- 9 minutes ago
The Friday Qualifying session for Round 16 of the 2003 F1 season at Suzuka.
I do not have the Saturday Qualifying session.
I do not have the Saturday Qualifying session.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Well, this morning's times were, well, truly was the fastest time of this morning's first practice session in the Renault, 1.30, 7.27.
00:11Last year's qualifying time was 1.32, so you're right, times have come down a little bit.
00:19And 1.30 R has got a little bit quicker, David, right?
00:22The 1.30 R is quite a bit quicker, they've opened it up a little bit.
00:24There's those S's we were talking about, the Stutt last one, 6 and 7.
00:28Boy, I tell you what, these are real neck stretchers, these turns.
00:31Just tremendous G-loading on the driver's shoulders and neck.
00:35There's the Degna curve, part one, part two, going downhill quite steeply here under the track.
00:42Kimi Räikkönen takes the track as Michael Schumacher's in the middle of his first qualifying run.
00:47This is the hairpin, slowest corner here.
00:51Pretty complex from here on, it's a long, long right-hander, the road dips down a little bit here.
00:56Still going right, down to the spoon curve, at which point here we start to go left.
01:01Long, sort of big double apex, wide open corner.
01:05And you really want to make a good exit here, because it's a long straight and it's very steeply uphill.
01:10So you need a good exit there.
01:12Here we're going to look at the new 1.30 R, which is actually not 130 degrees anymore, because they've opened it up a bit.
01:18Yeah, the dimensions have changed, they've opened it up, it's a lot quicker.
01:22I'm not entirely sure, David, it's flat out yet, but they're beginning to find their pace through there.
01:28On board a couple of cars this morning, weren't we, and it didn't seem like they were quite flat.
01:32Michael Schumacher crosses the line, 1.30 4.64.
01:38Three-tenths quicker than Jarno truly scrumptured his time this morning in the Renault.
01:46So, Michael Schumacher probably pretty happy with that run.
01:48Tremendous pressure on him coming up to win his sixth world championship, so tremendous pressure on him.
01:57He's only got to, he's just got to get in the points, that's all.
02:00Kimi Raikkonen has not got to win.
02:02So, as Ross Braun said in an interview earlier on this week,
02:06actually the pressure's almost worse than it is if you've just got to go out and win the thing.
02:10Yes, and here he is, Kimi Raikkonen.
02:16This guy has got it all to do.
02:20As you say, this man has got to win the race, nothing less will do.
02:24He must win the Japanese Grand Prix to stand any chance of winning the championship.
02:29Michael Schumacher must also finish outside of the points.
02:34It's possible, there's no doubt about that.
02:36Anybody can have a DNF, you only need one very slight mechanical drop-off on the car,
02:41and the car will go out.
02:44And then Kimi Raikkonen has to win that race, but boy, it is an uphill struggle.
02:48Amazing to think the championship has gone on this long, David.
02:51Right up until the very last round of the year.
02:55Right up to the last round of the year, and it's going to be decided by just a handful of points right at the end.
03:02Raikkonen setting a couple of absolutely dynamite pole positions this year.
03:05Two weeks ago in Indianapolis, setting pole from actually nowhere.
03:10Didn't even practice in the morning at all.
03:12Missed the 45-minute session altogether.
03:15Snatched a pole and led the race handily until rain played a big part in that race.
03:23Huge part.
03:25The Michelin's still not quite as good in the rain as the Bridgestones,
03:27but it would seem this year that it's significantly better in the drive.
03:32So, down into that spoon section.
03:37Now watch for that dust pile right there.
03:39You've just got a little clip of it as the exit spoon.
03:43A lot of the cars are pulling dust onto the circuit.
03:45There's quite a mound of sand or light soil to the edge right-hand side of the track there.
03:50They've been dragging on all morning.
03:52Well, that sounded pretty flat through there.
03:53All right.
03:55Woo, over the curb.
03:56It's a lot better than it was the chicane.
03:58It used to be so tight.
04:00And you can see as well that they've reintroduced the exit road at that chicane as well.
04:07Boy, I'll tell you what, he was slower in the first two sectors by over a tenth of a second.
04:13And look at that.
04:14In the end, he's only 94 hundredths of a second off the pace.
04:18So, he must have picked up a lot of speed through the 130R and through the chicane.
04:23Kimi Raikkonen fastest by two-tenths in the second sector and two-tenths quicker than the Ferrari in the third sector as well.
04:3730.7 for Michael Schumacher in the first sector, 31.1 for Raikkonen.
04:41So, all the work being done in the second and third sector by the McLaren chassis.
04:45And here is another great store of the year, the Williams FW25, Montoya in the cockpit.
04:58Awesome horsepower out of the BMW engine.
05:00The chassis, as you say, has just improved after the Monte Carlo.
05:04They did a huge test before Monte Carlo.
05:07Really found a massive amount of time.
05:09And the BMW Williams has been a major player since then.
05:13Since winning at Monte Carlo, getting the pole and winning at Monte Carlo.
05:19Montoya actually finished third here in last year's race, the 2002 race.
05:24But although Montoya is out of contention for the Drivers' Championship this year, David,
05:29you have to remember, of course, that Williams are very much in the fight for the Constructors' Championship.
05:34144 points so far for Williams' BMW, 147 to Ferrari.
05:40Half a second slower.
05:43That first sector, which includes those S's,
05:47has been a Michael Schumacher hallmark now for the last four years.
05:50He's absolutely dynamite through those S's.
05:53Big lock-up going into the hairpin there for Montoya.
05:56Might slow him down to some little hair.
05:58Coming down to the all-important spin curve.
06:13Ooh, there's that part of us we're talking about.
06:16And again, Montoya dragging it all back onto the course right there.
06:19And that's not going to help his teammate, Ralph Schumacher,
06:24who is next on the track in this provisional qualifying.
06:29Into the new sort of re-profiled chicane.
06:33Well, he matches Michael Schumacher's time through the second sector.
06:3640.8 dead.
06:37So it's still Kimi Räikkönen leads that second sector 0.2 up on the other two runners.
06:42But it slows by quite a long way there.
06:44Three-quarters of a second off Schumacher's time.
06:49Well, he is very slow in comparison to Schumacher and Räikkönen.
06:57Through that first sector, 31.2.
07:00There's that big lock-up going down into the hairpin.
07:07It's not a good line at all, David, is it?
07:09That run down to the hairpin.
07:10It's got a little kink just beforehand.
07:13Well, unfortunately, it would be a great overtaking spot
07:17if that kink wasn't there.
07:18Because obviously you can take a line to the kink
07:21and absolutely make sure that nobody gets alongside you
07:23going into the hairpin.
07:25Which makes it a completely a bust as an overtaking spot.
07:39So far, the chicane.
07:41You can see that runoff area on the right.
07:42And they've also, for this year, moved the position.
07:45The entrance to the pit lane
07:46is now beyond the chicane.
07:51Ralph Schumacher going into the first turn.
07:53Got three poles to his credit this year.
07:56Got a pole in one at Monaco, Canada, and France.
08:04Let's see, David, how Ralph Schumacher
08:07and Ralph's FW25 chassis handles these S's
08:11in comparison to his teammate Montoya.
08:13Montoya's car didn't really work that well
08:15through this section.
08:16Oh, two tenths up on Montoya
08:28and his teammate through that first section.
08:30Going into the hairpin.
08:33Still not as quick as his brother.
08:35Well, Ralph Schumacher has raced at the Suzuka circuit a lot.
08:47He did the Formula Nippon
08:49and spent a lot of time in Japan racing.
08:52So he should know this circuit as well as anybody.
08:54The other guy that knows this circuit incredibly well
08:56is going to be Ralph Furman
08:57and he takes the track in his Jordan.
09:00Quicker.
09:01Quickest.
09:01Quickest on that second sector.
09:03Yeah, 40.4.
09:08If this is, if he gets this chicane right,
09:10this could be quicker than his brother.
09:15188 miles now.
09:18Bingo.
09:20Well, look at that.
09:21Over a tenth up on his brother.
09:23He was fastest through that second sector,
09:25as you say, David.
09:2640.4 through there.
09:27Nearly four tenths up on Michael Schumacher's Ferrari
09:32in that second sector.
09:3440.8 for Michael Schumacher through the second sector.
09:37In that one sector.
09:39Now, ironically, his brother was
09:40194 miles an hour through the speed trap.
09:44The BMW Williams only 188.
09:47So, a good bit slower through the speed trap,
09:50but still an absolute dynamite.
09:54Dynamite third sector there.
09:56Here he comes.
10:02Rubens Barrichello finished second in last year's race.
10:07Very much out of contention, of course,
10:10for the Drivers' Championship this year,
10:11but as we're saying,
10:12he is still very much a key part to play
10:15in the proceedings of the race on Sunday.
10:19His teammate, of course,
10:20very much in contention for that Drivers' Championship,
10:23but also the Constructors' Championship very much alive.
10:27Michael Schumacher in the press conference
10:29saying Ferrari are absolutely committed
10:31to winning both championships.
10:33This is not a team just out to win
10:34the Drivers' Championship,
10:36although I have to say
10:37that will undoubtedly play first fiddle.
10:40The team will be absolutely desperate
10:42to win that record-breaking
10:44sixth Drivers' World Championship
10:46has never been done
10:48in the history of the sport.
10:51Formula 1's maiden season.
10:52Rubens quickest in that first sector.
10:56Ferrari and Bridgestone
10:57looking very good through those S's.
10:59For some reason, no,
11:00this second sector
11:01not looking quite so good for them.
11:04Ooh.
11:07Very wide through the hairpin.
11:10Lost him some time.
11:11To the spoon out to your mud pile there.
11:32Boy, he didn't lose much time
11:34with that strange line
11:35through the hairpin.
11:37going through the chicane.
11:41So important to get a good exit here
11:43because it's a long run down
11:44through that start-finish straight.
11:46Downhill run.
11:49Rubens, 192 miles out
11:50through the speed track.
11:51Whoa!
11:52Lost a tonne of time
11:53in that fourth sector.
11:54So, as Rubens Barrichello
12:01slows down,
12:02we'll now take a short break,
12:04but we'll be right back
12:05with more provisional qualifying
12:07from Suzuka, Japan
12:08in just a minute.
12:10Stay with us.
12:10Speed Channel's coverage
12:13of Formula One
12:14is brought to you by BMW.
12:16Visit your local BMW centre
12:18for a test drive.
12:18Qualifying from Suzuka, Japan.
12:21Fred Alonso
12:22just going out
12:23on his warm-up lap.
12:24Of course, Alonso
12:25getting pole position
12:26earlier on this year
12:27in Malaysia.
12:32Now, the Renaults
12:34are looking very good
12:35this morning.
12:35Unfortunately,
12:36this morning,
12:37Alonso himself
12:38had a little
12:39coming together
12:42with the gravel,
12:42as it were.
12:43Up and over the curve.
12:45Bouncing through the gravel.
12:47But still in all,
12:48in spite of not finishing
12:50the, doing as many laps
12:52as his team may,
12:53he did in fact
12:53finish up fifth fastest
12:55this morning.
12:56Looking a bit disgruntled
12:57and also covered himself
12:59and walks away
13:00from the car there.
13:01Well, these guys,
13:02Renault,
13:02have been very upbeat,
13:04very positive
13:04coming into this
13:06final race of the season.
13:07They say that this
13:08circuit is very much
13:09a track which will
13:11suit their car,
13:12suit their chassis.
13:14And by that,
13:14they mean that it's got
13:15particularly through
13:17those S's, David,
13:18after the main straight,
13:19through that first curve
13:20and up those S's
13:21coming down into the
13:22Dunlop and down to Degna.
13:24That's where you need
13:25to get the car to work.
13:26To get a good time
13:27around the Suzuka track,
13:28you need to get the car
13:29to work through the S's.
13:31And the chassis works
13:33very well.
13:33Great mechanical grip,
13:36good aerodynamic efficiency,
13:38but it is that hooker
13:39between the mechanical grip,
13:41the back of the car,
13:43getting the suspension,
13:44and of course,
13:44the all-important tyre compound
13:46to work and grip.
13:49And they need to stop
13:50the car wallowing
13:51to the left,
13:52to the right
13:52as they go through
13:53those S's.
14:00So Alonso starts
14:01his flying lap.
14:02Of course,
14:03the amazing thing
14:03about this Renault
14:04is it's reputed
14:05to be significantly
14:05down on horsepower.
14:07And even at a circuit
14:07like this,
14:08where obviously horsepower
14:09plays a huge part
14:11dragging itself
14:11up that long straight,
14:13they still,
14:14this morning,
14:15Guiano truly was
14:16the quickest.
14:16Yeah.
14:17Now this is through
14:18those very fast S's.
14:20This is it.
14:21This is where the car
14:22should really shine.
14:25Boy,
14:25absolutely rocketing
14:27through here.
14:27I think this is going
14:28to be a pretty good time.
14:29It looks so smooth.
14:32Down into Degna.
14:33Look at that.
14:36You're absolutely right.
14:38Renault were right
14:38to be very confident
14:39going into this event.
14:44Down to the hairpin.
14:49Boy,
14:50the car,
14:50it was absolutely
14:51on rails
14:52through those S's.
14:54Looked fantastic
14:55and the time
14:56showed it too.
14:57Now,
14:58over 10th of a second
14:59quicker
14:59from Michael Schumacher
15:01through there.
15:03This is where
15:04they might start
15:05to struggle a little bit.
15:06It's really
15:06in that third sector,
15:08this long run up
15:09to the 130R,
15:11what used to be
15:11the 130R
15:12for one of a better name.
15:14Well,
15:15he's down a bit,
15:16but boy.
15:16That's where
15:17they're struggling
15:17with the horsepower,
15:18David.
15:18Great grip,
15:19and it needs just
15:20a bit more grunt
15:21to push the thing along.
15:24But still an all,
15:25just to be that far down
15:27with such a long
15:28uphill run.
15:29It's going to be
15:29very close
15:30through that chicane.
15:32Oh,
15:32wow.
15:33How amazing.
15:34He lost all
15:34on that last sector.
15:37He did a 19-1
15:38through there.
15:38The 130R is now
15:40very quick,
15:41very flat out.
15:42That's where you want
15:42to put the horsepower
15:43down,
15:43and then it's that,
15:44once you get through
15:45that final chicane,
15:47the Casio triangle,
15:48it's that blast
15:48down the straight.
15:50But,
15:52absolutely wonderful
15:54show going through
15:55the airs.
15:56I thought it might
15:56pick it up through
15:57that tight chicane,
15:59you know,
15:59because they've got
15:59such good mechanical
16:00grip on the Renault,
16:01but obviously it did not,
16:03and he lost quite a bit
16:04of time on that last sector.
16:05It's quite a bit.
16:06got to the end
16:07of that uphill climb
16:09was such a good time.
16:10I thought he'd have
16:10been okay to do
16:11130R.
16:12And here is DC himself,
16:15David Coulthard.
16:18David Coulthard
16:18had not had a great
16:20year.
16:20He's qualified third
16:22here four times.
16:27And he's finished
16:29third here three times.
16:31Other than that,
16:32he's had a lot
16:32of retirements here,
16:33so David Coulthard
16:36views this track
16:37with mixed feelings,
16:38I imagine.
16:40It's just third
16:40in 2001,
16:42if memory's correct.
16:44The Hakenham pull
16:44over and allow
16:45David Coulthard
16:46through into third spot.
16:48Well,
16:48there's a nice
16:49headshot of those
16:50S's to really
16:51show it up.
16:52And it's that
16:53left, right,
16:53left,
16:54and you want to
16:54make the car
16:56stiff enough
16:56so that it doesn't
16:57start to wallow
17:00left to right.
17:00but if you start
17:01to make it
17:01too stiff
17:02at the front,
17:03you'll start
17:03to get that
17:03understeer,
17:04the front end
17:05starts to go away.
17:06It's always
17:06that compromise.
17:07Wow.
17:08Very quick
17:09through there.
17:11He's not been
17:12very confident
17:13and not really
17:13this year
17:14in this
17:14single lap
17:16qualifying,
17:16both today
17:17and of course
17:18the really
17:18vital one
17:19tomorrow.
17:20But nevertheless,
17:20David Coulthard
17:21very quick
17:22through that first sector.
17:23He was quick
17:23this morning
17:24as well
17:24in the free
17:24practice.
17:25He was third
17:25quickest of the
17:26day,
17:261.31.0.1.9.
17:31And this chassis
17:32again,
17:33really the car
17:33has come on
17:35throughout the season.
17:37I think McLaren's
17:38problem really,
17:39they started to struggle
17:40with lack of development
17:41on this chassis,
17:42the old chassis,
17:43the 17D,
17:44when they wanted
17:44to try and push
17:45to get the 18 out.
17:46Then they sort of
17:48declined that
17:48and moved away
17:49from that option
17:50and put the efforts
17:51back onto the 17D
17:52and lost a little bit
17:53mid-season.
17:54Lost a tenth
17:54right there.
17:55But he could
17:58still end up
17:59in the top
18:00four or five.
18:00He might just
18:01pit Ruben
18:02Balichello.
18:06Third!
18:07Very quick
18:07in that final sector.
18:09Very neat
18:10driver,
18:10David Coulthard.
18:11Always been
18:11one of his
18:12hallmarks
18:12and of course
18:13obviously paid
18:14off there
18:14going through
18:15that chicane
18:16or the
18:17Casio triangle
18:18as they call it.
18:19It was very
18:20quick through there.
18:20Must have been.
18:21Picked up a lot
18:22of time
18:22in that last sector.
18:25And so
18:34to the second
18:35R23B Renault chassis
18:38this time
18:39there's the graphic
18:40Yarno Trulli.
18:43As you can see
18:44that is a long
18:45steep climb there.
18:47Yarno Trulli
18:48David in this
18:49morning's free
18:49practice session
18:50was the fastest
18:51driver out there.
18:53130.727
18:55fastest
18:56of the first
18:57practice session.
19:01I wonder
19:02with the performance
19:04of this car
19:05coming on and on
19:06are Renault
19:08beginning to
19:08regret that decision
19:10to scrap
19:10the wide-angle
19:11engine
19:11and produce
19:11that regular
19:1290 degree engine?
19:13Certainly seems
19:13to be making
19:13the chassis
19:14work well.
19:15Let's just listen
19:16and go to the
19:16S's.
19:31It just
19:32the steering input
19:33says it all
19:33David to me
19:34it's just
19:34you turn the car
19:36and the car reacts
19:37there's no
19:38it doesn't need
19:39to create it.
19:40Very quickly
19:41there too.
19:41Yeah.
19:47That equals
19:48Michael Schumacher's
19:49time and
19:50Rubens Barrichello
19:51both did
19:5330.7
19:54as did Trulli
19:55now this
19:56second sector
19:56his teammate
19:58Alonso was
19:58very quick
19:59through there.
20:09And you might
20:10see on the
20:11side of this
20:11chassis
20:11on the
20:12flanks
20:12of the
20:12chassis
20:13where the
20:13radiator
20:13inlets
20:14are
20:14there's
20:15a new
20:15logo
20:16there
20:16looks a little
20:16bit like
20:17the hurricane
20:18warning on the
20:18weather map
20:19still up
20:19the new
20:20Mild7 logo
20:21that they put on
20:22remember Mild7 are a
20:23Japanese owned
20:24tobacco company
20:25so Jano Trulli
20:27so Jano Trulli at the
20:27moment if he makes a
20:28good job with
20:29130r and the
20:30chicane
20:30the Casio
20:31triangle
20:31he is going
20:32190mph
20:33one of the
20:34quickest runners
20:34in that he should
20:35pick up number
20:36one here
20:36there you go
20:37yeah
20:39well done
20:40gentlemen
20:41wow
20:41what a run
20:43for Jano Trulli
20:44now don't forget
20:45today's times
20:47really
20:47are really just
20:49setting the running
20:49order for tomorrow's
20:51times whoever
20:51is fastest today
20:53runs last
20:54tomorrow which is
20:55what everybody wants
20:55to do run last
20:56tomorrow because the
20:58track has been
20:58cleaned up by then
20:59and got the most
21:00grip down before the
21:01race starts
21:01assuming it doesn't
21:02rain or assuming
21:03somebody doesn't
21:04blow up in front of
21:04you so the whole
21:06idea of today's
21:07session is to run
21:08last tomorrow
21:09and at the moment
21:09that's where Jano
21:11Trulli is going to
21:11be
21:12and Jano Trulli
21:12David
21:13had a pretty good
21:14run in Indianapolis
21:16up until the warm
21:16up prior to qualifying
21:18where of course
21:18he stuffed it
21:19but he was quick
21:20all weekend
21:21Alan Permain
21:23his race engineer
21:23saying that he is
21:24very confident
21:25and now again
21:27the whole team
21:28Alan Permain
21:29and his driver
21:29saying they are
21:30going to do well
21:31here they expect
21:31to do very well
21:32and there's the time
21:33showing it right
21:33there at the moment
21:34he was very quick
21:36all weekend
21:39as you said
21:39in Indianapolis
21:40and unfortunately
21:41had a terrible
21:42crack on the last
21:43lap of the warm-up
21:44which completely
21:45stymied his day
21:46Mark Webber
21:47another revelation
21:48of the 2003 season
21:49no doubt about it
21:50in the Jaguar
21:50the Jaguar car
21:52improved significantly
21:53over last year
21:54but of course
21:54helped enormously
21:55by the Michelin
21:56resurgence
21:57and Mark Webber
21:57has really
21:58just handled this car
22:00tremendously well
22:01especially in qualifying
22:03he hasn't had
22:03an awful lot
22:04of race
22:04but tremendously good
22:07in qualifying
22:08yeah you're right
22:12I think the car
22:13has come on
22:14leaps and bounds
22:14the R4
22:15this year's chassis
22:16that we're watching
22:17now is absolute
22:18night and day
22:18difference with
22:19its handling
22:20to the awfulness
22:22of the R3
22:22that they used
22:23last year
22:24but you're so right
22:26David
22:26the Michelin tyres
22:27are really
22:28complimenting this car
22:29no end
22:30all year long
22:31you know
22:31Michelin
22:32there's another
22:32great story of the year
22:33is Michelin
22:34oh incredible
22:35you know in 2002
22:36if you had to sign
22:37your name to a tyre contract
22:38I would undoubtedly
22:40have put my name
22:41on the Bridgestone contract
22:41they were
22:42night and day
22:43very much
22:44the tyre to go for
22:45now
22:45well Michelin
22:47over the winter
22:47got working
22:48they were half a second
22:49quicker than Bridgestone
22:50and they've just come on
22:50and on
22:51all year long
22:52and whatever
22:54Bridgestone have done
22:54Michelin have matched
22:55it every time
22:56the only place
22:59there's that awful
23:00dustbin
23:01blowing back onto
23:02the track
23:02the only place
23:03that Michelin
23:04have really let
23:05themselves down
23:05in comparison
23:06I'm not saying
23:07because they're doing
23:07a brilliant job
23:08but in comparison
23:09to Bridgestone
23:09are those intermediate
23:10tyres which showed
23:11themselves again
23:12during the race
23:13in Lapis
23:14a bit slower
23:15there
23:16300 kilometres
23:17an hour
23:17186 miles an hour
23:20as opposed to
23:20Michael Schumacher
23:21194
23:229th
23:27so he's
23:28slowest so far
23:29mind you
23:37slowest being
23:37a pretty relative
23:38term here
23:39he's done a
23:391.31.3
23:40as opposed to
23:42Jano Trulli's
23:431.30.2
23:44so he may be
23:459th fastest
23:46but he's only
23:46just a second
23:47off that front
23:48pace
23:49of course
23:49the second
23:49in Formula 1
23:50is a lifetime
23:51we know that
23:51here is
23:54Heinz-Harold
23:54Frenzen
23:55in the Sauber
23:57this
23:58will be
23:59Frenzen's
24:00last
24:01Formula 1
24:02race
24:02as far as
24:04we know
24:04at the moment
24:05he has
24:05his last
24:06one for
24:06Sauber
24:07and probably
24:07will be
24:07the last
24:08one
24:08and at the
24:09one for
24:10the first time
24:11he's got
24:14options
24:14he'd like to
24:15stop in
24:16motorsport
24:16enjoys it
24:17very much
24:17does not want
24:19to quit
24:19motorsport
24:20although he is
24:20looking at the
24:21possibility of
24:21joining other
24:23series
24:23which
24:24well
24:24it's a step
24:26down
24:26let's face it
24:27you go to
24:27another
24:28series
24:28out of
24:28Formula 1
24:29it's a step
24:29down
24:30ironically
24:30of course
24:31coming off
24:31a podium
24:32finish
24:32at
24:33Indianapolis
24:33two weeks
24:34ago
24:34scoring Sauber's
24:36best finish
24:37year
24:37by
24:37in fact
24:38Ian Heidfeld
24:38coming
24:39third and
24:40fifth
24:40racked up
24:41an enormous
24:42amount of
24:43points
24:43jumped
24:43from
24:44tenth
24:44to
24:45fifth
24:46in the
24:46Constructors
24:47championship
24:47down
24:55into that
24:55first
24:55turn
24:56now
25:04watch
25:05the
25:05impact
25:05comparison
25:06to the
25:06Renault
25:06look at
25:07it
25:07qualified
25:14third
25:14here
25:15in
25:1594
25:15that's
25:16the
25:16difference
25:17right
25:17there
25:18remember
25:19Bridgestone
25:19tyres
25:20Sauber
25:21chassis
25:22the
25:24difference
25:24is night
25:25and day
25:25isn't it
25:25to how
25:26the Renault
25:26went through
25:26there
25:27boy
25:27it looks
25:28he is
25:29fighting
25:30that
25:30thing
25:30so nervous
25:31at the
25:31front
25:32and it
25:32is such
25:33a difficult
25:33part
25:33of the
25:34track
25:34we
25:35touched
25:35on
25:35before
25:36the compromise
25:37between getting
25:38that front
25:38suspension
25:39just soft
25:40enough
25:40to take
25:41the understeer
25:42out
25:42but stiff
25:43enough
25:43to stop
25:44the car
25:44wallowing
25:45as that
25:45quick change
25:46of direction
25:47takes place
25:47to stop
25:49to stop
25:49and to
25:54drive
25:54whoa
25:55yeah
25:56the drivers
25:56have to put
25:57over their
25:57well
25:57it
25:58looks pretty
25:58twitchy
25:59doesn't it
25:59my goodness
26:00speed
26:00oh my god
26:04oh my god
26:04look at that
26:05lower
26:06by a
26:06clubby
26:07mile
26:07yeah
26:0841.2
26:10for
26:11Frensen
26:12in the
26:12second
26:12sector
26:13Trulis
26:14time
26:1440.5
26:150.7
26:170.7
26:19down on
26:19Trulis
26:20time
26:20the Renault
26:21time
26:21through
26:21that
26:21second
26:21sector
26:22so
26:24as
26:24Heinz
26:24Al
26:24Frensen
26:25in
26:25tenth
26:26spot
26:26continues
26:26his
26:27slow
26:27down
26:27lap
26:27we'll
26:27take
26:28another
26:28break
26:28but
26:28we'll
26:29be back
26:29with
26:29more
26:29action
26:30from
26:30Suzuka
26:30in
26:31just
26:31a
26:31minute
26:31stay
26:32right
26:32here
26:32on
26:33speed
26:33qualifying
26:37from
26:38Suzuka
26:38Japan
26:38and
26:39Giancarlo
26:39Fischichella
26:40is on
26:40his
26:40warm-up
26:41lap
26:41we're
26:42at
26:42just
26:42about
26:43the
26:43halfway
26:43stage
26:44of
26:44it
26:44don't
26:52forget
26:52that
26:52tomorrow
26:53night
26:53we'll
26:53have
26:53coverage
26:54of
26:54the
26:54final
26:54round
26:54qualifying
26:55for
26:55the
26:55Japanese
26:55Grand
26:56Prix
26:56coverage
26:57begins
26:57at
26:571am
26:58Eastern
26:58and
26:58as
26:59always
26:59you'll
26:59not
26:59miss
27:00one
27:00minute
27:01of
27:01the
27:01on
27:01track
27:01action
27:01again
27:02that's
27:02tomorrow
27:03at
27:031am
27:03only
27:04here
27:04on
27:05speed
27:06you
27:11might
27:11need
27:11the
27:12old
27:12match
27:12sticks
27:13to keep
27:13your
27:13eyelids
27:13open
27:14get
27:14the
27:15coffee
27:15on
27:15and
27:17might
27:17as
27:17well
27:17keep
27:18the
27:18coffee
27:18on
27:18because
27:18obviously
27:19half
27:19is
27:19not
27:20much
27:20point
27:20going
27:21back
27:21to
27:21bed
27:21Nian
27:22Carlo
27:22Fischichella
27:23climbing
27:23up
27:24to
27:24into
27:25that
27:25sector
27:26two
27:26into
27:26the
27:26130
27:27R
27:27which
27:28is
27:28no
27:28longer
27:28exactly
27:29130
27:29but
27:29still
27:30a
27:30very
27:30very
27:30very
27:31quick
27:31corner
27:32down
27:33to
27:33the
27:33reprofiled
27:34chicane
27:34chicken
27:35as
27:36Alan
27:37Pross
27:37used to
27:37call
27:38him
27:38now
27:42is he
27:43going to be
27:43able to beat
27:43the Sauber
27:44this of course
27:46is Fischichella's
27:46last drive for
27:47Jordan
27:48next year
27:48he will be
27:49driving the
27:49Sauber
27:50in
27:50replacing
27:52Heinz
27:53Charles Frensen
27:54and of course
27:55Hydefelt
27:55is going to be
27:56replaced by
27:57Philippe
27:58Felipe
27:58Massa
27:59current test
28:01driver for
28:02Ferrari
28:03through those
28:03S's
28:04look as good as the
28:06old Renault
28:07back end
28:13sliding around
28:13going to be
28:25S's
28:26going to be
28:27going to be
28:27compromised
28:28maybe they
28:29decided let's
28:29try and run
28:30with a little
28:30less wing
28:31see if we
28:31can get the
28:32driver to
28:32control the
28:33car
28:33then running
28:35that less
28:36wing
28:36we should be
28:37able to
28:37optimize a
28:37straight line
28:38speed going
28:39through that
28:39sector 2
28:40into the
28:40130r
28:41and then
28:41that dash
28:42down the
28:42straight
28:42that's an
28:46optimistic
28:46looking very
28:48twitchy
28:48going to the
28:48spoon
28:49of course
28:49you have to
28:49lift off
28:50there
28:50and a vital
28:51part there
28:52lifting off
28:53just on the
28:54exit to that
28:54spoon
28:55is going to
28:55really
28:55knock your
28:57speed off
28:58coming up
28:58the hill
28:58here
28:58yeah
28:59boy
28:59and he is
28:59off the
28:59pace
29:00in sector
29:001
29:0032
29:01seconds
29:02dead
29:03through
29:03the
29:04first
29:04sector
29:0441-7
29:05in the
29:06second
29:06sector
29:06which
29:07is
29:07significantly
29:07slower
29:08than
29:08Heinz
29:08Charles Frensen
29:09so
29:09he's going to
29:10be
29:10wow
29:11a lot
29:12he's going
29:13to be
29:13down
29:13in 11
29:14spot
29:14he's going
29:14to have
29:14to be
29:15blistering
29:15quick
29:15to make
29:16me
29:16impressive
29:16what
29:16they've
29:16done
29:17with
29:17the
29:17chassis
29:17set up
29:17right
29:18here
29:18didn't do it
29:20for me
29:21see it all
29:24falls to pieces
29:25David for me
29:26if you can't
29:27get the car
29:27to work
29:28through the
29:28S's
29:28you're always
29:30sort of chasing
29:30your tail
29:31through the
29:31rest of
29:31the lap
29:32absolutely
29:32up next
29:35of course
29:36after this
29:36we'll be
29:37seeing
29:37Jensen
29:38Button
29:38who
29:39had a huge
29:44engine blow
29:45in the
29:46US Grand Prix
29:48and then
29:49this morning
29:49he did the same thing
29:52yeah
29:53comes around here
29:53locks the
29:54back of the
29:54car up
29:55well
29:55that's something
29:57in the
29:57engine
29:57that's
29:58locked up
29:58and
29:59as they
29:59say
30:00in Japan
30:00not
30:01kablamo
30:01but
30:02hibachi
30:02there it
30:04goes
30:04big time
30:05so
30:06that was
30:07that was
30:07the
30:07first
30:07Honda
30:08retirement
30:09of the
30:09weekend
30:10and remember
30:10this is
30:11Honda's
30:11backyard
30:12this is
30:13where they
30:13want to
30:13impress
30:14they
30:14want to
30:14do
30:14well
30:15test
30:15track
30:16for them
30:16so
30:16they've
30:17got to
30:18do
30:18well
30:18yet
30:18another
30:19upgrade
30:20on the
30:20engine
30:20now a
30:21step
30:21eight
30:22version
30:22of
30:232003
30:24engine
30:25there's
30:25Taku Masato
30:26who's
30:27going to
30:28drive for
30:28BAR
30:28Honda
30:29next year
30:29and is
30:30standing in
30:30this week
30:31for
30:31Jack
30:32Villanueva
30:32decided
30:33his heart
30:33wasn't
30:33in it
30:33anymore
30:34and
30:34stepped
30:36out of
30:37the car
30:37for this
30:37weekend
30:38let's
30:39ride
30:40with
30:40the
30:40Honda
30:40watch
30:51the
30:51driver
30:52to get
30:52another
30:52on-board
30:53shot
30:53we just
30:53started
30:54to see
30:54it twitch
30:55a little
30:55bit
30:55there
30:55and
30:56right
30:56there
30:57we'll
30:57see
30:57it
30:57again
30:58you've
31:00got to
31:00keep
31:00pushing
31:00at
31:01it
31:01these
31:09engines
31:09are
31:09really
31:10screaming
31:10now
31:11remember
31:11the
31:11step
31:117
31:12version
31:12they
31:12had
31:12as
31:12we
31:12watched
31:13Sato
31:13watched
31:13them
31:14as
31:14watching
31:14his
31:14teammate
31:15the
31:15step
31:157
31:16reputed
31:1719,100
31:18with
31:19a 200
31:20RPM
31:22and
31:23another
31:23upgrade
31:24on
31:24engine
31:24power
31:25and
31:25revs
31:25at
31:26this
31:26their
31:26own
31:27race
31:27but
31:29currently
31:30Jack Villanueur's big complaints about the Honda engine
31:32that it is heavy
31:33it's probably as much as 20 or 30 pounds heavier than some of the competitors
31:37which is not good for Formula 1
31:40it's not
31:40the reason they had to do that
31:42if you think back to last year they had a lot of chassis flex and block flex
31:46means torsional flex through the engine and that was basically just nipping the engine
31:51up and causing it to explode but also giving horrible handling characteristics
31:56to the chassis
31:57you have to keep the block stiff
31:59remember
32:00the block before the engine block in these cars forms part of the chassis it has to be
32:05extremely rigid
32:07one of the slowest cars through the speed shaft not good for the old Honda and 11th fastest
32:13wow
32:13only just slower than Heinshaler for instance slower than Mark Webber
32:18a hair quicker than Piscicara in the Ford
32:22ah well now of course they're great rivals as we watch
32:26Jenson Button
32:28a replay of his run
32:31car look twitchy through the
32:32through the S's
32:33seems to be very slow down the straight which is a bad sign if you've got the twitches
32:38yeah
32:38indicate you don't have enough downforce
32:40on the other hand if you slow down the straight would indicate you've got too much
32:44but this of course is their arch rival
32:46Toyota
32:47I wonder
32:50has he raced here before I'm not sure
32:52I don't think he has
32:55I wonder
32:56David whether or not Honda have just taken the edge off that engine bearing in mind what
33:02happened to Jenson Button in the first practice session if they've just detuned it a little
33:05bit
33:05rechipped the engine just to get through this qualifying session because remember they're
33:10up against the clock there's not much they can do but they can just try and take the edge
33:13off the engine to get the thing reliable to finish the lap and then they'll be working
33:18on them of course flat out right through the night now to try and get to the bottom of that
33:23unreliability problem that happened on Jenson Button's way the Toyota taking a very tight line to that last right
33:28hander there much tighter than we've seen anybody else
33:33well they've got a lot of horsepower in that engine so let's see whether or not when he comes on to the second set from third they should start to claw that time back the uphill dive uphill out of Spoon and through the the old 130R it'll be at the exit of this part of the track around Spoon watch for that dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt
34:03dust and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt and dirt
34:33engine so he's 11 so he just pushes Jensen Button and Fisher Keller down to 12th and 13th
34:42so that is pretty important to Toyota they are quicker than the Honda that has run so far 32
34:51dead through the first sector and again all year long they've got a lot of horsepower and
34:54it circuits like Monza Indianapolis on those straight speed sections they should have done
34:59well but here again he's getting it to work they're getting the chassis to work through the
35:05S's that's what let them down there 32 seconds dead is not a respectable time when you consider
35:10that Trulies time through those S's with 30.7 1.3 seconds off the pace in the first third of the
35:18track yeah it's only a 30 second sector right
35:22so Heidfeld also out of a drive next year his drive is protected by Felipe Massa and
35:34we're not sure where he's going to go we know that Heidfeld's probably not going to go anywhere
35:38Heidfeld says he's got options as well but we're not quite sure where those options lie at the moment
35:52down to the chicken
36:05Nick Heidfeld starts his hot lap plus the timing strike down into that uh double triple apex turn
36:13one apex goes wide another apex
36:16then starts to the desert let's watch him
36:30that steering is not prepared to the Renault
36:39not a bad time then
36:46it's a bit quick of his teammate
36:50yeah you saw the graphic on the screen there 31.2 seconds in the first sector
36:57Frensen was a 31.4 so 0.2 up on his teammate through the first sector
37:03dive down to Spoon
37:05a lot of input
37:24well about the same as his teammate but this could put him he could end up nice
37:28190 mile now to the speed trap so the Schauber right pretty quick through the speed trap
37:3910th
37:40I thought he might just displace Weber but not quite
37:43beat his teammate yeah two spots up on his teammate
37:46as we watch Heint's our friend as we watch Dick Heidfeld there
37:59running a little bit wide and uh that's the Degna curve under the under the track down towards the
38:04hairpin there's that right hand that messes up over taking the hairpin Olivier Pannis of course in the other Toyota
38:11ironically he hasn't got quite as many points as his teammate Cristiano de Marta Cristiano de Marta a rookie of the team
38:16former one Olivier Pannis anything but a rookie the oldest driver out there 37
38:26let's see
38:29manages to handle that chassis through these buses it's 141st grand prix this will be
38:41this is where it needs to work right here
38:46this teammate's time is 32 seconds dead
39:06a lot quicker 31-4
39:16this is where it needs to be
39:36woo
39:36getting a bit wide there but uh making sure you went wide early did not go through your
39:41your dust patch
39:44up the hill
39:46boy
39:48well that could get him up to uh
39:52nine spot
39:57185 down the straight a bit disappointing i thought they'd have been quicker but they're carrying an
40:01off lot of the rear wing but i think
40:02uh
40:05well
40:06well
40:08it's his teammates
40:09it's his teammate yeah
40:10Obey Anderson there the team president watches the monitors
40:14no as Olivier Pannis does his slow down lap
40:17we'll be back with more action from Suzuka in a moment with Ralph Furman so stay right here with us on speed
40:23provisional qualifying
40:24one of them is this bad Takuma Sato standing in for Jacques Villeneuve in the BAR Honda
40:29we'll be back to see him take his run in just a moment stay with us right here on speed
40:33Michael Schumacher goes for a record-breaking sixth formula one championship title
40:43this is a world record
40:46this is for the lead of the race
40:48sleep can wait
40:49oh my goodness
40:50this is history
40:51we've never seen anything like this in formula one
40:53exclusive coverage of the japanese grand prix
40:56saturday night 1 a.m eastern only on speed
41:00on board with Ralph Furman as he comes down to take the stripe
41:07Ralph Furman one of the more experienced drivers here former Nippon champion
41:11so he's got lots of hours under his belt here at Suzuka
41:14so he should know more than anybody here probably how to handle these upcoming S's
41:20yeah it is very much a driver's track all the drivers say that they like it
41:25it's very challenging for the drivers and a lot of it again is right here
41:28it's being able to pinpoint the the car to get it to work through here
41:33just so you just just clip it right going through there left right
41:41well you gotta get it just right because once you get out of step on the first one
41:44i mean you're chopped liver
41:4831.9 not a good time at all
41:51uh a little bit quicker than his teammate
41:59and he was quicker than fishie keller this morning
42:02yeah he was considerably quicker this morning by six tenths
42:06Ralph Furman which is good for him and again
42:09i think you have to say a lot of that comes from his what should be a fairly intimate knowledge
42:14bit of a question mark hanging over him for next year as well with jordan it'd probably be okay
42:22but uh you know formula one being what it is you're never absolutely sure ooh
42:28the rumors around that alan mcnish might take his spot that was 41.7 for that second sector which is
42:34not good equal his teammate 189 mile an hour to the speed track which is not the slowest by a long way
42:44but nevertheless ends up 15th but it is just a hair quicker than his teammate three tenths quicker than his teammate
42:53now that's the most important thing for uh well not for the weekend but the most important thing for every run for
43:06ralph furman is to try and be quicker this teammate giancarlo fisichella who's always reckoned to be one of the best drivers in formula one and certainly
43:13vastly more experienced than ralph furman
43:16well furman on his 18th race
43:25and talking of people drivers probably taking part in their final grand prix
43:31justin wilson up next in the jaguar
43:35yeah the rumors flying around jaguar are looking for a driver who can bring substantial sponsorship to the team
43:42wilson was hoping to come in and uh and match his teammate
43:49mart weber uh who they raced against each other a lot in former 3000 just a couple of years back
43:55but um it hasn't been the case at all
44:00his teammate has really been very quick got used to car of course
44:04and justin wilson's been on the back foot his very first race the german grand prix at hockenheim
44:10he got taken out in that first that crash which would not his doing it all
44:17now
44:18this might be justin wilson's first trip to uh to zooka as well
44:37this run down into the spoon has not been a particularly long section of the track it doesn't
44:42look so on the track it is actually quite a a long run you're in it for a lot of time yeah you are
44:52dust really getting all over the track now big time how's his second sector
45:01well that second sector would have would be good enough to get him into uh ninth or tenth spot
45:07unfortunately his first sector was very slow his first sector was a 41.8 and incredibly slow down
45:15the straight 179 miles an hour
45:20well he's quicker than jensen button in the honda which must be uh a bit unpleasant for the uh
45:26for both button and for honda he's quicker than ralph furman and quicker the course of fisher keller
45:32you can see the car david you're wondering why the car so slow down the straight and you were saying
45:36earlier on it's got a lot of wing on the car i think to try and help with the stability again
45:42through those essays and it's compromising the performance of the car from the run out of spoon
45:46and through the 130r complex but yeah 15 mile an hour slower down the straight than michael schumacher
45:53that's a lot of miles an hour joss verstappen in the minardi joss the boss
46:09joss verstappen had a very checkered formula one career came in looking so good got the wrong cars
46:15got all the timing wrong just things didn't go well for him at all and i don't think we've seen the best
46:20of this guy but it's all a bit late now i don't think uh much else is going to happen to him 106 grand
46:26prix this will be his 107 grand prix
46:31and of course he's no longer a spring chicken he's 31 years old now
46:39never thought i'd see that they're horrible there didn't it
46:50speedway style through the degna curb
47:06yoss 32.7
47:12slowest time of the day so far
47:14the first sector
47:20we're going to see that first sector
47:21we're going to see that in second half
47:29through that first sector
47:33for that first sector
47:41through that first sector
47:42to that first sector
Be the first to comment