Monaco: Second practice

Michael Schumacher was fastest in practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, taking over from Mika Hakkinen at the top of the timesheets with a blistering last minute run.

Hakkinen tried to fight back, but ended up 0.1s slower than his German rival.

Olivier Panis was the star of the session, the 1996 winner retaining third place ahead of Eddie Irvine, who looked quicker but had his best laps spoilt by yellow flags or mistakes.

David Coulthard was a disappointing sixth behind Giancarlo Fisichella, who crashed at Portier on his final lap.

Rubens Barrichello was seventh ahead of the BARs, Salo narrowly quicker than Villeneuve.

Damon Hill had set the pace initially, but slumped to 11th by the end of the hour.

Neither Williams got out of the pits until the dying moments, and Zanardi and Ralf Schumacher finished 13th and 16th respectively. Schumacher only managed 10 laps during the two sessions today.

Also languishing unexpectedly far down the order were Trulli (12th) and Frentzen (19th), both having crashed during the session.

1245 BST

Michael Schumacher served notice of his intentions in Monaco, moving up to second, just 0.1s slower than Mika Hakkinen.

David Coulthard seems to be struggling, only sixth and 0.8s off his team-mate's pace.

The Finn continued to push hard, having a wild moment on the way into the Rascasse.

Jarno Trulli set the sixth fastest time, but then went straight on into the Sainte Devote barrier and took a wheel off his Prost.

Eddie Irvine narrowly escaped a similar fate after a big sideways moment on the exit of the Rascasse. Trulli's team-mate Olivier Panis returned to form spectacularly, leaping up to third place.

Mika Salo is currently the fastest BAR driver, in an impressive ninth position.

His team-mate Jacques Villeneuve is down in 15th. Ralf Schumacher missed the first 45 minutes of the session after his morning problems.

15 minutes of practice left.

1235 BST

Mika Hakkinen has taken control of the second practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix, demoting Eddie Irvine, who had only just taken over from Damon Hill at the top of the timesheets.

Hill had been 0.8s faster than the field at one stage, before Irvine went faster.

Hakkinen looking like taking the top spot immediately, but was baulked by Irvine in the final sector. He made amends on his next lap, going quickest by 0.3s.

Jean Alesi and Jarno Trulli have also threatened the top five, but Alex Wurz lost time after brushing a barrier and deranging the front wing of his Benetton.

25 minutes of practice left.

1220 BST

Damon Hill usurped Eddie Irvine at the top of the grid after the first 15 minutes of the second practice session, 0.234s faster than the Irishman's morning time.

David Coulthard had also looked threatening, but lost a lot of time behind the Stewart of Johnny Herbert. Giancarlo Fisichella has also improved, now third quickest.

Both Tora Takagi and Heinz-Harald Frentzen have been exploring the escape roads already. The German had an excursion at the Rascasse, while Takagi's Arrows slid off course at Mirabeau and stalled.