WilliamsF1 3rd & 4th in opening Saturday practice

The session was run under fine conditions with a temperature of sixteen degrees. So long as the weather holds the Michelin supplied teams should enjoy a good run for the rest of the day.

Michael Schumacher would set the fastest time of the session. Early in the session Michael was to spin his car when he slid backwards onto the grass after his Ferrari clipped a kerb. But he would go on and, with new tyres, set the fastest time.

Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld was fifth quickest behind the WilliamsF1 pair. Next was McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa in the other Sauber. Renault’s Jenson Button took eighth place. Button is not only having to deal with the demands of setting his car up but also the rumours that he will be dropped by Renault.

Down in ninth was Friday's fastest time setter David Coulthard. Jarno Trulli in the other Renault machine was tenth, ahead of Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Olivier Panis, Giancarlo Fisichella and Takuma Sato.

Enrique Bernoldi  was fifteenth, followed by Jacques Villeneuve in a disappointing sixteenth and Eddie Irvine.

The Toyotas of Allan McNish and Mika Salo were eighteenth and nineteenth, followed by Mark Webber, Alex Yoong, and Jaguar’s Pedro de la Rosa, who could complete only three laps.