Juan Pablo 4th in opening USA GP Practice

The first practice session for the US Grand Prix would see BAR's Anthony Davidson and Toyota's Ricardo Zonta first out to set a time, with Zonta setting a time of 1:14.468 for setting the early benchmark time. Jordan's Timo Glock would go second but with a very slow lap in comparison to Zonta, a 1m:17.909. Glock would be easily passed by Jaguar test driver Bjorn Wirdheim with a time of 1m:15.391. But in another show of his talent Davidson would set a time of 1m:13.472 to go fastest. BAR team-mates Jenson Button and Takuma Sato were out completing their shakedown laps.

Minardi's Bas Lenders would move into fourth with a time of 1m:16.538. Davidson would set a quicker time with a lap of 1m:13.431. Girogio Pantano, returning to the wheel of his Jordan after missing Canada, would sets the third fastest time with a lap of 1m:15.260.

Sauber's Felipe Massa would move into fourth with a 1m:15.404, which he would quickly improve on with a 1m:14.400. But it would be Michael Schumacher who would set the real benchmark with with a lap of 1m:11.619 to be easily fastest. Joining Michael at the front was brother Ralf who would set a time of 1m:13.293 to be 1.674 behind the Ferrari. The final Jordan driver Nick Heidfeld would move into eighth with a time of 1m:15.179. Zonta would improve to be fourth with a 1m:14.211.

The second of the WilliamsF1 FW26's driven by Juan Pablo Montoya would move into second with a time of 1m:12.669. This was 1.05 seconds behind Michael. But pushing them all down one place was Rubens Barrichello who went fastest with a 1m:11.593 to be just ahead of his team-mate. On his first lap Toyota's Cristiano da Matta would post the ninth fastest time, a 1m:14.281.
Jenson Button would push both WilliamsF1 drivers one place down the times when he went third fastest, a 1m:12.553.

Out on the circuit would also come Fernando Alonso, David Coulthard and Takuma Sato. Coulthard would move into seventh with a 1m:13.916. Sato would move into seventh but was pushed down by Alonso who was fifth, a lap time of 1m:12.989. Toyota's Olivier Panis was now fourth, a time of 1m:12.631. He would be quickly passed by Sauber's Giancarlo Fisichella who was now fourth,
a 1m:12.575. Renault's Jarno Trulli was now ninth, while Sato would run into the gravel at Turn twelve. Juan Pablo and Ralf were sixth and eighth. Gimi Bruni would spin at Turn ten, with the red flag been shown while they removed the stalled Minardi from the circuit.

With the session restarted Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo would be out on the circuit. Anthony Davidson would move from eleventh to third with a lap of 1m:11.693. The BAR test driver is certainly showing some impressive speed. With nearly fifty minutes of the session complete neither Raikkonen or Webber had set times. Barrichello would improve his time, a 1m:11.516, to remain fastest. Ralf would improve his time with a 1m:12.968 to be eighth, while Jaguar's Mark Webber would take to the track finishing fourteenth. Juan Pablo was in seventh, 1.315 seconds behind Rubens. Raikkonen would finally set a time of 1m:13.147 to be eleventh.

With the final minutes running down Zonta would jump into fourth with a time of 1m:12.366. Team-mate Panis was in seventh. Juan Pablo would move into fourth with a 1m:12.008. Ralf would improve with a 1m:12.850 but this would still see him in tenth.

So with the session completed it would be the Ferrari's taking their what could be said to be normal places in the times, first and second. BAR's Anthony Davidson was third with Juan Pablo and encouraging fourth.