Formula 1: Japanese Grand Prix
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Schumachers One and Two
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[Fri Oct-30 06h00 CET]
The Tyrrell of Takagi was the very first car on track at the start of this
mornings first Free practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix.  The
first 60 minute part of the session started on a dusty track in dry sunny
weather with the track at 28C and air at 20C.

In the first 15 minutes: many drivers take to the circuit but no one
completes a full lap, Hakkinen is the 16th car to leave the pits and
returns after one lap,  Michael Schumacher just sits and watches, Salo
takes the first fast lap at 1m 46.040s.

At the 15 minute point the top six are just two: Salo (1m 46.040s - 4L),
Trulli (1m 58.176s - 5L).

In the next 15 minutes: Diniz takes 2nd to 1m 46.460s, Diniz takes 1st to
1m 45.494s, Villeneuve picks up a puncture half way round and cruises back
to the pits with a flat rear tyre, Frentzen takes 1st at 1m 43.086s,  Hill
takes 2nd at 1m 44.229s.

At the 30 minute point Michael Schumacher sporting a slightly new helmet
design is sitting ih his car and the top six are: Frentzen (1m 43.086 -
6L),  Herbert (1m 43.903s - 6L), Hill (1m 44.229s - 5L), Panis (1m 45.405s
- 5L), Nakano (1m 45.464s - 6L), Diniz (1m 45.494s - 5L).

In the next 15 minutes: R.Schumacher takes 1st at 1m 43.021s, Frentzen
takes 1st at 1m 41.938s, the two Ferrari's are the only cars which have not
turned a wheel yet, M.Schumacher leaves the pits with 26 minutes left,
Coulthard takes 2nd at 1m 42.212s, M.Schumacher returns to the pits,
Hakkinen puts in his first fast lap at 1m 40.967s (1st), everyone except
the Ferrari's now have a complete lap time, Hakkinen's second lap is a 1m
40.931s (1st), Hakkinen's 3rd lap is a leisurely 1m 44.763s (12th),
Hakkinen's 4th lap is another sessions fastest at 1m 40.693s; Hakkinen
returns to the pits.

At the 45 minute point the top six are: Hakkinen (1m 40.693s - 7L),
Frentzen (1m 41.938s - 9L), R.Schumacher (1m 42.168s - 9L), Coulthard (1m
42.212s - 7L), Hill (1m 42.461s - 10L), Villeneuve (1m 43.387s - 8L).

In the final 15 minutes: Irvine puts in Ferrari's first fast lap at 1m
43.524s (7th), M.Schumacher takes to the track, Irvine takes 3rd at 1m
42.083s, Irvine takes 2nd at 1m 41.434s, M.Schumacher takes 2nd at 1m
41.312s,
M.Schumacher's 2nd lap is a 1m 40.767s (2nd), M.Schumacher returns to the
pits as Hakkinen leaves, Irvine takes 3rd at 1m 41.238s, Irvines next lap
is slowed by traffic, Diniz spins off over the gravel, Hakkinen's  lap is a
1m 46.747s (22nd), Hakkinen's 6th lap is a 1m 41.553s , Fisichella spins
over the gravel, there is now gravel on the track from Diniz and
Fisichella.

As this first part of the session ends the complete track times are:

Hak 1m 40.693s - 11L
Msc 1m 40.767s -  5L
Irv 1m 41.238s - 11L
Fre 1m 41.938s - 14L
Rsc 1m 42.168s - 14L
Cou 1m 42.212s - 12L
Hil 1m 42.370s - 15L
Vil 1m 43.353s - 12L
Fis 1m 43.578s -  9L
Ale 1m 43.837s - 12L
Her 1m 43.894s - 14L
Bar 1m 44.214s - 12L
Wur 1m 44.275s - 12L
Din 1m 45.025s - 14L
Sal 1m 45.137s - 18L
Pan 1m 45.177s - 12L
Tru 1m 45.361s - 20L
Nak 1m 45.464s - 12L
Ver 1m 45.702s - 12L
Ros 1m 45.708s - 18L
Tak 1m 45.916s - 11L
Tue 1m 47.769s - 11L

The fastest three exit speeds in each track sector were: S1: Hakkinen
(207kph), Coulthard, M.Schumacher, S2: Hakkinen (301kph), Coulthard, Hill,
S3: Coulthard (276kph), Hakkinen, Irvine.

The best three times in each track sector were: S1: M.Schumacher (43.037s),
Hakkinen, Irvine, S2: Coulthard (35.818s), Hakkinen, Irvine, S3:
M.Schumacher (21.386s), Hakkinen, Frentzen.

The track is now at 34C and the air 21C.

After a 1 hour rest the circuit opens again for the second 60 minute part
of the session.  The temperatures have now dropped slightly to 30C on the
track surface and 20C in the air.  First on track are the two Ferrari's.

In the first 15 minutes: Hakkinen is one of the 11 cars on track in the
first 2 minutes, M.Schumachers 3rd lap of the day is a 1m 49.387s,
Hakkinen's 7th of the day is a 1m 46.517s, M.Schumachers next lap is a 1m
40.910s, Coulthard takes 3rd at 1m 40.845s, Hakkinen 1m 41.758s,
M.Schumacher 1m 57.556s, Hakkinen returns to the pits as does Schumacher,
Frentzen cuts it tight and knocks off a few of the plastic marker poles at
the chicane.

At the 15 minute point the top six are: Hakkinen (1m 40.693s - 15L),
M.Schumacher (1m 40.767s - 10L), Coulthard (1m 40.845s - 17L), Irvine (1m
41.238s - 15L), Frentzen (1m 41.938s - 18L), R.Schumacher (1m 42.168s -
21L).

In the next 15 minutes: Irvine runs some more laps without improvement, 
Hakkinen is back on track, as is Schumacher, Hakkinen 1m 41.331s,
M.Schumacher runs a little wide and chews grass, Hakkinen 1m 50.171s,
M.Schumacher 1m 41.079s, Hakkinen 1m 41.849s, M.Schumacher 1m 45.141s.

At the 30 minute point no change in the top six: Hakkinen (1m 40.693s -
20L), M.Schumacher (1m 40.767s - 14L), Coulthard (1m 40.845s - 21L), Irvine
(1m 41.238s - 20L), Frentzen (1m 41.938s - 20L), R.Schumacher (1m 42.168s -
25L).

In the next 15 minutes: Hakkinen returns to the pits, M.Schumacher takes
1st at 1m 40.537s then returns to the pits, Hill takes 5th at 1m 41.284s,
Irvine takes 2nd at 1m 40.615s, with 20 minutes left Hakkinen and
M.Schumacher are back ontrack, Hakkinen makes a massive powerslide on his
fast lap, Hakkinen 1m 42.239s, M.Schumacher takes 1st, on new tyres, at 1m
39.823s.

At the 45 minute point the top six are: M.Schumacher (1m 39.823s - 18L),
Irvine (1m 40.615s - 28L), Hakkinen (1m 40.693s - 23L), Coulthard (1m
40.845s - 22L), R.Schumacher (1m 41.011s - 30L), Hill (1m 41.098s - 30L).

In the final 15 minutes: Hakkinen is back in the pits, M.Schumacher
completes a second lap on the new tyres at 1m 40.237s, M.Schumacher 1m
40.146s, M.Schumacher back in pits, Frentzen takes 2nd at 1m 40.389s,
Hakkinen on track with new tyres,  Alesi spins on track and stalls, Irvine
spins off into the gravel and sticks, Hakkinen returns to the pits without
setting a time, Villeneuve (8th fastest) nearly spins but holds it,
R.Schumacher takes 2nd at 1m 40.336s, M.Schumacher is back on track with 3
minutes of the session left, Hakkinen is back on track,  M.Schumacher 1m
40.223s, Hakkinen 1m 40.644s.

At thee end of the session the top six are:  M.Schumacher (1m 39.823s -
23L), R.Schumacher (1m 40.336s - 34L), Frentzen (1m 40.389s - 30L), Irvine
(1m 40.615s - 30L), Hakkinen (1m 40.644s - 28L), Coulthard (1m 40.845s -
28L).

The fastest three exit speeds in each track sector were: S1: Hakkinen
(208kph), R.Schumacher, Hill, S2: Hakkinen (301kph), Coulthard, Hill, S3:
Coulthard (276kph), Hakkinen, Irvine.

The best three times in each track sector were: S1: M.Schumacher (42.709s),
Hakkinen, R.Schumacher, S2: Hakkinen (35.700s), Coulthard, R.Schumacher,
S3: Frentzen (21.105s), M.Schumacher, Coulthard.

By now the track surface temperature has dropped to 26C and the air 20C.


Session: 1st Free Practice
Track Times:

Pos  Driver          Team       Lap Time   Laps
 1  M.Schumacher    Ferrari     1m 39.823s (23)
 2  R.Schumacher    Jordan      1m 40.336s (34)
 3  H.Frentzen      Williams    1m 40.389s (30)
 4  E.Irvine        Ferrari     1m 40.615s (30)
 5  M.Hakkinen      McLaren     1m 40.644s (28)
 6  D.Coulthard     McLaren     1m 40.845s (28)
 7  D.Hill          Jordan      1m 41.098s (30)
 8  J.Villeneuve    Williams    1m 41.252s (26)
 9  J.Verstappen    Stewart     1m 42.191s (23)
10  G.Fisichella    Benetton    1m 42.224s (32)
11  A.Wurz          Benetton    1m 42.628s (33)
12  T.Takagi        Tyrrell     1m 42.833s (26)
13  J.Trulli        Prost       1m 43.121s (38)
14  O.Panis         Prost       1m 43.493s (25)
15  M.Salo          Arrows      1m 43.634s (40)
16  J.Alesi         Sauber      1m 43.788s (25)
17  R.Barrichello   Stewart     1m 43.854s (20)
18  J.Herbert       Sauber      1m 43.894s (22)
19  P.Diniz         Arrows      1m 44.468s (36)
20  S.Nakano        Minardi     1m 44.632s (29)
21  R.Rosset        Tyrrell     1m 45.054s (27)
22  E.Tuero         Minardi     1m 46.396s (30)
   ---- 107% ----               1m 46.810s

All information is unofficial
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