Montoya sounds warning
ByTNT Sports
Published 12/09/2003 at 14:21 GMT+1
Juan Pablo Montoya has taken the first step towards claiming the lead in the drivers championship after beating both Rubens Barrichello and title rival Michael Schumacher to provisional pole on Friday. Meawhile, Ralf Schumacher's title hopes took a knock
Eurosport
Image credit: TNT Sports
The Williams driver is one point behind world champion and overall leader Schumacher with two races remaining after Sunday's high-stakes race. He lapped Formula One's fastest circuit in 1 minute 20.656 seconds.
"I wasn"t very comfortable with the balance of my car this morning but we made some changes which put it back on the right track and I think we should be pretty competitive now," Montoya said. "It"s obviously ideal to be ahead of Michael and Kimi, but what counts is tomorrow, not today, really."
That was 0.612 quicker than Schumacher, whose quest for a record sixth title is in danger of stalling at Ferrari's home circuit. The German has not led a grand prix since June, a five-race losing streak, and finished the afternoon third fastest.
Schumacher's Brazilian team mate Rubens Barrichello, winner last year in a Ferrari one-two that sent the red army of tifosi spilling on to the track in celebration, was 0.128 slower than Montoya in second place.
Brazilian rookie Cristiano Da Matta was by far the performance of the session when he powered his Toyota to the fourth best time, half a second down on Schumacher and considerably quicker than experienced team-mate Olivier Panis in 12th.
McLaren's Finn Kimi Raikkonen, two points behind Schumacher in the closest and most enthralling title battle in years, was joint fifth fastest with Jaguar's Mark Webber in a time of 1:21.966.
Williams are eight points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' championship but arrived at Monza with doubts about their performance after Michelin had to redesign their front tyres to avoid the risk of disqualification.
The evidence from Friday's session was that the Michelin teams had not been disadvantaged by the recent tyre controversy.
They filled seven of the top 10 slots, with Toyota's Brazilian Cristiano da Matta fourth and Renault's Italian Jarno Trulli and Spaniard Fernando Alonso, winner of the last race in Hungary, seventh and eighth.
They could have been more successful had Germany's Ralf Schumacher, back in action for Williams after a big crash at Monza last week, not had his time disallowed for running off and missing the chicane.
"I simply braked too late and went straight on, which was my fault," said Ralf, still a title contender 14 points behind older brother Michael.
"I have tested the modified tyres for the first time and must say they are a step forward for us," he added.
McLaren's David Coulthard was a disappointing 14th and the Scot said he had suffered a downshift seizure at the chicane which wrecked his lap.
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