Thursday June 1st, 2000

By Timothy Collings

Michael Schumacher was unruffled on Thursday after world champion Mika Hakkinen topped the times in opening practice for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix with a late fast lap.

Schumacher, in his Ferrari, had been quickest through most of a session run in dry, warm and sunny conditions on the tight Mediterranean street circuit when Hakkinen, in his McLaren, outpaced him with only a few minutes remaining.

"No, I was not worried by it," Ferrari's championship leader said afterwards.

"Today is just a practice session and I am satisfied. The car seems to be working quite well here, but the track feels a lot more slippery than last year. That is even though some parts of the track have been resurfaced," added the German.

"We have put together a very special aerodynamic package for this race and this has given us more downforce and there are some other special features for this circuit.

"Tomorrow, I expect I will go to Fiorano (Ferrari's home track) to shake down our fourth car for the weekend."

Hakkinen, who had looked competitive throughout the day before bursting through with his best time, said he was also satisfied with his performance and his car's handling ahead of Saturday's qualifying session.

Because of the difficulty in overtaking on the twisty street circuit, qualifying is more influential and decisive than any other race on the calendar.

"We had a trouble-free day where we made various adjustments to the car to ensure that we have a good set-up for Saturday and Sunday," said Hakkinen, world champion in 1998 and 1999.

Incidents At La Rascasse

"The various incidents at La Rascasse in both sessions didn't effect our progress badly, but I have to say that it is curious that there have been so many this year.

"I know it is a difficult corner, but we have had more accidents this year than we have had previously."

At the end of the day, Hakkinen was quickest with a lap time of one minute and 21.387 seconds, a time that left him just one-tenth of a second ahead of Schumacher.

Hakkinen's McLaren team-mate Briton David Coulthard was third-fastest, a further six-tenths adrift, ahead of fellow-Briton Eddie Irvine in a Jaguar.

The two drivers who suffered the most indignity at the sharp Rascasse hairpin were Argentine Gaston Mazzacane, in his Minardi, in the morning hour and German Nick Heidfeld, in his Prost, in the afternoon.

Both, like Briton Jenson Button, 20, were experiencing the circuit for the first time in a Formula One car.

Button, in a Williams, took to the challenge of the principality very easily and earned admiring comments from many seasoned experts as he wound up in 13th place, just 2.19 seconds away from Hakkinen.

"The car felt pretty good, but I had too much oversteer from the apex to the exit of the corners," he said.

"But I really enjoyed it. It is not as fast as Macau, but a lot bumpier than I expected.

"And the traffic at the end of the session was a nightmare, otherwise I am sure I would have been much faster."