Schumacher draws first blood at Japanese GP

   Copyright c 1998 Nando Media
   Copyright c 1998 Reuters

SUZUKA, Japan (Oct 30, 1998 - 13:20 EST) - Michael Schumacher remained calm
and collected after taking the initiative in his championship showdown with
Mika Hakkinen on Friday by clocking the fastest time in the opening
practice for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.

The 29-year-old, who has tested intensively with Ferrari during the last
five weeks, warned that his performance meant little since it came only
during a routine practice session when Finn Hakkinen suffered traffic
problems.

"We got through all our work on our programme today and made good
progress with the set-up of the car," said Schumacher afterwards.

"Of course, I am happy to be on the provisional pole position, but I
don't think this result shows the whole truth.

"Therefore I expect the qualifying session to be very close tomorrow.
I believe we are competitive and it looks as if all the hard work in
testing has paid off for us so far."

Schumacher clocked a best time of one minute and 39.823 seconds in his
Ferrari midway through the final hour to overhaul his title rival Mika
Hakkinen of Finland by half a second.

By the end of the session, he increased that advantage as several other
drivers also clocked better laps than Hakkinen.

Watched by Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, Schumacher was at his
most methodical on Friday and showed little interest in waving to the crowd
or talking to anyone outside his garage.

Hakkinen, of McLaren Mercedes-Benz, leads Schumacher by four points in the
championship after 15 of this year's 16 events and needs only to finish
second to clinch the title in Sunday's race, whatever Schumacher does.

Hakkinen wound up fifth fastest on a dry, warm day and in perfect
conditions as Schumacher and several other drivers improved their times in
the closing minutes when he did not.

But Hakkinen said he was not worried. "This has been a routine Friday
for me and we did everything without any problems. The car ran reliably and
I am happy."

Schumacher's 23-year-old younger brother Ralf, in a Jordan, was second
fastest with a time of one minute and 40.336 seconds ahead of another
German Heinz-Harald Frentzen in a Williams. It meant three Germans topped
the times on Friday.

Briton Eddie Irvine, in the second Ferrari, was fourth- fastest ahead of
Hakkinen and another Briton David Coulthard, in the second McLaren. The
last two world champions Briton Damon Hill (1996), in a Jordan, and
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve (1997), in a Williams, filled the seventh and
eighth positions after practice.

Irvine, who relishes the unique figure-of-eight Suzuka track about 400
kilometres south of Tokyo in central Japan, spun off the circuit seven
minutes from the end of the afternoon session in his Ferrari.

"We need to do some work on improving the balance of the car which is
not yet perfect," he said. "I had not quite got the brakes
balanced properly and I simply lost control."

Schumacher and Ferrari hope that his team-mate can follow him home in
second position to record a one-two finish which will secure his third
championship triumph.

"We are not taking anything for granted," said Ferrari team chief
Jean Todt. "We have been working mainly for the race and I feel the
situation is quite good. We still have some work to do on finalising all
the technical options, like choice of tyres, and this will be a critical
factor in the race."

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