BULLETIN No 1

FRIDAY 12/04/02 - FREE PRACTICE

WEATHER CONDITIONS: COOL AND WET, TRACK GRADUALLY DRYING (TRACK 9�C/AIR 11�C)

2001 POLE POSITION: David COULTHARD (McLAREN) 1min 23.054sec.

2001 RACE FASTEST LAP: Ralf SCHUMACHER (WILLIAMS), 1min 25.524sec.

Despite a spin at Variante Alta on a drying track surface about thirty minutes before the end of the second hour, Michael Schumacher headed a Ferrari 1-2 less than a second ahead of Rubens Barrichello during the first session here at Imola. Conditions remained treacherous for much of the day even though the track surface slowly dried.

SCUDERIA FERRARI MARLBORO (1^ST M. Schumacher/2^nd Barrichello)

Technical: No changes to the basic specification of the cars, but configured in Imola aerodynamic trim. Barrichello using an F2002 for the first time this season.

Sporting: Generally everything went well with the team working through wet and intermediate Bridgestone rubber, although Michael spun at the Variante Alta mid-way through the second hour after getting slightly off-line as he passed an Arrows. Barrichello had no significant problems.

Quotes: Schumacher: "It went well and I'm quite happy, although I'm naturally curious to see how the car behaves round here in the dry."

DHL JORDAN HONDA (3^rd Fisichella/11^th Sato)

Technical: No significant technical changes plus slight upgrade on the Honda V10 engine offering slightly higher revs.

Sporting: Fisichella generally pretty satisfied and felt he might have been even quicker after putting on intermediate rubber just before the end of the session only to be held up by backmarkers. Sato spun several times when the conditions were at their wettest.

Quotes: Sato: "As it started to dry out it was difficult to keep the car stable under braking."

WEST McLAREN MERCEDES (4^th Coulthard/5^th Raikkonen)

Technical: No major changes to the cars for this race apart from Imola aerodynamic specification.

Sporting: Fairly routine session although both drivers were struggling for grip on wet and intermediate Michelin rubber. Raikkonen had slight moment over the kerb and covered the car with mud, although it sustained no damage.

Quotes: Coulthard: "We are trying everything we can do to develop the tyres for both wet and dry conditions. We have some promising developments coming in the pipeline."

ORANGE ARROWS (6^th Frentzen/18^th Bernoldi)

Technical: No changes to the car for this race.

Sporting: Rather frustrated by restrictions on seven sets of tyres for the weekend which made conserving rain tyres a priority. Frentzen happy with balance, but Bernoldi less so in the afternoon.

Quotes: Mike Coughlan: "Obviously we're pleased that Heinz-Harald was quick today. The afternoon session was strange as almost nobody went quicker and the circuit was drier than it was this morning."

MILD SEVEN RENAULT F1 TEAM (7^th Trulli/14^th Button)

Technical: No major changes to the cars for this race apart from aerodynamic set-up. New front wing endplates were fitted, but not the revised front suspension recently tried at Barcelona.

Sporting: Trulli reported he was very happy with the car, having a good balance in the morning but in the afternoon spun and hit the wall on the chicane before the pits, breaking the right front suspension and damaged the front wing.

Quotes: Button: "We still have a lot more work to do on my chassis set-up."

SAUBER PETRONAS (8^th Massa/12^th Heidfeld)

Technical: No changes to the car specification for this race.

Sporting: Heidfeld struggled with his set-up and concentrated on saving tyres in case it is wet tomorrow and for the race. Massa very satisfied with the feel of his C21.

Quotes: Heidfeld: "When we switched to intermediates the track was visually better but the times didn't improve as it was still a little too wet in places."

BMW WILLIANSF1 TEAM (9^th Montoya/10^th R. Schumacher)

Technical: No major changes to the cars for this race.

Sporting: Both drivers spun several times and reported the cars very difficult to drive. Montoya working hard on developing set-up while Schumacher complaining of excessive understeer on fast corners.

Quotes: Ralf Schumacher: "As the conditions dried out it made the track surface progressively more difficult to read."

JAGUAR RACING (13^th Irvine/16^th de la Rosa)

Technical: No changes to the R3s for this race.

Sporting: The team completed a programme of set-up and tyre evaluation first in the wet conditions of the first hour and then in the drier conditions of the second. Conserving wet weather rubber tended to be the priority.

Quotes: Irvine: "We are in a difficult position because of the tyre regulations which prevent us from using more than seven wet sets over the course of the whole weekend."

LUCKY STRIKE BAR HONDA (15^th Villeneuve/17^th Panis)

Technical: No major changes to the car for this race apart from latest upgraded Honda engines.

Sporting: Both drivers reported their cars were extremely difficult to drive in the wet conditions and oversteering badly.

Quotes: Villeneuve: "Our biggest problem has been lack of temperature in the front tyres throughout the session."

KL MINARDI ASIATECH (19^th Webber/21^st Yoong)

Technical: No changes to the car specification for this race.

Sporting: Webber suffered a broken engine while Yoong concentrated on learning the circuit.

Quotes: Webber: "The conditions were very tricky indeed to start with and a real challenge to balance the car."

PANASONIC TOYOTA RACING (20^th Salo/22^nd McNish)

Technical: Aerodynamic update with new front and rear wings plus minor engine evolution for improved driveability.

Sporting: Salo had nothing special to report while McNish slid into a gravel trap but survived unscathed.

Quotes: Salo: "The balance is not good for the moment, particularly in the wet."