Hakkinen undaunted by thunderstorm forecast

However, defending champion Mika Hakkinen remains undaunted by the prospect.

'We have done enough testing to be confident we have the right set-up whatever the circumstances, wet or dry,' said the McLaren driver.

He goes into the 14th round of the world championship with 60 points - level-pegging with Eddie Irvine's Ferrari, but the Ulsterman starts way down on the fifth row in ninth place.

The Finn starts third, his second worst grid position of the season, behind Heinz-Harald Frentzen on pole and David Coulthard, Hakkinen's teammate, outside him on the front row.

'Heinz-Harald at the front means it is an entirely different race for everyone,' said Coulthard, known for his blistering starts and speedy first laps.

'It could come to who has the best strategy in the race because overtaking is so difficult here. But I am confident I can make a good start and after that we will have to wait and see.'

The forecasts for the region though are finely balanced between a wet and dry race with the experts saying showers will become less frequent during the course of the afternoon.

Mercedes team boss Norbert Haug warned his drivers would not be trying to win the race in the rush up to the infamous first chicane a few hundred yards from the start.

'If we are not in the lead at the first corner I will not be too concerned,' he said.

'It is the finish that matters not the start.

'We have started a few races from pole and not won so we are not starting from pole this time and hope it will be the other way around.

'It shows we can be flexible with our strategy,' he added.