McLaren's David Coulthard set the pace in Friday's first practice for the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix as local favourite Jacques Villeneuve escaped unhurt from a heavy crash. Villeneuve suddenly veered right and speared into the barriers on the fast approach to Pont de la Concorde.
The impact, at a point where cars typically reach speeds of 245 kph (150 mph), ripped off the front right wheel and nose of his British American Racing (BAR) car. Villeneuve, who had a far bigger crash in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in which a marshal was killed by a tyre that hit him, careered across a gravel trap before the car came to rest against a tyre wall. The Canadian clambered out of the car and walked away.
"It seems like something broke on the car or Jacques made a mistake, these things happen," said BAR boss Craig Pollock. Villeneuve said afterwards that he was fine but not sure what had happened and the team would have to investigate. "It's a shame because I'm not sure we're going to be in time to get out again," he said.
A second hour-long free practice session was due to follow one hour after the end of the morning one in which Coulthard's lap time was close to last year's pole position time and inside the official race lap record. Coulthard lapped in one minute 18.763 seconds, ahead of Ferrari's Brazilian Rubens Barrichello on 1:19.140.
Ferrari's world champion and championship leader Michael Schumacher, who is chasing a fifth win in Canada and also his fifth of the season, was third fastest in 1:19.166. Schumacher took pole in Montreal last year in a time of one minute 18.439 seconds. The official race lap record of 1:19.049 was set by McLaren's double world champion Mika Hakkinen last year. Hakkinen was fourth fastest in 1:19.569.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
