Malaysia 1999: Friday Practice 1
Times
P. No Driver Team - Car Time/Laps
1. 3 M Schumacher Ferrari 1:44.824 190.330 km/h
2. 11 Alesi Sauber Petronas 1:45.687 + 0:00.863
3. 12 Diniz Sauber Petronas 1:45.997 + 0:01.173
4. 16 Barrichello Stewart Ford 1:46.098 + 0:01.274
5. 4 Irvine Ferrari 1:46.152 + 0:01.328
6. 10 Wurz Benetton Playlife 1:46.812 + 0:01.988
7. 18 Panis Prost Peugeot 1:47.048 + 0:02.224
8. 7 Hill Jordan Mugen-Honda 1:47.087 + 0:02.263
9. 1 Hakkinen McLaren Mercedes 1:47.186 + 0:02.362
10. 2 Coulthard McLaren Mercedes 1:47.273 + 0:02.449
11. 17 Herbert Stewart Ford 1:47.521 + 0:02.697
12. 8 Frentzen Jordan Mugen-Honda 1:47.998 + 0:03.174
13. 5 Zanardi Williams Supertec 1:48.029 + 0:03.205
14. 22 Villeneuve BAR Supertec 1:48.401 + 0:03.577
15. 19 Trulli Prost Peugeot 1:49.801 + 0:04.977
16. 15 Takagi Arrows TWR 1:49.815 + 0:04.991
17. 21 Gene Minardi Ford 1:51.652 + 0:06.828
18. 6 R Schumacher Williams Supertec 1:58.882 + 0:14.058
19. 14 de la Rosa Arrows TWR 2:01.119 + 0:16.295
20. 23 Zonta BAR Supertec 2:01.186 + 0:16.362
21. 9 Fisichella Benetton Playlife 2:03.831 + 0:19.007
22. 20 Badoer Minardi Ford 8:13.523 + 6:28.699
107% time : 1:52.162
FIA Press Release
Free practice, 11.00 to 12.00
Weather conditions: wet track, drying slowly
Michael Schumacher sets the pace
Michael Schumacher set fastest time on 1m 44.824s on his return to the cockpit at a race meeting for the first time in the Ferrari F399. The Italian team has brought four chassis to this race and spent the entire morning's session working on race set-up. Eddie Irvine wound up fifth on 1m 46.152s despite a quick spin.
Sauber-Petronas drivers second and third
Jean Alesi (2nd/1m 45.687s) used fresh tyres to set his time then slid off the road slightly damaging his car's undertray. Pedro Diniz (3rd/1m 45.997s) commented; "I had some oversteer in the slow corners but it is an interesting circuit, although wide enough to make it difficult to be sure of the right line."
Barrichello takes fourth
Rubens Barrichello posted fourth fastest time (1m 46.098s) in his Stewart-Ford despite "a problem with his steering wheel." Johnny Herbert (11th/1m 47.521s) reported wheel balancing problems.
Hill eighth for Jordan
Damon Hill's Jordan 199 set eighth fastest time on 1m 47.087s with Heinz-Harald Frentzen 12th on 1m 47.998s. "Both cars were suffering from high speed oversteer and low speed understeer," reported technical director Mike Gascoyne.
McLarens take it easy
Mika Hakkinen (9th/1m 47.186s) and David Coulthard (10th/1m 47.273s) took things easily on the predominantly wet circuit, not pressing hard for quick times. "The track seemed quite interesting with a good set of fast and slow corners," said Coulthard, "but it was all pretty inconclusive because and I'm sure we will be running ten seconds a lap faster when it dries out." Ron Dennis commented; "It's all too easy to get tempted into going out and wasting sets of tyres in a Friday morning session. We are taking things steadily today and learning the circuit."
Mixed fortunes at Williams
Alex Zanardi wound up 13th (1m 48.029s) with his Williams FW21. "The car has generally good grip apart from a touch of oversteer," he reported. Ralf Schumacher posted a 1m 58.882s before stopping after six laps with a loss of hydraulic pressure.
Briefly
Alexander Wurz (6th/1m 46.812s) thought the circuit was "not bad" but Benetton Playlife team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella (21st/2m 03.831s) had a spin due to gearbox problems and then stalled the engine later on. Ricardo Zonta (20th/2m 01.186s) suffered engine problems which required a fresh Supertec V10 to be installed in his BAR 01 while Jacques Villeneuve (14th/1m 48.401s) said "with slow corners after long straights, this circuit layout is good for overtaking."
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