Rain Shortens Monza Testing - Day Three
Pouring rain put an early end to today's testing session at the Monza circuit, where all Formula One teams are preparing for the Italian Grand Prix next week.
Pouring rain put an early end to today's testing session at the Monza circuit, where all Formula One teams are preparing for the Italian Grand Prix next week.
Just as it happened during yesterday's session, rain began to fall in the afternoon, though it did not stop on this occasion and the teams decided to call it a day.
Jacques Villeneuve set the fastest time of the day for the BAR team, in front of McLaren driver David Coulthard and Jordan's Heinz-Harald Frentzen, with reigning World Champion Mika Hakkinen in fifth.
It was another disappointing day for home favourite Michael Schumacher who, in front of a very big crowd, was only sixth in the Ferrari.
The Italian team was visited by Luca di Montezemolo, who was celebrating his 53rd birthday today. The Ferrari President was also joined by the team’s Sporting Director Jean Todt.
The morning session saw yet another accident at the Ascari chicane, and while Benetton’s Giancarlo Fisichella suffered a big crash on Wednesday, today it was Minardi's Gaston Mazzacane turn.
The Argentine driver went off the track at a very high speed and ended up hitting the tyre barrier, but fortunately he escaped uninjured.
As teams were unable to continue their work during the afternoon, the McLaren crew decided to entertain the crowd, encouraging the tifosi to clap and do "the wave".
But the show got out of hand and some members of the British team started doing disrespectful gestures towards the Ferrari pit, until a McLaren member decided to put an end to it.
Friday will be the last day of the four day test at Monza.
Today's times:
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Villeneuve BAR-Honda 1:26.296 59 2. Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes 1:26.905 22 3. Frentzen Jordan-Mugen Honda 1:26.992 39 4. Hakkinen McLaren-Mercedes 1:27.172 35 5. Zonta BAR-Honda 1:27.318 38 6. M.Schumacher Ferrari 1:27.411 33 7. Barrichello Ferrari 1:27.560 35 8. de la Rosa Arrows-Supertec 1:27.598 50 9. Gene Minardi-Fondmetal 1:27.628 50 10. Salo Sauber-Petronas 1:27.722 44 11. R.Schumacher Williams-BMW 1:27.800 31 12. Diniz Sauber-Petronas 1:27.935 25 13. Trulli Jordan-Mugen Honda 1:28.001 25 14. Alesi Prost-Peugeot 1:28.277 24 15. Wurz Benetton-Playlife 1:28.303 50 16. Irvine Jaguar-Cosworth 1:29.259 45 17. Mazzacane Minardi-Fondmetal 1:29.364 13 18. Button Williams-BMW 1:39.806 5 All Timing Unofficial
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