The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Schumacher leads practice

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 24, 2004

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Sport - Racing : Motor

Schumacher leads practice

HOCKENHEIM, JULY 23. Michael Schumacher took a step towards equalling his own record of 11 victories in a season on Friday by posting the fastest time in practice for the German Grand Prix. Schumacher clocked one minute, 15.001 seconds on the 4.574-kilometre (2.843-mile) Hockenheimring in the afternoon session after finishing second in the morning runs.

His Ferrari team can clinch the constructors' title with a little help from others.

It is currently 95 points ahead of second-place Renault. If it leads by 108 after Hockenheim it will gain its sixth consecutive team title and 14th overall.

Schumacher is trying for his 11th victory in 12 races this season. In 2002, he set the F1 record of 11 wins in 17 races.

However, the Ferrari driver has won only twice here in 11 starts, his worst record at any track. The last time he had to drop out of any race because of a mechanical failure was here in 2001 and was seventh last year.

Kimi Raikkonen, driving a new McLaren, kept up the string of good performances with the second-fastest time in the afternoon session that followed third place in the morning. His best time was 1:15.045 in the second practice.

The Fin finished second behind Schumacher at the British GP two weeks ago and has scored in the last four races after getting just one point in the first seven.

In Friday's first practice for Sunday's race, Anthony Davidson, the test driver for BAR-Honda, had the top time with 1:15.756 with Schumacher second fastest at 1:15.864. Raikkonen was third, 1:16.318.

Juan Pablo Montoya took third in the afternoon session with 1:15.167. It was the exact same time he had in clinching pole position in 2003 and he went on to win the race. Montoya is switching to McLaren from Williams after the season. — AP

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