WilliamsF1 drivers struggle with balance


Ralf Schumacher
By Andrew Hooper
May 2 2003

Both BMW WilliamsF1 drivers would struggle with the balance of their cars in the opening Friday qualifying in Spain. Neither driver could match their practice times set earlier that day. Fastest time was set by Michael Schumacher driving the new F2003-GA.

   
Spanish GP Friday Qualifying
 
The opening qualifying for the 2003 Spanish Grand Prix would see the BMW WilliamsF1 team down the order with Ralf and Juan Pablo only eleventh and fourteenth respectively, with times well over a second slower than the fastest driver. The times set by both drivers were considerably slower than their Friday practice times with Ralf setting a time of 1m:17.015 compared to a 1m:18.409 in qualifying.

Both drivers would complain about the balance of their cars, Juan Pablo in particular mentioning understeering as a problem. Both drivers, despite their slow times were confident that they could work through them in preparation for tomorrows qualifying.

Ralf SchumacherBut in what must be a worrying sight it would be the Ferrari's who would dominate Friday's qualifying with their new F2003-GA, with Michael and Rubens first and second.
On a warm and dry day qualifying itself would see McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen the first driver out followed by team-mate David Coulthard. Kimi would set the benchmark time with a lap of 1m:17.862.

For David Coulthard his lap would see him quicker in sector one, down in sector two, finally finishing in second place behind his team-mate. Next was Michael Schumacher driving the new F2003-GA. He would go fastest, seven tenths ahead of Raikkonen, with a lap of 1m:17.130.

Ralf SchumacherNext came the Spanish star Fernando Alonso and he would finish with the fourth fastest time. For Rubens Barrichello he would set the fastest time in sector one, but he would end up moving into second place behind his team-mate. Next was Ralf who would go sixth fastest but he would not remain in this position for very long.

Giancarlo Fisichella was next, going seventh fastest, while next would be Juan Pablo crossing the finish line in seventh. But it would be Jarno Trulli who would jump to the top of the times with a time just off Michael Schumacher's, which was good enough for second.

Sauber's Heinz-Harald Frentzen would be next but he would manage only tenth fastest. Following him was Jacques Villeneuve but the BAR driver could only manage eighth, 1.3 seconds off the pace. His team-mate Jenson Button would make his team-mates time look average when he was to finish fourth.

MontoyaThe second Sauber of Nick Heidfeld would move into thirteenth, while Jaguar's Mark Webber would again show his good from by setting the fifth fastest time. Next was Toyota's Olivier Panis with the Frenchman putting in a strong run to finish fifth, pushing Webber down the order.

Toyota Team-mate Cristiano da Matta would go slightly faster than his team-mate and move into fourth, which was a great showing from the Brazilian. Jordan's Ralph Firman would finish down on his team-mate Fisichella, who was in fourteenth place, finishing seventeenth.

For Minardi's Jos Verstappen his run would see him finish a huge 3.6 seconds off the fastest time. For the under pressure Antonio Pizzonia his run would see him only thirteenth far behind his Jaguar team-mate. The last driver out and the slowest driver would be Justin Wilson.

 
PP. No Driver Team - Engine Tyres Times Ave/Gaps Laps

1. 1 M. SCHUMACHER Ferrari B 1'17"130 220.770 Km/h 3
2. 7 TRULLI Renault M 1'17"149 + 0'00"019 3
3. 2 BARRICHELLO Ferrari B 1'17"218 + 0'00"088 3
4. 21 DA MATTA Toyota M 1'17"443 + 0'00"313 3
5. 17 BUTTON BAR Honda B 1'17"613 + 0'00"483 3
6. 20 PANIS Toyota M 1'17"746 + 0'00"616 3
7. 14 WEBBER Jaguar Cosworth M 1'17"793 + 0'00"663 3
8. 6 RAIKKONEN McLaren Mercedes M 1'17"862 + 0'00"732 3
9. 5 COULTHARD McLaren Mercedes M 1'18"060 + 0'00"930 3
10. 8 ALONSO Renault M 1'18"100 + 0'00"970 3
11. 4 R. SCHUMACHER Williams BMW M 1'18"409 + 0'01"279 3
12. 16 VILLENEUVE BAR Honda B 1'18"461 + 0'01"331 3
13. 15 PIZZONIA Jaguar Cosworth M 1'18"528 + 0'01"398 3
14. 3 MONTOYA Williams BMW M 1'18"607 + 0'01"477 3
15. 11 FISICHELLA Jordan Ford B 1'18"879 + 0'01"749 3
16. 10 FRENTZEN Sauber Petronas B 1'18"909 + 0'01"779 3
17. 9 HEIDFELD Sauber Petronas B 1'19"050 + 0'01"920 3
18. 12 FIRMAN Jordan Ford B 1'19"195 + 0'02"065 3
19. 19 VERSTAPPEN Minardi Cosworth B 1'20"822 + 0'03"692 3
20. 18 WILSON Minardi Cosworth B 1'21"100 + 0'03"970 3
 
 
 
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