Jean Alesi is competing in his 201st and last grand prix and clearly wants to leave the sport on a high note… The French-Sicilian surprised many by topping practice sessions at Suzuka on Friday.
He may be competing in his 201st and last grand prix, but Jean Alesi clearly wants to leave the sport on a high note… The French Sicilian surprised many by topping Friday’s sessions at Suzuka.
Alesi put on a spectacular display in his Bridgestone-tyred Jordan Honda to lap the figure-of-eight circuit in 1:35,454, a time four-tenths faster than last year’s pole time. In fairytale style, he was half a second clear of Juan Pablo Montoya’s Michelin-shod Williams-BMW. Team boss Eddie Jordan said after practice that he believed Alesi “could go quicker”, but a spin late in the second session proved the veteran was on the ragged edge throughout.
“I enjoyed it today because I am retiring,” Alesi said. “For that reason it is very important to use all these sessions to enjoy my racing life. I really love motor racing. I need it and I have to stop – but I want to stop in the best way I can.”
The veteran denied that the time-topping performance was not representative of what the Honda-powered Jordan – racing on Honda’s home circuit – is capable of.
“The car is very competitive,” he said, “But I am not sure what we are capable of this weekend. At the moment everyone needs to be patient, just like me. This will be the fastest weekend of my life.”
Apart from Alesi, the only other Bridgestone runner in the top six was Mika Hakkinen, who was fourth quickest for McLaren Mercedes. Pedro de la Rosa was a surprise third quickest for Jaguar, backed up by team-mate and Suzuka expert Eddie Irvine in sixth. Heinz-Harald Frentzen also showed impressive pace for Prost, ending up fifth fastest.
For once, world champion Michael Schumacher – who set the pace in the opening session – was out of the limelight. The German was a lowly eighth, with Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello languishing in 10th. McLaren’s David Coulthard was seventh after a frustrating day. Not only did his brakes catch fire in the pits, but he also spun into gravel trap during the final session.
Coulthard needs to finish in the top four in Sunday’s season finale to ensure a career-highest runners-up place in the drivers’ championship, but at least he was three places ahead of Barrichello, who needs to win at Suzuka to stand any chance of snatching second spot on the points log.
Ralf Schumacher’s Williams-BMW was ninth fastest after a particularly uninspired session. The Benetton team is probably hoping for better reliability under the Renault name next year.
Both Giancarlo Fisichella and Jenson Button suffered blown engines during practice. Button in particular was forced to make a hasty exit from his car after a “spectacular display of pyrotechnics,” the BBC reported.
Collated times from both practice sessions:
1 Jean Alesi (Fra) Jordan-Honda 1min 35,454sec
2 Juan Pablo Montoya (Col) Williams-BMW 1:35,977
3 Pedro de la Rosa (Spa) Jaguar 1:36,225
4 Mika Hakkinen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes 1:36,430
5 Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Ger) Prost-Acer 1:36,439
6 Eddie Irvine (Gbr) Jaguar 1:36,589
7 David Coulthard (Gbr) McLaren-Mercedes 1:36,638
8 Michael Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari 1:36,727
9 Ralf Schumacher (Ger) Williams-BMW 1:36,874
10 Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Ferrari 1:36,944
11 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Jordan-Honda 1:37,564
12 Jenson Button (Gbr) Benetton-Renault 1:37,645
13 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) Sauber-Petronas 1:37,665
14 Jacques Villeneuve (Can) BAR-Honda 1:38,312
15 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Sauber-Petronas 1:38,315
16 Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Benetton-Renault 1:38,398
17 Fernando Alonso (Spa) European Minardi 1:38,961
18 Olivier Panis (Fra) BAR-Honda 1:39,108
19 Jos Verstappen (Ned) Arrows-Asiatech 1:39,511
20 Enrique Bernoldi (Bra) Arrows-Asiatech 1:39,744
21 Alex Yoong (Mas) European Minardi 1:39,952,br>
22 Tomas Enge (Cze) Prost-Acer 1:41,216
