Bad weather at Spa-Francorchamps decimated practice for the Belgian Grand Prix today. Preparations for the qualifying session were hit early on when persistent rain and low cloud meant Formula One's medical helicopter was unable to take to the skies above Spa, forcing the first practice session to be cancelled.
The 45-minute session was delayed by 15 minutes twice before the decision was taken to abandon any hope of getting the helicopter up in the air. Formula One cars do not run without sufficient medical back-up.
The second practice was repeatedly delayed due to the constant rain but was finally given the green light to begin, with the session cut from 45 to 15 minutes.
Michael Schumacher was the first driver out in horrendous conditions and he tip-toed around a sodden track on wet tyres as spray made driving nearly impossible.
Olivier Panis was the first driver to be caught out by the slippery track when he slid his Toyota into a gravel trap a third of the way through the session.
Even six-time world champion Schumacher, who can win his seventh crown this weekend, suffered, sliding his Ferrari wide after 10 minutes.
Williams' Antonio Pizzonia was the next driver in trouble, losing the front right wheel of his car after slithering into a barrier.
The curtailed session was ended even earlier than planned after Gianmaria Bruni lost control at high speed exiting Eau Rouge, causing considerable damage to his Minardi, which came to rest in the track.
Times were largely irrelevant as the rain added around 13 seconds to each lap.
Rubens Barrichello pipped Ferrari team-mate Schumacher to top spot with a lap of one minute 57.085seconds.
McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen claimed third, team-mate David Coulthard was fifth and Jenson Button took seventh for BAR.
Filed by Mark O'Neill-Cummins
