WilliamsF1 struggling after 2nd Saturday practice


Ralf Schumacher
By Andrew Hooper
May 29 2004

Both BMW WilliamsF1 drivers were again struggling to match the pace of the rivals after the 2nd Saturday practice at the Nurburgring. Ralf would set the eighth fastest time while Juan Pablo would not set a time during the session, he would spend his time trying to sort out his handling difficulties.

   
European GP Saturday 4th Practice
 
The earlier Saturday practice session at the Nürburgring had given a somewhat false impression as to the competitiveness of the BMW WilliamsF1 team drivers. Come the second Saturday practice both Ralf and Juan Pablo would not be able to remain near the top of the times.

Montoya in his garageRalf would finish with the eighth fastest time, but his time of 1m:30.176 was some 1.3 seconds off the front runners pace. For Juan Pablo Montoya his session would be even more difficult as he would spend his time going in and out of his pits trying to sort out his handling problems.

As a result he would not set a time for the session. He would also have a spin at Turn ten. Continuing his good form BAR's Jenson Button was again fastest but this time it would be Michael Schumacher who was second. Michael was just two tenths behind Jenson.

Button's time of 1:28.827 was the fastest set so far this weekend. Again in third was BAR team-mate Takuma Sato. McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen moved back near the front with the fourth fastest time, while Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello was fifth.

Renault's Fernando Alonso finished sixth but Monaco winner Jarno Trulli was down in thirteenth place. Scot David Coulthard was seventh in the second McLaren.

Ralf was eighth with the top ten been filled by the two Toyota's of Olivier Panis and Cristiano da Matta, with Panis ninth and Da Matta tenth.
 
Pos Driver Team Time Laps

1. Button BAR-Honda (M) 1:28.827 13
2. M. Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:29.064 + 0.237 15
3. Sato BAR-Honda (M) 1:29.127 + 0.300 15
4. Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:29.354 + 0.527 12
5. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:29.545 + 0.718 13
6. Alonso Renault (M) 1:29.555 + 0.728 13
7. Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:29.955 + 1.128 14
8. R. Schumacher WilliamsF1-BMW (M) 1:30.176 + 1.349 9
9. Panis Toyota (M) 1:30.277 + 1.450 14
10. da Matta Toyota (M) 1:30.316 + 1.489 16
11. Fisichella Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:30.519 + 1.692 13
12. Webber Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:30.867 + 2.040 18
13. Trulli Renault (M) 1:30.986 + 2.159 11
14. Klien Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:31.061 + 2.234 15
15. Massa Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:31.504 + 2.677 11
16. Heidfeld Jordan-Ford (B) 1:31.956 + 3.129 12
17. Baumgartner Minardi-Cosworth (B) 1:32.753 + 3.926 15
18. Bruni Minardi-Cosworth (B) 1:32.894 + 4.067 15
19. Pantano Jordan-Ford (B) 1:33.383 + 4.556 13
20. Montoya WilliamsF1-BMW (M) No Time 10 
 
 
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