Friday First Free Practice - French GP

McLaren's Mika Hakkinen sent out a warning to his rivals that he is not about to give up on his season as he topped the times in Friday's first practice for Sunday's French Grand Prix at Magny Cours.

Finn Hakkinen has endured a tough season and is 59 points off the championship leader Michael Schumacher. But he put all his troubles behind him as he beat the rest of the field and set a new lap record. Schumacher was second quickest in the session in his Ferrari with Hakkinen's teammate David Coulthard third and Ferrari's other driver Rubens Barrichello fourth.

Ralf Schumacher was fifth fastest ahead of teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, who had topped the times after an early quick lap with Jordan's Jarno Trulli seventh and BAR's Olivier Panis eighth. The session saw several drivers make off-track excursions with Eddie Irvine unable to set a competitive time in his Jaguar after spinning off just ten minutes into the session.

Benetton's Jenson Button and Prost's Luciano Burti also had trips into gravel traps, while Ralf Schumacher was forced to stop on track when his Williams developed a problem.

Pos Driver Team Times 1. Hakkinen Mclaren Mercedes (B) 1:15.889 201.658 km/h 2. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:16.044 + 0.155 3. Coulthard Mclaren Mercedes (B) 1:16.364 + 0.475 4. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:16.398 + 0.509 5. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1:16.438 + 0.549 6. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1:16.553 + 0.664 7. Trulli Jordan Honda (B) 1:16.570 + 0.681 8. Panis BAR Honda (B) 1:16.842 + 0.953 9. Frentzen Jordan Honda (B) 1:16.868 + 0.979 10. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 1:16.973 + 1.084 11. Raikkonen Sauber Petronas (B) 1:17.180 + 1.291 12. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1:17.365 + 1.476 13. Verstappen Arrows Asiatech (B) 1:17.495 + 1.606 14. Bernoldi Arrows Asiatech (B) 1:17.527 + 1.638 15. Alonso Minardi European (M) 1:18.036 + 2.147 16. de la Rosa Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:18.059 + 2.170 17. Button Benetton Renault (M) 1:18.443 + 2.554 18. Burti Prost Acer (M) 1:18.599 + 2.710 19. Fisichella Benetton Renault (M) 1:18.736 + 2.847 20. Alesi Prost Acer (M) 1:19.132 + 3.243 21. Marques Minardi European (M) 1:19.984 + 4.095 22. Irvine Jaguar Cosworth (M) 7:15.769 + 5:59.880 All Timing Unofficial