WilliamsF1 struggles in wet Friday qualifying.

Difficult session ..
By Andrew Hooper
June 14 2003

Both BMW WilliamsF1 drivers would struggle in wet Friday qualifying for the Canadian GP. It was a day that seemed to favour the Bridgestone runners with the top four all using this brand. Juan Pablo would finish in 12th while Ralf was down in 15th.

	Canadian GP Friday Qualifying
	The opening qualifying session would see both BMW WilliamsF1 drivers struggle in the wet conditions finish twelfth and fifteenth. Juan Pablo would be the faster driver but such were the conditions that the times most likely have little bearing on proceedings. First to go out was championship leader Kimi Raikkonen who, after going wide at the hairpin, would set a time of 1m:35"373. Next would be Ferrari's Michael Schumacher and it would not take long for Kimi's time to be beaten, with Michael going 3.4 seconds faster. Next was Renault's Fernando Alonso who would go 2 tenths faster than Raikkonen, moving into second. Next would be WilliamsF1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya who would go off onto the grass after running wide. He would finish with a 1m:37"479, 6.5 seconds slower than Michael. For Rubens Barrichello he would set a time quicker than his team-mate, faster by one second. Coulthard would follow going only fifth fastest, over one seconds off his team-mate. For Ralf his flying lap would see him make no mistakes but he would finish wit a lap time of 1m:38.210, 7.3 seconds behind the leader. With Trulli out on the track the rain was pouring down over the circuit. Trulli would go eighth fastest but his time would most likely see him near the bottom of the grid. For Jordan's Fisichella he would also struggle crossing the line in eighth. For BAR's Jenson Button he would go seventh. For Heinz Harald Frentzen he would finish and encouraging fifth. Jaguar's Mark Webber was next out finishing in seventh. Webber would lose over four seconds in the second sector showing that the track conditions varied greatly across the circuit. Like Webber Toyota's Cristiano Da Matta would complete a good first sector but lose lots of time in the second finishing ninth. For home town driver Jacques Villeneuve this was an important session. But unfortunately it would see him down in last thirteen seconds off the pace after he was to spin his car. With the poor conditions we had the position of seeing several drivers outside the 107% ruling. For Sauber's Nick Heidfeld he would set a very quick time in the first sector and would finish in third behind the Ferrari's. This would seem to support the view that the Bridgestone runners had an advantage in the wet conditions. With the rain easing off slightly Ralph Firman would take to the track. In a major surprise Firman would move into fourth but this was mainly down to his Bridgestone tyres. After his fastest time in opening practice Pizzonia could only manage fifteenth. Both Minardi drivers would perform well with Wilson going thirteenth fastest and Verstappen eleventh.
	P. No Driver Team - Engine Tyres Times Ave/Gaps 1. 2 BARRICHELLO Ferrari B 1'30"925 172.665 Km/h 2. 1 M. SCHUMACHER Ferrari B 1'31"969 + 0'01"044 3. 9 HEIDFELD Sauber Petronas B 1'32"778 + 0'01"853 4. 12 FIRMAN Jordan Ford B 1'34"759 + 0'03"834 5. 8 ALONSO Renault M 1'35"173 + 0'04"248 6. 6 RAIKKONEN McLaren Mercedes M 1'35"373 + 0'04"448 7. 10 FRENTZEN Sauber Petronas B 1'35"776 + 0'04"851 8. 5 COULTHARD McLaren Mercedes M 1'36"463 + 0'05"538 9. 14 WEBBER Jaguar Cosworth M 1'36"699 + 0'05"774 10. 20 PANIS Toyota M 1'37"313 + 0'06"388 11. 19 VERSTAPPEN Minardi Cosworth B 1'37"426 + 0'06"501 12. 3 MONTOYA Williams BMW M 1'37"479 + 0'06"554 13. 18 WILSON Minardi Cosworth B 1'38"088 + 0'07"163 14. 17 BUTTON BAR Honda B 1'38"109 + 0'07"184 15. 4 R. SCHUMACHER Williams BMW M 1'38"210 + 0'07"285 16. 21 DA MATTA Toyota M 1'38"244 + 0'07"319 17. 15 PIZZONIA Jaguar Cosworth M 1'38"255 + 0'07"330 18. 11 FISICHELLA Jordan Ford B 1'38"617 + 0'07"692 19. 7 TRULLI Renault M 1'41"413 + 0'10"488 20. 16 VILLENEUVE BAR Honda B 1'44"702 + 0'13"777