Saturday First Free Practice - Chinese GP
German Ralf Schumacher showed he means business on his return from a three-month lay-off when he topped the times in a Williams-BMW one-two in Saturday morning practice for the Chinese Grand Prix.
German Ralf Schumacher showed he means business on his return from a three-month lay-off when he topped the times in a Williams-BMW one-two in Saturday morning practice for the Chinese Grand Prix.
Schumacher, who has been out of action since the United States Grand Prix in June, put in a late lap of 1:34.380 to bump Colombian teammate Juan Pablo Montoya down to second by 0.299 seconds.
The Williams pair were some way off the session-leading pace of BAR-Honda on Friday but young Schumacher's effort was enough to put him 0.464 seconds ahead of his third-placed Ferrari-driving brother Michael.
Brazilian Rubens Barrichello finished fourth fastest in the second Ferrari with Italian Giancarlo Fisichella fifth for Sauber and Finn Kimi Raikkonen sixth in his McLaren-Mercedes.
Brazilian Ricardo Zonta finished seventh fastest for Toyota with Briton Jenson Button eighth fastest in the lead BAR-Honda and Scot David Coulthard ninth in the second McLaren.
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve put in a strong performance as he continued to get used to his new Renault machine, finishing tenth fastest and beating 13th placed Spanish teammate Fernando Alonso by around three tenths of a second.
Coulthard had a minor moment when he slid wide at turn 13 and had a bumpy trip across the grass but his mistake was the only incident during the 45-minute session.
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. R.Schumacher Williams-BMW (M) 1:34.380 7 2. Montoya Williams-BMW (M) 1:34.679 + 0.299 7 3. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:34.844 + 0.464 9 4. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:34.854 + 0.474 8 5. Fisichella Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:35.049 + 0.669 14 6. Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:35.532 + 1.152 5 7. Zonta Toyota (M) 1:35.597 + 1.217 8 8. Button BAR-Honda (M) 1:35.660 + 1.280 9 9. Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:35.930 + 1.550 5 10. Villeneuve Renault (M) 1:35.965 + 1.585 9 11. Webber Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:36.002 + 1.622 6 12. Sato BAR-Honda (M) 1:36.226 + 1.846 13 13. Alonso Renault (M) 1:36.243 + 1.863 8 14. Massa Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:36.539 + 2.159 18 15. Panis Toyota (M) 1:36.623 + 2.243 6 16. Klien Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:37.160 + 2.780 4 17. Heidfeld Jordan-Ford (B) 1:37.166 + 2.786 10 18. Bruni Minardi-Cosworth (B) 1:37.533 + 3.153 12 19. Baumgartner Minardi-Cosworth (B) 1:37.552 + 3.172 13 20. Glock Jordan-Ford (B) 1:38.128 + 3.748 11 All timing unofficial
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