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The 2nd Friday Practice Session for Round 12 of the 2004 F1 season at Hockenheim.
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00:21Built in 1929 as a test track in the heart of Germany's industrial south,
00:26the Hockenheim Ring has been host to the German round of the Formula One World Championship every year, save one,
00:33since 1977.
00:35Hello and welcome to coverage of the 2004 German Grand Prix here on Speed Channel.
00:41It's time for Friday practice.
00:43Hello, everyone. I'm Bob Varsha, along with David Hobbs and Steve Matchett, as always.
00:47Cars are on track for the start of the second session of practice on this Friday for the German Grand
00:52Prix.
00:53It's a beautiful day with blue skies, temperatures in the mid-80s, and this race has a reputation for intense
01:00heat,
01:00so weather will be a factor this weekend.
01:02There's already been one free practice session already today, so let's take a look at the highlights of that.
01:10Home Grand Prix, of course, for world champion Michael Schumacher.
01:13Appearing relaxed in the garage, he did not go out early on.
01:16Another news note, Antonio Pisonja of Brazil is in the second Williams for the injured Ralph Schumacher this weekend.
01:23And he tripped the timers there, second pass today.
01:25He was going to end up tenth, but he was only just a hair slower than his teammate one, Pablo
01:29Montoya.
01:30Then, of course, Michael Schumacher finally did go out, and very, very, very unexpectedly tripped the timers,
01:37nearly a second quicker than everybody else.
01:39Some got it right, some got it wrong.
01:41This is Christian Kline in the Jaguar R5.
01:43That's not quite what we want, but he was bettered by Timo Glock in the EJ14 down at Turn 1,
01:51completely destroying the front wing going over those curbs.
01:55Look at this shot right here.
01:57Not what the mechanics wanted at all.
01:59Certainly not what the third driver is expected to do.
02:01Michael Schumacher's time stood up as quick as to the session,
02:04until Anthony Davidson, very much a man of the moment and a future Grand Prix race driver,
02:10pipped him for fastest of the session,
02:12then pulled off the track on the backside with what they said was a mechanical problem.
02:15I think he simply ran out of fuel, running very light in the BAR Honda.
02:19There he saw Timo Glock performing a little housekeeping,
02:22helping the corner workers to push his Jordan off track.
02:27And now it's time for the second session.
02:30Here's a look at the times from the first one.
02:31Davidson's 115.756, about six-tenths of a second off of Juan Pablo Montoya's pole time for this race on
02:39this track last year.
02:41The track was reconfigured back in 2002.
02:47And actually, Montoya, in last year's race, set the lap record at a 1.14.9.
02:55Which is about 137 miles an hour, which compares pretty favorably with the old long track,
03:00where the lap record was 150.
03:03Cristiano D'Amato ended up 12th this morning in the first practice session.
03:07And remember, guys, this is the new car that Toyota have released, the TF-104B.
03:13New chassis and also new bodywork.
03:17The chassis was actually tested down at Aref last week,
03:19but the aerodynamic package they had intended to put on in Aref wasn't ready.
03:24So they've just bolted those parts on for these opening practice sessions here in Germany.
03:28Nevertheless, the car, at the moment, reliable.
03:31Bjorn Vertheim, third driver for Jaguars, setting the early pace.
03:38There's D'Amato again.
03:40He has told, excuse me, that's Ricardo Zonta.
03:43His helmet looks very much like D'Amato's.
03:45The reason I brought up D'Amato was he has told Toyota this weekend
03:48that he wants a decision soon on their driver lineup for next year
03:53so that he can figure out what he's going to do if he does not come back with Toyota.
03:57Of course, Toyota has already announced they've signed Ralph Schumacher
04:00away from the Williams team for next year.
04:03Ralph is scheduled to be at the Hockenheim Ring this weekend
04:06as a cheerleader for the Williams team.
04:09But D'Amato says, I cannot wait any longer.
04:12Tell me whether I'll be driving next year or whether I should look elsewhere.
04:15Perhaps back to the Champ Car Series in the United States
04:18from whence he came as champion a couple of years ago.
04:23Speed Channel's coverage of the FIA Formula One World Championship
04:26is brought to you by BMW.
04:29BMW, the ultimate driving machine.
04:36Welcome back to Friday Practice for the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.
04:39I'm Bob Barsha along with Steve Machen and David Hobbs.
04:41Michael Schumacher, quickest in the session thus far.
04:44There's his pit boss, Ross Braun.
04:47Up now to the top of the charge goes Anthony Davidson once again,
04:50third driver for BAR Honda.
04:53Here's a note.
04:53We want to let you know that at the bottom of the hour
04:56we're going to be taking you live to New Hampshire International Speedway
04:59where Dale Earnhardt Incorporated has called a press conference
05:02at which Dale Earnhardt Jr. will discuss his injuries suffered in the warm-up
05:06for the American Le Mans Series race in California last week
05:10and what his participation in this weekend's next Telcup race at New Hampshire will be.
05:15Bob Dilner is standing by.
05:17We'll be going there live at the bottom of the hour,
05:19but we will not allow you to miss anything from this Friday Practice session.
05:23We'll be back after that live report to bring you the rest of Friday Practice
05:27from here at the Hockenheim Rink.
05:35Anthony Davidson continuing his good work for BAR Honda.
05:38BAR and Honda have announced a new two-year extension of their agreement
05:41to race together in Formula One.
05:44And Davidson is on a couple of short lists for a drive next year.
05:47That's Antonio Pisonia.
05:52And his first Grand Prix weekend as a race driver since last season
05:57when he was unceremoniously escorted out of the Jaguar team.
06:02And that's been a cause of some press hype this weekend.
06:06Pisonia says,
06:07They treated me like dirt at Jaguar.
06:09I didn't have the same equipment as Mark Webber.
06:11The Jaguar team and Webber have gotten up fairly emotionally
06:15and said that is not true.
06:18I find that very difficult to believe.
06:20Absolutely.
06:21That a team would produce parts just for one driver.
06:24I tell you guys, it just doesn't happen.
06:26There's so much money and they have the facilities.
06:28There's no reason to have these cars
06:30with different equipment on them any longer.
06:32And it causes such a fuss.
06:35There's David Coulthard.
06:37Let's have a look at our Porsche track map for the Hockenheim Ring.
06:41David?
06:41Well, the track was totally revised for the 2002 race.
06:45It's now 2.84 miles.
06:47They knocked a mile and a half off it.
06:48I don't think something like the track the old one was,
06:51but there it is.
06:51That's modern racetracks for you.
06:53Obviously, there's no elevation change at all.
06:55It is a little bit bumpy.
06:56Turn one is very important.
06:57It takes you out to the country.
06:58Then that tight turn two, three and four.
07:01Then that long, long, long sweeping left-hander
07:04down to turn six where you see a lot of overtaking action.
07:07A quick blast out of six up to seven.
07:09Not much overtaking going through there.
07:11Eight, nine, ten, eleven.
07:12All follow on to each other very, very quickly.
07:14Hard to get fast by anybody there.
07:15Turn 12, sort of a somewhat half-harder chance.
07:19And you might be able to squeeze by somebody at 13.
07:21All that 12, 13 and through 17
07:24are all in the stadium section.
07:26So lots and lots of people watching you there.
07:27So you've got to be careful what you're doing.
07:31Yeah, I agree with you, David.
07:33The track, when it was changed for 2002,
07:36and we lost those two very long sections
07:38out into the woodland,
07:40really, for me, it destroyed the track.
07:42This track was such a great power track
07:45where people would spend absolutely endless amounts
07:49of money and time to produce a flat-out race engine
07:52for those long straights.
07:54It was all about power, very much a power track.
07:56And that's just been taken away now.
07:58We have just, what I think is just a,
08:01well, it's just a bland stadium section, really.
08:04They've destroyed what Hockenheim used to be.
08:05I think it's very sad.
08:06Well, of course, those chicanes, too,
08:08they were at the end of very long straights
08:11with great overtaking opportunities,
08:13as we saw when Rubens Barrichello won this race back in 2000.
08:19He came from, like, 18th on the grid
08:21and just kept on picking people off at those chicanes.
08:24It was good fun.
08:25It was good racing.
08:26It was good to watch.
08:27Mixed wet and dry conditions.
08:28And that was the first race,
08:30so we had what has become a minor rash of track intrusions.
08:34The spectator got onto the racetrack.
08:36That's right, he did.
08:37Which is the most bizarre thing.
08:37But, of course, you can't do that sort of overtaking on this track.
08:40Turn six is about your only really good opportunity.
08:43Our old colleague Sampoza used to say,
08:45this is the only track where you've got to feel
08:46you're actually going somewhere,
08:48from the stadium section out into the woods,
08:50back into the stadium.
08:52The other track that does that for me is Spa-Francorchamps.
08:56Again, there you get an idea of going out,
08:58driving somewhere and coming back.
08:59This is the stadium section right here.
09:03Very tight and winding.
09:05It's all about traction, this stadium section,
09:07getting the power out of these slow-speed corners.
09:11I don't know if you mentioned it, gentlemen,
09:12but, of course, somewhere out there
09:14in what is now fairly pristine woods
09:16is the monument to the late Jim Clark,
09:18who lost his life on this track in a Formula 2 race.
09:21We'll be back in a moment.
09:34Welcome back to Friday Practice
09:36for the German Grand Prix here on Speed Channel.
09:39I'm Bob Varsha with David Hobbs and Steve Matchett.
09:42This is Giorgio Pantano in the always entertaining Williams.
09:45Excuse me, Jordan.
09:48In between the last race and this race,
09:50I spent a very pleasant week in England
09:52and for a couple of days was down at Hook Norton
09:54in the Cotswolds at their famous beer festival
09:57down there for real ale fans.
09:59There's a lot of Formula 1 teams based around Oxford
10:01and I was in a conversation over a pint of fine beer
10:05with an aerodynamicist and a mechanical engineer.
10:07Those two together were quite fun,
10:09and always playing off one between the other.
10:11But we were talking about the performance of the EJ14
10:13and why it seems so horribly unstable,
10:16you know, under braking.
10:17And the general consensus seems to be,
10:19you know, two things.
10:21One, I think they've got the weight distribution wrong,
10:24too much weight towards the front of the car,
10:26and also their opinion was that perhaps the diffuser's stalling.
10:30Under braking, you're getting a little bit too much pitch
10:32on that chassis.
10:33The nose is dipping down,
10:34the rear of the car is lifting up,
10:35and that's causing the diffuser to stall a little bit,
10:38and so it becomes very unstable.
10:40Remember, about 30% of the downforce on these cars
10:43is produced by the low-pressure area underneath the cars.
10:47And that's probably what we're going to see change next year
10:49in the technical regulations
10:50to try and slow them a little bit,
10:51make them unstable.
10:52But I think, you know, that's what seems to be.
10:54They've got too much weight towards the front,
10:56and then you stall the diffuser,
10:57that breaks away the traction at the back,
10:59and the thing is just horrible.
11:01Well, weight distribution and dive under braking,
11:03I would have thought would be pretty easy things to fix, too.
11:08Certainly weight distribution.
11:09I mean, there's a moment.
11:11Ew.
11:12Well, these guys are now running a lot of ballast
11:16actually in the main element of the front wing.
11:19They've got so much weight forward,
11:20not particularly just Jordan,
11:21but a lot of teams are moving the weight forward
11:23to get the front tyres to work.
11:25A lot more now in the last 12 months than ever before.
11:28But, whoops.
11:31Yikes.
11:32Is that Bruni?
11:33They're saving that Bernardi.
11:34Nope.
11:35Ah, Baumgart.
11:35Jolt Baumgartner.
11:38I wonder if they got the...
11:39Did they get the graphic wrong there, chaps?
11:42I don't know, truly.
11:43The winner from Pole and Monte Carlo,
11:46but now on the you-know-what list at Renault
11:50after a lacklustre-ish performance at Silverson,
11:53although you've got to say that you've got to be on his side there
11:56when that suspension broke,
11:57convinced him of that incredible barrel roll,
12:01which ultimately caused virtually no damage to the chassis,
12:04that nice team.
12:05Yes, they inspected the chassis afterwards.
12:07Of course, there was a lot of bodywork damage
12:09and suspension damage,
12:10but they took the chassis back to the factory,
12:12of course,
12:12and the FIA inspector, Charlie Whiting,
12:14came out
12:14and insisted on doing some crash tests,
12:17basically re-checking the chassis
12:19to make sure it was structurally sound,
12:21but my understanding is that chassis was unscathed.
12:24They repainted it.
12:25They did a little bit of cosmetic carbon work on the car,
12:28but basically that chassis is good to go.
12:30Of course, the downward spiral for Truly started
12:32when he lost second place to Barrichello in France
12:35on the last corner, the last lap.
12:37Forward with Truly once again,
12:39who did a 1.17.4 this morning.
12:42Michael Schumacher's headed out.
12:43We'll take a break and return for his run.
12:48Back live to the Hockenheim Ring
12:50and Friday practice for the German Grand Prix.
12:55It's Fernando Alonso.
12:57Takes his Renault immediately to the pit lane.
12:59Meanwhile, there is Michael Schumacher on track.
13:01Did a 1.15.864 in this morning's opening hour of practice.
13:08He has turned in a 1.16.5 thus far in this session.
13:13Looks like he'll overtake his teammate Rubens Barrichello on this run.
13:18Whoa!
13:19Unless, of course, he does that.
13:23Whatever works, I guess.
13:24He overtakes him immediately.
13:25Rubens making plenty of room for there.
13:27Rubens obviously just on his out lap,
13:29getting up some speed through that last corner.
13:36Michael Schumacher racing with his lucky amulet,
13:39a bit of a necklace that his wife, Corinna, gave him earlier this year
13:44with the initials of his children and her own blazoned inside.
13:47He actually lost it at the British Grand Prix two weekends ago
13:51and announced this weekend that once the newspapers in England relayed the news,
13:58someone stepped forward and said they found his lucky amulet near the motorhome
14:02and they returned it to him this weekend.
14:04Well, obviously, it must be bringing in some luck.
14:06That's half a second quicker than he was this morning
14:08and four-tenths of a second quicker than Davidson was this morning.
14:12So the pace is starting to drop now.
14:15I think Michael is a bit of a superstitious guy.
14:19Yeah, it's funny you should say that, Bob.
14:21I'm beginning to sense that as well.
14:23And yet, at Bellaton in those years in the 90s,
14:26there was no sense of that.
14:27He didn't used to do anything particularly odd or strange at all.
14:31I am getting that sort of...
14:32I don't know if he's coming more spiritually aware of himself
14:36in these maturing years. What do you think?
14:38Well, I'll tell you what, that superstition is one of those things
14:40you really want to steer clear of.
14:42Lucky amulets.
14:43I remember Chris Eamon always had his lucky rabbit spot.
14:45And I'll tell you what, if ever he lost it, mislaid it, or whatever,
14:48I mean, all hell broke loose.
14:50The guy was a basket case.
14:51And, of course, he really...
14:55You need to steer clear of stuff like that if you possibly can avoid it.
15:00Turn one here at Hockenheim.
15:02Scene of so many incidents over the years.
15:04You see how it's been cut back since last year
15:07when we had that tremendous kalambalaj on the lap one.
15:10And Raikkonen was into the tire barrier.
15:13The tire barrier now about 100 yards back from where it was last year.
15:16Ralph Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen, Rubens Barkello
15:18all taken out at the first corner.
15:22Getting back to Michael briefly,
15:23a newspaper reported earlier this year
15:25that he has a tattoo on his neck
15:27of the name of the Hindu god of luck.
15:32We haven't been able to confirm that.
15:35Don't wash your neck too much.
15:37Takuma Sato picking up the pace.
15:39He was a bit slow this morning.
15:41Down in 16th spot.
15:42That's what my mum used to say to me.
15:43Don't forget to wash your ears as well.
15:45But Takuma Sato,
15:47a very lacklustre Silverstone race.
15:48Look at that, though.
15:49Picking up the pace more where we were used to seeing him.
15:52Don't know what happened to him at Silverstone.
15:54We're expecting so much of B.A.R. 100 Silverstone.
15:56Jenson Button was off the podium
15:58for only, what, the third or fourth time in the whole year.
16:02And Sato is down in, like, 11th.
16:07Yeah, it could be a couple of reasons for it.
16:08Antonio Pizzonia takes away his second spot.
16:10So he's now quickened his teammate one, Pablo Montoya.
16:14He's Dickie Stamford.
16:17On the left, Sam Michael, the technical director.
16:20The new technical director
16:22for whom things have not been running smoothly.
16:25Not a smooth transition.
16:27Right.
16:27No, not exactly.
16:30Here's a program note.
16:31Tune in to speed every Monday night
16:33at 9 p.m. Eastern for 5th Gear.
16:35They'll have everything from performance driving tips
16:37to road test to the most exotic European sports cars.
16:40Look at all that and a whole lot more on 5th Gear.
16:42Off-road, on track, and totally on the edge.
16:44Again, 5th Gear.
16:46PM Eastern only here on speed.
16:49Heard a lot of good things about that show.
16:51We'll have to check that out.
16:53Now, these guys talking about aerodynamic aid
16:56and tweaks coming onto the car.
16:58I'm hearing that the aerodynamics,
17:01the changes that went onto the chassis in France,
17:04the new aerodynamic package that went onto France.
17:06Now, take this as you will,
17:08because I'm not going to get this confirmed by Williams,
17:10but my understanding is that some of those components
17:12never made it as far as the wind tunnel, guys.
17:16The mechanical engineers and the design team drew the parts,
17:19they made the components,
17:20but they never made it to the wind tunnel.
17:22Mickey Lauda was quoted this weekend as saying,
17:25Williams is a very disorganized team right now.
17:27Frank Williams himself is talking about retirement.
17:31We'll be back.
17:37Welcome back to the ever-changing,
17:39ever-improving Hockenheim ring.
17:41Except for that bit about cutting off the racetrack.
17:43That is Hocken half ring now,
17:47having lopped off some of the great old circuit
17:49that ran off into the woods.
17:50But I digress.
17:51Bob Varsh, Steve Matchett, David Hobbs with you.
17:54Watching Friday practice for round 12
17:56with a Formula One World Championship for 2004.
18:00Yarno truly remains on track.
18:03He's got a lot of laps in this session.
18:06Nothing like what the third drivers are doing.
18:08Anthony Davidson has 17 laps in the session thus far.
18:12Truly more than most with 10.
18:16There's his Renault team boss, Flavio Briatore.
18:21Preparations continue for Sunday's race
18:23to be seen live here on Speed.
18:31Welcome back to Friday practice
18:32for the German Formula One Grand Prix
18:34here on Speed Channel.
18:35I'm Bob Varsh with David Hobbs and Steve Matchett.
18:37There goes Mark Webber.
18:39The silly season has ratcheted up this weekend.
18:43Rumors about this man, Webber,
18:44where will he be next year?
18:45He has been quoted as saying he is not going to Toyota.
18:48The assumption is he is definitely going to Williams.
18:51In fact, the assumption was he might even drive to Williams
18:54before this year is out.
18:56We are not told that will not happen.
18:58But that Mark Webber will join the team next year.
19:01There's David Coulthard.
19:03We know he will not be a McLaren driver next year.
19:05Where might he land?
19:06We're hearing Jaguar.
19:07We're hearing Toyota.
19:09And there is also lots of rumors in the air
19:13about the futures of Giancarlo Fisichella from Sauber
19:16and Jarno Trulli from Renault.
19:20I think David Coulthard wouldn't mind driving a Williams,
19:22which was his first Grand Prix team
19:26when he started his career.
19:28But Patrick Head said,
19:29well, David Coulthard definitely runs hot and cold.
19:32So obviously there's no home for him there.
19:35Talk about him even going to Sauber,
19:37which, boy, if I was David Coulthard,
19:39I'd only want to go to Sauber at this stage in my career.
19:41He's got a lot of money.
19:42He's got a hotel in Monte Carlo.
19:45He's starting another couple of hotels in London.
19:47So I'd say, whoa!
19:50Touch over on the old brake.
19:52Yeah, a little bit too much braking on the back
19:53for that turn six, that very tight right-hander.
19:56A three-time runner-up in this race.
19:58Yeah, he's had a good run here at Hoffenheim.
20:01That is on the old Hoffenheim.
20:03Speaking of old, there's Ron Dennis on the left,
20:05Norbert Haug on the right.
20:07You need to associate Ron Dennis with old.
20:10They're locked up the front there,
20:12but it's upset the car badly.
20:14You see quite a few drivers getting it wrong there.
20:16They've been playing around with a brake bias front to rear.
20:20A lot of the drivers will do that anyway
20:22around the different corners around the lap of the track.
20:28I think it's very slippery down now.
20:29Can I imagine?
20:30It must be slippery.
20:32Understeer, he had all the lock turned in.
20:34The car wasn't turning at all.
20:35And funnily enough, when the car swung around
20:37when it fishtailed there and transferred weight
20:39from one side to the other.
20:41That right front stayed steadfastly locked.
20:43Here is Kimi Räikkönen in the other.
20:45McLaren quite a bit quicker than Michael Schumacher at this stage.
20:48Kimi Räikkönen, of course, on the pole
20:50in the second appearance of his car at Silverson
20:52just a couple of weeks ago.
20:54Looking good.
20:55Boy, McLaren has come so far
20:58after eight retirements in their first 14 starts.
21:02That's two cars in seven races.
21:04Both cars have now finished,
21:06as Räikkönen goes P1 for the session.
21:09Both cars have finished the last four races,
21:12and they're beginning to climb the points.
21:14In fact, there's a story going around
21:15that a member of the British media community
21:18publicly stated that he would run naked
21:21around the Silverstone circuit
21:22if McLaren wins a race this year.
21:24Ron Dennis said,
21:26I'm going to be delighted to make that happen.
21:28What a gruesome thought.
21:29I can't think of one press person
21:31I want to see naked,
21:32especially running around Silverstone.
21:34There'd be an awful lot of jelly bobbing about.
21:36I know that.
21:37Well, they've been very upbeat about this car
21:39since it was launched at the last race,
21:41the MP4 19B.
21:45They've got new aerodynamic components
21:46coming out to this track.
21:47Ron Dennis is saying,
21:48you know, we're certainly going to be quicker
21:50than we were in Silverstone.
21:51Will we beat Ferrari?
21:52That depends on how much progress Ferrari have made.
21:54Well, that's a bit of a bold statement,
21:56I have to say,
21:57looking at the dominance of that 2004 chassis
21:59from Marinello this year.
22:01However, it would be great,
22:03great to see McLaren take the fight.
22:05Well, McLaren, at the moment,
22:06are languishing in fifth spot in the championship.
22:09They're nine points behind Williams,
22:11who in turn are 26 points behind
22:16Lucky Strike VAL Honda.
22:17So, these guys have got a long way to go,
22:19but if they could start winning some races
22:21with this McLaren,
22:22they could creep up that championship scoreboard,
22:26which, of course, is so important
22:27in terms of money.
22:28I mean, the difference between fifth and second
22:30in the world championship
22:31is about seven or eight million dollars
22:34for next year.
22:35So, it is definitely worth going for.
22:39That 1504 is quicker than last year's pole.
22:43They're running the car very low to the ground there.
22:45We just saw a little bit of puff
22:46from the FIA legality plank underneath,
22:48but the McLaren is distinctly very low
22:52to the ground indeed.
22:53Of course, you want to run the car
22:55as low to the track as possible
22:56because it improves the aerodynamics.
22:58The track's quite smooth, actually,
22:59which allows them to do that.
23:01If you've got a bumpy track,
23:02an undulating track,
23:03you can't drop the car as low as you would like
23:05because you keep bottoming the car out.
23:08Well, that's horrible for the drivers, of course,
23:09but you have to bear in mind
23:11that 10 millimetre thick,
23:13about three-eighths of an inch thick,
23:15composite plank underneath the car
23:17has to remain at that dimension 10 mill.
23:20You're allowed to take just one millimetre
23:21of wear off throughout the duration of the race.
23:23Any more than that,
23:24and the FIA will kick you out.
23:26Like they did that cheating Benetton team
23:28in 1994.
23:31Star.
23:33Rising to the bait, David.
23:35Send your cards and letters.
23:36I can't remember who was working
23:38on that car at the time, but...
23:40You can see where that sort of thought came from.
23:43Michael Schumacher back on the track.
23:44I don't know whether he's trying to...
23:45Whether he's rising...
23:46Rising to the bait of Räikkönen going quick.
23:49Of course, don't forget, today's Friday.
23:51A lot of time to go yet before the race.
23:53These guys doing a lot of chassis setup,
23:54data acquisition,
23:56brake wear, tyre wear.
23:58Fuel consumption, obviously, is a key part of it.
24:01Victoria coming around,
24:02just coming up to speed,
24:03about 2.7 seconds off the pace.
24:06He is coming back out after a trip to the garage
24:08with good reason.
24:10A few minutes ago,
24:11while we were in break,
24:12he was pressing hard when this happened.
24:15Obviously, way on the pace there,
24:18but way off the track, unfortunately.
24:20So he slowed up.
24:22I think he tried to go another lap,
24:23but look at this, he just gets wired.
24:25The road falls away,
24:26or the edge of the road falls away quite badly.
24:28You can see that.
24:29Dragged a lot of people down.
24:30They could do with time,
24:31they could do with asphalt in that area.
24:32I'll tell you what the problem is right there.
24:34I think, looking at it from the...
24:36From an engineering standpoint,
24:37the car started to bounce up and down,
24:40just as it came out of the corner before.
24:42And as I was saying,
24:42with the problem with the Jordan,
24:44it loses the downforce underneath.
24:46Once you start to get the car moving up and down,
24:47the diffuser doesn't know what to do with the airflow.
24:50Stills itself, and you lose traction.
24:52Michael Schumacher takes 44 thousandths of a second
24:56off the best time of Kimi Raikkonen,
24:58and moves to P1 in the session.
25:00Now, we should reiterate, this is practice.
25:02Teams are doing tire selection runs.
25:05They're running with various fuel loads.
25:07A lot of that falls on the shoulders
25:08of the third drivers out there,
25:10which is why I suspect that Anthony Davidson
25:12simply ran out of fuel
25:13after that quick lap in the first session.
25:16So the times,
25:17Anthony Davis has done 20 laps in this session
25:20compared to Kimi Raikkonen,
25:21for instance, has only done nine.
25:23Michael Schumacher has done 16,
25:24so he's getting plenty of laps on their race engine.
25:27Don't forget, only one engine per weekend.
25:29Look at the size of those radiator chimneys
25:31Ferrari's using this weekend,
25:33just above the Vodafone logo.
25:34Yeah, everybody's worried about temperature here,
25:36and of course,
25:37as we're always saying during these Formula One shows,
25:40you have to control the temperatures
25:41underneath the bodywork.
25:43The bodywork is wrapped so tight
25:44around the engine and transmission,
25:46really does follow the contours of the engine
25:48and the transmission so close.
25:50Have to control that heat buildup underneath,
25:53and that's how they do it,
25:54that exhaust radiator exhaust right there.
25:57It's not anything to do with the engine exhaust flow itself,
26:00it's just really the exhaust flow
26:01of the cooling air going through the matrix of the radiator
26:05and then getting rid of it out from under the bodywork
26:07as fast and as efficiently as possible.
26:09And this, of course, is a very hot race.
26:11It's well over 80 degrees there today.
26:14Good chance it'll be that hot tomorrow.
26:16There's Anthony Davidson, again, showing good form.
26:19Jumped up to fourth spot.
26:20There he was, eight.
26:22Saw Jean Tote looking at a note he was handed there.
26:24He now heads all of Ferrari's operations.
26:26I suspect that was probably something saying,
26:28well, we sold 500 cars last weekend or something like that.
26:33I somehow doubt it right here.
26:37Schumacher above all right now,
26:40right at the cusp of 1 minute and 15 seconds
26:43here at the Hockenheim ring.
26:44We'll be back in just a moment.
26:49Back at Hockenheim, Juan Pablo Montoya
26:51has pushed backwards into the BMW Williams garage
26:55as we welcome you back to Friday's second practice.
26:59Montoya said this week he has only tested
27:01for the Williams team three times this year.
27:03He has one more coming up at Monza in Italy,
27:06and that's it.
27:07He was asked by a reporter if he thinks the team
27:09is keeping some of next year's technology away from him.
27:12He said, well, if they are, they're doing a great job.
27:15Yeah, and they will do.
27:16They should do.
27:17Well, that's nothing against Montoya,
27:18but as soon as you realize that the contract
27:20between the driver and the team is coming to an end,
27:23the last thing you want to do is start giving data
27:25about next year's car away to what will become your opposition.
27:29It's just the nature of the beast, I'm afraid.
27:31And the driver, of course, has access to all the data.
27:35He absolutely has to because he has to have so much input.
27:37So it's no good going testing and keeping stuff hidden
27:41from the driver because it's going to come out.
27:42Now, one step that I would love to give out
27:45and I must apologize for not mentioning it
27:47during the Silverstone race because there's so much going off.
27:49But last race, Michael Schumacher produced 177 Ferrari engine wins,
27:58and that takes them into the lead of the all-time
28:01Formula One engine wins for a manufacturer.
28:04As he goes wide again, they've just overtaken Ford.
28:08176 Ford wins throughout Formula One's history,
28:11177 to Ferrari.
28:13I was talking to Ross Braun about this.
28:14He says, that's a great stat.
28:16He actually gave us the serial number.
28:18So for all you guys that are really keen on this stuff,
28:21I'll tell you.
28:21Don't read it.
28:22The engine number that produced that 177 wins
28:25is just his engine number 053.
28:28That's the series that they're running this year,
28:29but the engine number is 305.
28:32So watch out for that
28:33if you ever see it coming up for auction.
28:36There's six of them on eBay as we speak.
28:38Right.
28:39Well, it is remarkable when you consider
28:41that the record they beat was that of Ford,
28:43whose DFV was in every Formula One car on the grid
28:46for so many years.
28:48Now here, Ferrari was only in the Ferraris
28:51and more recently the Sauber.
28:54It's just a phenomenal record.
28:55It is.
28:56Well, you think, well,
28:56there's probably matcher engines and the BRM
28:58and one or two little oddball things,
29:00but you're right, Bob, absolutely.
29:0199% of the grid back in the 60s and 70s
29:04they were all using that Ford DFV Cosriff engine.
29:07Well, up to 1968,
29:08they used obviously Compton Climaxes
29:10and Maseratis and Ferraris
29:12were used in some special cars
29:14and quite a variety.
29:16But from 68 right through till the late 80s,
29:20practically every Grand Prix car had a Ford Cosriff.
29:23It would be like the amount of starts.
29:25It's just extraordinary.
29:26Like one brand of tire on a single car,
29:29beating Goodyear's record
29:30when they were the only tire supplier
29:32for so many years.
29:35It's not getting that chassis to work
29:37at all well from there.
29:39Yeah, but I think that's a fabulous stat.
29:41And I also think it's intriguing
29:42that the serial number 305
29:44is 053 in a different series.
29:48Very cool.
29:49Here's a look at Antonio Pizzonia,
29:53also known as Jungle Boy.
29:54Grew up in Manaus
29:56in the Amazon River Basin.
30:00If you look at the starts to finish,
30:03though, the Ford actually only had 551 starts
30:06in that time,
30:06from 1963 to 19...
30:10to the end of their real career.
30:12They had 176 wins.
30:13Ferrari have had 698 starts.
30:16Well, they've been there...
30:16Because that goes back to 1958,
30:18not 19...
30:191950 was the first year
30:21for the Drivers' Championship.
30:22Yeah, the constructors came online in 1958,
30:25but I think that's outstanding.
30:28And, of course,
30:28there have been a few teams
30:29that have used Ferrari engines in the past.
30:31Prost have used them,
30:32Minardi have used them,
30:33now Sauber, of course,
30:33but none of those teams
30:34have actually had a victory with that engine,
30:37so it's all been down to...
30:38Absolutely.
30:39...Ferrari's team,
30:40the factory team.
30:40Of course, that start...
30:41Ferrari start on this stat note
30:43we've got here
30:44goes back to 1950,
30:45so it goes back right to the beginning.
30:47So, anyway,
30:47it's still a heck of a record.
30:50Yeah.
30:51Rubens Barrichello
30:52being pushed back in.
30:54Be sure to join us Sunday morning
30:56for live coverage
30:57of the German Grand Prix.
30:58That coverage begins
30:59at 7.30 a.m. Eastern
31:00with the Acura Pre-Race Show.
31:02It'll be live
31:03straight through
31:03to the post-race interview room.
31:05Our own Peter Windsor
31:06will be asking the questions.
31:07Again, I think that's Sunday morning,
31:097.30 Eastern, live,
31:10only here on Speed.
31:11However,
31:12the event is subject to blackout.
31:17The pit lane
31:18crowded with photographers.
31:20This year,
31:20the Hockenheim Ring
31:21featured a pit walk
31:23which took place
31:23between the two practice sessions.
31:25Much like that,
31:26initiated by
31:27the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
31:28for the U.S. Grand Prix.
31:30It's become quite a success story.
31:32The Hungarrow Ring
31:33in three weeks' time.
31:34Our next race
31:34will also have one.
31:36There was a huge crowd
31:37down in the pit lane
31:38there this morning
31:39getting an up-close look
31:40at these fabulous cars.
31:42See, Jenson Button's
31:44gone back to the blue
31:45in his helmet
31:45after going with
31:46the red and white version
31:47for the British Grand Prix.
31:49The B.A.R. Honda's looking
31:50a bit more like it
31:51again this weekend.
31:52Button is third
31:53on the timesheets
31:54at the moment.
31:54Davidson's fifth
31:55and Sato is sixth,
31:56so looking pretty strong,
31:58all three of them up there.
31:59Of course,
31:59don't forget,
32:00this is the last time
32:00we'll be seeing
32:01Anthony Davidson.
32:02He won't be appearing
32:02again tomorrow or Sunday.
32:05Giancarlo Fisichella.
32:07Will he be a Sauber driver
32:08next year?
32:09Perhaps a Williams driver?
32:10Perhaps he'll work
32:11at the Fred Astaire
32:12Dance School.
32:12What's that mechanic there?
32:14Chippendales.
32:16That bloke does not look
32:18like good fodder
32:18for the Chippendales.
32:20While things are quiet,
32:22let's run down
32:22the timesheets.
32:23Michael Schumacher
32:24leads at 115.001.
32:26Kimi Raikkonen second,
32:2744 thousandths
32:28of a second behind him.
32:30Then Jensen Button,
32:31as David mentioned.
32:32Antonio Pisonia
32:33doing good work
32:33in the BMW Williams.
32:35Anthony Davidson
32:35is now fifth
32:36with 26 laps
32:38to his credit.
32:40Ricardo Zonta
32:40has 30 laps.
32:42That's the most
32:42I see on the chart here.
32:44And Zonta is 10th
32:45in the Toyota.
32:47Takuma Sato is sixth.
32:48Fernando Alonso
32:49seventh.
32:50Rubens Barichello
32:50eighth.
32:51And David Coulthard
32:52ninth.
32:53Then Mark Webber
32:54is 11th in the Jaguar.
32:55Followed by Felipe Massa,
32:56Bjorn Wertheim,
32:57Giancarlo Pisichella
32:58and Christian Kling.
33:02John Todd walking
33:03away from the timing
33:05of their little
33:06pit lane stand there
33:07which would sort of
33:08indicate that kind of
33:10maybe Schumacher's
33:11coming in.
33:12There's another wiggle
33:13from the Jordan.
33:15I don't know why
33:15John Todd's wearing
33:16black trousers.
33:16That sort of thing
33:17really bothers me.
33:18It's like Nicky Laudy
33:19when he was working
33:19with Jaguar
33:20refused to wear
33:20team kit.
33:21And if you want
33:21to be part of the
33:22team, wear the kit.
33:25Look at that.
33:26Michael Schumacher
33:27rolls in.
33:28Obviously John Todd's
33:28going to have a whirlwind.
33:30Come on, Mr. Leenders.
33:54Michael Schumacher at Silverson
33:56just two weeks ago,
33:57remember, pulled the fat
33:59out of the fire.
34:00Fourth on the grid, wins the race.
34:01Only does two stops
34:02instead of everybody else's
34:03three.
34:05On his two in-laps,
34:07he was over two seconds
34:08quicker than the next driver
34:10who was Kimi Räikkönen.
34:12So he picked up four
34:13seconds, well nearly five
34:14seconds in those two in-laps
34:17alone.
34:17And apparently during
34:19practice, all through
34:20practice and all through
34:22qualifying, Nigel Roebuck
34:23was with a friend who
34:24said, why on earth does
34:26Michael Schumacher go
34:27rollicking into the pits
34:28like he does just in
34:30practice?
34:31And Roebuck said, well,
34:32you'll find out tomorrow.
34:33That's why he practices
34:34all weekend going up that
34:36line.
34:38We're going to take
34:39another break and be back
34:40with more Friday action
34:42from the German Grand Prix
34:44practice from Hakanan
34:45coming up.
34:59Welcome back to Friday
35:00practice for the German
35:01Grand Prix.
35:02David Coulthard of the
35:02McLaren's been working
35:03hard on his spins and he's
35:05just about got it down.
35:08Yeah, he has been
35:09working hard on him and
35:10maybe born out of a
35:12slight touch of
35:13desperation.
35:14Kimi Räikkönen has done
35:14a 15.045.
35:17David Coulthard a 16.2,
35:19so that's 1.2 seconds
35:20slower.
35:21And David Coulthard
35:23commented after the
35:24British Grand Prix, I
35:25certainly hope they find
35:26something wrong with my
35:27car because I don't
35:28understand why I'd be
35:29slower than Kimi Räikkönen.
35:30Now, I'll tell you what's
35:31up to that Jordan.
35:32Jordan have been running
35:33some new winglets mounted
35:34above and in front of the
35:36radiator inlet, something
35:37that's produced just for
35:38this race.
35:39I haven't seen them
35:39before.
35:40Very unusual design how
35:42they've mounted it right
35:43ahead of the radiator
35:44intake and that's what
35:45we're seeing right there.
35:46One of those winglets on
35:47the right-hand side of the
35:48chassis has just blown
35:49itself off.
35:50They have them both above
35:51and below the radiator
35:53inlet.
35:54Now, that spin by David
35:56Coulthard was his second in
35:57the last three minutes or
35:59so.
35:59Let's take a look at the
36:00first one.
36:01And this one really snapped
36:03away from him.
36:04Well, I think we can
36:05conclude that the hard
36:06compound tires are not the
36:07way to go if that's what's
36:09on the chassis right there.
36:12It all happened under
36:13braking and in turn.
36:15Boy, doesn't it look so
36:15much better when they have
36:16that asphalt instead of that
36:17gravel?
36:18Just a minute.
36:18Has that been a gravel
36:19trap?
36:19He'd be floundering around
36:20in there now and be out
36:21and we've already seen
36:23them clip that gravel on
36:24that corner on the
36:25infield.
36:26I think they obviously
36:26should tarmac that gravel
36:28over.
36:29Timo Glock brings the
36:30Jordan in.
36:31Eddie Jordan admitted this
36:32week that his driver
36:34Nick Heidfeld was
36:35scheduled to test the
36:37Williams BMW this week.
36:39Heidfeld also in the
36:40running, we are told, for
36:41that Williams drive next
36:42year.
36:43But Jordan said in order
36:44for Heidfeld to be
36:45released to the Williams
36:46team, Williams would have
36:47to pay for his
36:48replacement at Jordan.
36:51And the Williams team
36:52balked at that, so Nick
36:53Heidfeld remains a Jordan
36:55driver this weekend.
37:04It's Kimi Raikkonen.
37:05He was a factor two weeks
37:07ago in Britain and it looks
37:08like he will be again this
37:09weekend in Germany.
37:11Well, there's no doubt
37:12about it.
37:12This car has improved
37:13enormously.
37:14Obviously, Mercedes-Benz
37:16has got some more
37:16reliability, but this
37:17speed of the car has
37:19picked up enormously
37:19since early on in the
37:20year.
37:20They had a lot of
37:21unreliability, but they
37:22also were slow.
37:23And now they're quick
37:25and they're finishing the
37:26points since Canada, so
37:28the car's looking pretty
37:29good.
37:30I think he's going to
37:31make one last stab at
37:32putting the top of the
37:34timesheets for today, but
37:35he's got his work cut out
37:36and he's got four minutes
37:37left.
37:38He's got two cars in front
37:39of him.
37:40I thought he'd be
37:41perhaps dropping back a bit
37:42here to have one last
37:44crack at it.
37:47One of our many
37:48technical advisors in the
37:50internet chat room said
37:51we were completely
37:52missing the boat, that
37:53the McLaren was quite a
37:54good car, at least in
37:55Raikkonen's hands, and
37:56that the problems they
37:56suffered earlier this
37:57year were all related to
37:59the Mercedes-Benz engine,
38:00as Dave Ryan, team
38:02management.
38:03I'm sure that bit of
38:05information would come as
38:05a revelation to the team
38:07who spent untold
38:08millions of dollars to
38:09completely revamp their
38:11chassis to the point
38:12where it had to be
38:13re-crash tested by the
38:14FIA before installing
38:16an only might slightly
38:17modified Mercedes-Benz
38:19V10 in it, and going on
38:21to finish in the points
38:22in each of the last four
38:23races with both cars.
38:25And, of course, David
38:27Coulthard, first time out
38:28in France, is third on
38:29the grid, and Kimi
38:30Raikkonen had polled last
38:32race out at Silverstone, so
38:33the car is obviously
38:34significantly quicker than
38:35the old one.
38:36And they both said
38:37it's much easier to
38:38drive, much better, much
38:40better feel, much better
38:42feedback, and the whole
38:43thing is obviously
38:43significantly different.
38:44Predictable, right.
38:45There's that winglet.
38:46Still lying in the middle
38:47of the track there.
38:48It's off the racing line,
38:49but I'm surprised that
38:50it hasn't been removed.
38:52And somebody pulls out
38:53to overtake one of the
38:54slow back markers when
38:55they're on a quick lap.
38:56That's going to be very
38:57dangerous.
39:01Christian Cleen, who you
39:02said already just lives a
39:03few miles from this track,
39:04a couple of hours.
39:05A couple of hours.
39:06Two and a half hours
39:06away across southern
39:09Germany, just across the
39:10Austrian border.
39:12Competed in various minor
39:13formula at this track, and
39:15never, according to
39:16Christian Cleen, never once
39:18finished off the podium.
39:20Well, if he finishes on the
39:22podium this week, I may
39:23join that journalist in
39:24running around Silverstone
39:25naked.
39:27Well, let's hope we have a very
39:29good race performance.
39:30moment.
39:30Ah!
39:32The Kuma Sato, no, Jensen
39:33Button comes to a stop.
39:36Once again, no smoke, no sign
39:38of mechanical distress.
39:39I wonder if he just ran out of
39:40fuel.
39:41Well, maybe, maybe.
39:46I think that helmet definitely
39:47looks better with the blue in it.
39:49Oh, much.
39:50Just testing how low they can
39:51actually get on the fuel.
39:52He's a boy under some fairly
39:54significant pressure.
39:55He is.
39:55All those podiums to start this
39:57season.
39:59All of that pressure two weeks
40:01ago in a home race in Britain.
40:04Finished off the podium.
40:06After all the hype.
40:09It's been a while since he's been
40:10on that podium in Formula One
40:12terms.
40:13Been in the points every race
40:14this year except the USA.
40:19There's no real reason for the
40:20cars to run out of fuel unless
40:22they're just, you know, they've
40:23got some problem with a little
40:24rig that they're using during
40:25the practice sessions.
40:26They don't use the big main
40:28refueling rig, of course, and
40:29practice and qualifying.
40:30That's reserved solely for
40:32race day.
40:33They have a much smaller rig to
40:34do that.
40:34But if they've got some sort of
40:35delivery problem, it's all
40:37done by weight.
40:39Just like in the aviation
40:40industry, Formula One uses
40:42it's the weight of fuel that's
40:43the important thing.
40:44The volume in a way is of
40:46secondary interest, really.
40:48It's the weight of the volume
40:49on the car, the weight of the
40:50fuel that makes the difference
40:51to the performance on it.
40:52But you do run out of
40:53volume.
40:54You don't run out of weight.
40:55Right.
40:55Well, I guess you run out of
40:56both.
40:57But on board, although there's
40:59no fuel gauge on board these
41:00Formula One cars.
41:01Whoa!
41:04He's obviously going to have one
41:05last flyer.
41:06He's got 40, well, obviously
41:07taking as long as he likes.
41:09Check the flag will come out
41:10during this lap.
41:10But once he started it,
41:14obviously after a fairly flying
41:16start through Turn 1 there,
41:18down to that slippy Turn 6,
41:20which we've seen catch a lot of
41:21people out, no traffic in front
41:23of it.
41:24Well, it is, but it's a long
41:25way in front of it.
41:28Well, just to finish that
41:29thought on fuel consumption,
41:30what the teams have is a little
41:32flow meter built into the
41:33spray rail of the engine,
41:35and they know the amount of
41:36fuel that's gone on board by
41:37weight, and then they register
41:39off the telemetry the flow
41:40fuel and how much has been used
41:42by the spray rail, by the
41:43injector system on board the
41:45engine.
41:45to take that figure away from
41:47the weight that you started
41:47with, and that should give you
41:48a very, very precise amount of
41:51fuel that remains on board,
41:52if the system's working
41:53correctly.
41:55That's where he put a wheel
41:56over the edge twice.
42:01And all that information fed
42:03back to the pit wall, of course.
42:04There's nothing for the driver
42:06to see in the cockpit.
42:07We kind of, you know, the
42:08engineers and mechanics think
42:09the driver's got enough to do
42:10just by trying to drive fast and
42:12stop on track.
42:13He doesn't need to be taking
42:13his eyes off the road to look
42:15down and see how much fuel he
42:16has left on board.
42:17Earlier this year, there were
42:19reports that Shell and several
42:21other Formula One fuel
42:22suppliers were working on
42:23reducing the weight of their
42:25fuel while providing the same
42:27performance characteristics,
42:29which would change those
42:30volume-to-weight numbers.
42:32Right.
42:34Kimi Raikkonen appears to be
42:35done for the day.
42:37Michael Schumacher is on his
42:39cool-down lap.
42:40He's taking a moment in front
42:41of one of the fans in the
42:42garage.
42:43We'll be back in a moment to
42:44Germany.
42:50Welcome back to the
42:51Hockenheim Ring, where
42:53practice is now complete on
42:55Friday, the opening day of the
42:57German Grand Prix weekend.
42:59Let's take a look at the final
43:00results, the quick times from
43:02today's session, topped by
43:03Michael Schumacher.
43:04I thought he was going for a
43:05quick one at the end there,
43:06David, but he just didn't have
43:08it in the car.
43:08No, he didn't.
43:09And we just saw him in the pit
43:10there, coughing rather,
43:11but he's got the touch of the
43:13flu.
43:13Keep your eye going.
43:14Yes, right behind him.
43:15Juan Pablo Montoya stuck that
43:16time in right at the end.
43:18Jenson Button, a few laps on the
43:19end.
43:20Pisonia, Montoya's teammate for the
43:22weekend, looking pretty strong
43:23there.
43:23Andy Davison, of course, who we
43:24won't see again.
43:25Again, putting the strong
43:26performance to Kuma Sato,
43:27looking a lot better than he did
43:28at Silverstone a couple of weeks
43:29ago.
43:30Alonzo and the Renault and Rubens
43:31Barrichello down there, ninth.
43:34That's Ricardo Zonta and the
43:35Toyota, 1.199 seconds off.
43:37But look where the Toyotas are
43:39further down the field.
43:40They really haven't done very well
43:41at all, have they?
43:41I don't understand that.
43:42That new car, you would have
43:43thought it would have been
43:44working better.
43:45Jano Trudy there in 14th in the
43:47Renault.
43:47They've got some new engine parts
43:49on the car this weekend.
43:50Also note that Bjorn Vertheim,
43:52the third driver for the Jaguar
43:54team, actually went quicker than
43:56his Mark Webber, which I think
43:58is the first time this year.
43:59But of course, all those times
44:00today, you've got to take a bit
44:01of a pinch of salt because they're
44:02doing a lot of race setup and
44:04data acquisition.
44:05Well, that'll about do it for our
44:07first hour on the first day of
44:08coverage of the German Formula
44:10One Grand Prix weekend.
44:11Be sure to tune in tonight at
44:12midnight Eastern for Formula One
44:14Decade here on Speed Channel,
44:15highlighting the 1994 Italian
44:17Grand Prix from Monza.
44:18And don't forget to join us
44:20tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.
44:21Eastern for coverage of
44:22qualifying for the German
44:23Grand Prix.
44:24And of course, on Sunday morning,
44:25live coverage of the Grand Prix
44:27itself begins at 7.30 a.m.
44:28Eastern with the Acura
44:30Pre-Race Show.
44:31Until tomorrow morning's
44:32qualifying for David Hobbs and
44:34Steve Matchett, I'm Bob Barsha.
44:36We'll see you tomorrow morning.
44:37Until then,
44:38Auf Wiedersehen.
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