WilliamsF1 French GP Friday 1st Practice

At the end of the session it would be Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello who would have set the fastest lap with a time of 1m:15.056. Team-mate Michael Schumacher would finish a little of a tenth slower at a circuit that was dry and sunny. The Ferrari team spent time evaluating various front wings.

Barrichello was closely followed by McLaren's David Coulthard, who showed good early form in his MP4/17. Fellow Michelin shod drivers Montoya and Ralf Schumacher were fourth and fifth. In an indication that their Michelin tyres were performing well McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen was sixth ahead of Renault’s Jenson Button. Michelin dominated with seven cars out of the top ten at the end of the morning hour of practice.

Following them were the Jaguar pair of Irvine and de la Rosa in eighth and ninth. Whether the Jaguar drivers can turn their poor season around with the new R3B is yet to be seen.

Jordan’s Takuma Sato was tenth just ahead of team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella. Sato was to have a coming together with Salo early on in the session and both cars were able to return to the pits to have repairs done. “He looked like he was giving way, but then he just came in on me and I had nowhere to go,” said Salo. “Still it was only a little damage on the front of the car.”

Next was Nick Heidfeld, Jarno Trulli, Felipe Massa, Olivier Panis, and the Toyotas of Mika Salo and Allan McNish.

BAR’s Jacques Villeneuve was 18th, followed by the Minardi's of Webber and Yoong.

Arrows drivers Frentzen and Bernoldi spent the session in the pits. The team has engine, but the team was involved in discussions with investors regarding their financial future. Despite this they are still expected to run this weekend.