half an hour.

Saturday morning first practice times:

1 D Coulthard McLaren 1m33.614s
2 M Hakkinen McLaren 1m33.694s
3 M Schumacher Ferrari 1m34.041s
4 R Schumacher Williams 1m34.246s
5 R Barrichello Ferrari 1m34.511s
6 H-H Frentzen Jordan 1m34.709s
7 J Trulli Jordan 1m35.006s
8 M Salo Sauber 1m35.308s
9 P Diniz Sauber 1m35.379s
10 J Verstappen Arrows 1m35.489s
11 J Villeneuve BAR 1m35.766s
12 P de la Rosa Arrows 1m35.843s
13 J Alesi Prost 1m35.858s
14 A Wurz Benetton 1m36.013s
15 J Herbert Jaguar 1m36.375s
16 R Zonta BAR 1m36.762s
17 N Heidfeld Prost 1m36.789s
18 M Gene Minardi 1m37.429s
19 G Mazzacane Minardi 1m38.418s
20 J Button Williams 1m41.870s
21 E Irvine Jaguar 1m44.323s
22 G Fisichella Benetton no time