Friday Second Free Practice - Japanese GP

Juan Pablo Montoya followed Jacques Villeneuve's example on Friday when, after the Canadian had interrupted the morning session with a heavy slide into the barriers, he produced an equally spectacular collision in the second hour of free practice for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, on his way to fourth on the unofficial grid order for Williams-BMW.

As the Ferrari of Michael Schumacher stood idle in its garage, the World Champion having done only four laps in the post-lunch activity due to a hydraulics problem, the Italian team's greatest rivals McLaren Mercedes-Benz took advantage by clocking the two fastest laps of the day.

This meant that, after red-lights, stoppages and debris clearance, Kimi Raikkonen was fastest ahead of his McLaren teammate David Coulthard, the young Finn topping the times with a best lap in 1:34.232. Coulthard was second by almost half a second.

Rubens Barrichello, in his Ferrari, was third fastest, Montoya fourth and the two Schumachers, Ralf and Michael, fifth and sixth quickest in their Williams and Ferraris respectively, ahead of the two Jaguars of Eddie Irvine and Pedro de la Rosa. But the day belonged not so much to those who worked hard to find grip and balance, but the spectacular moments in the crashes.

In the afternoon, both Ralf Schumacher and Takuma Sato had spun off and continued before Montoya lost control of his car at the Degner Curve, his car riding over the kerbs and then plunging left into the barriers amid clouds of debris and dust. The Colombian was unhurt and walked away from the wreckage.

"He said the car just got away from him and it was rather unfortunate and it will be exchanged or repaired for tomorrow. He said he was fine, but obviously if necessary he will have a medical check when he gets back," said the team's technical director Patrick Head.

Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:34.232 222.383 km/h 34 2. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:34.730 + 0.498 29 3. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:35.402 + 1.170 34 4. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1:35.742 + 1.510 38 5. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1:35.995 + 1.763 44 6. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:36.109 + 1.877 19 7. Irvine Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:36.190 + 1.958 25 8. de la Rosa Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:36.490 + 2.258 37 9. Trulli Renault (M) 1:36.529 + 2.297 37 10. Fisichella Jordan Honda (B) 1:36.744 + 2.512 37 11. Salo Toyota (M) 1:36.893 + 2.661 43 12. Button Renault (M) 1:37.014 + 2.782 37 13. Sato Jordan Honda (B) 1:37.196 + 2.964 45 14. McNish Toyota (M) 1:37.384 + 3.152 43 15. Massa Sauber Petronas (B) 1:37.492 + 3.260 31 16. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1:37.781 + 3.549 39 17. Panis BAR Honda (B) 1:37.927 + 3.695 23 18. Webber Minardi Asiatech (M) 1:37.997 + 3.765 33 19. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 1:38.138 + 3.906 11 20. Yoong Minardi Asiatech (M) 1:39.142 + 4.910 30 All Timing Unofficial