[b][color=red]Panasonic Toyota keen to turn on the pace in Magny – Cours [/color][/b]

Toyota boss Ove Andersson has set the team a huge but capable task ahead of this weekends French Grand Prix. He told press this afternoon that the was gunning for two-car points finish after failing to get any kind of result from the European Grand Prix last weekend.

He said, “I don’t want to reflect on the race result of the European Grand Prix. A double retirement was not what we deserved after a completive practice and strong qualifying”.

“In terms of the team work and overall performance I hope the last race was a turning point for us. I fully expect us to be as strong in France this weekend. The car usually performs well around fast tracks like Magny – Cours, and everyone is hungry for that elusive two-car points finish. We just need to translate the practice and qualifying speed into tangible race result.”

Olivier Panis will be flying the French flag at is home Grand Prix, a venue that he does not have the best of records at. He said, “Although I have not done too well here in the past, I am very confident for this years race because I believe the high-speed circuit should suit the car.”

The German based Japanese marque looks like they may have made a major leap forward after setting several fastest times throughout last weekends race, Panis managed to post the fastest lap in Fridays Free Practice and both cars also qualified within the top 10 for Sunday race.

Nick

[color=red][b]Friday's 1st Qualifying[/b] [/color]

[b]F I A Round 10: Magny - Cours [/b]

[b]Minardi show the big boys how its done.[/b]
1 Jos Verstappen Minardi 1m20.817s
2 Justin Wilson Minardi 1m20.968s
3 Ralph Firman Jordan 1m23.496s
4 Nick Heidfeld Sauber 1m24.042s
5 Olivier Panis Toyota 1m24.175s
6 Antonio Pizzonia Jaguar 1m24.642s
7 Jacques Villeneuve BAR 1m24.651s
8 Mark Webber Jaguar 1m25.178s
9 Heinz-Harald Frentzen Sauber 1m26.151s
10 Cristiano da Matta Toyota 1m26.975s
11 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 1m27.095s
12 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1m27.929s
13 Giancarlo Fisichella Jordan 1m28.502s
14 David Coulthard McLaren 1m28.937s
15 Juan Pablo Montoya Williams 1m28.988s
16 Jarno Trulli Renault 1m29.024s
17 Kimi Raikkonen McLaren 1m29.120s
18 Ralf Schumacher Williams 1m29.327s
19 Fernando Alonso Renault 1m29.455s
20 Jenson Button BAR 1m30.731s

Yup but Wilsons Minardi (no 2.) was then found to be 2kg underweight......

It's an awkward one to tell and not very acurate as the ealry sessions were wet and the later ones were dry....

the Minardis had the benefit of going out in the dry on dry tyres, expect them to be further down the grid tomorrow.

As much as I hate to say it Michael Schumacher did a very good time considering he went out at the wettest time of the session.

Really don't know how button managed to be ten secods of the pace though!
Maybe he was put off by the B.A.Rs being inpounded earlier due to a legal dispute but that didn't seem to affect Villeneuve

BMW Williams steals the show

Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya stole to the show in Magny-Cours with the teams second in a row top two finish. The two Williams were virtually untroubled throughout the race only really have each other to worry about. Two wins in a row now for Ralf Schumacher takes him 3rd place in the world championship and only 11 points behind his older brother with a disappointed Kimi Raikkonen still sitting in 2nd place.

Kimi Raikkonen who was sitting in 3rd place for most of the race duration unfortunately only finished in 4th, as Michael Schumacher pass him in a pit stop while the young Finn was fighting through traffic. Raikkonen went on to say “I am not satisfied by finishing fourth because I was third for most of the race. But I lost so much time stuck in traffic behind cars, which seemed to be ignoring the blue flags, that Michael Schumacher was able to get past me. In addition, I had no brakes during the last few laps and you cannot drive fast without brakes”

Meanwhile Toyotas Oliver Panis gained his first ever finish in the French Grand Prix he came home in 8th place which also gave him and the team a well deserved world championship point. He said “This eighth place is a very positive result for the team. The car felt good and in my career I have never finished a race at Magny-Cours so I am relived that this record has finally changed. I pushed really hard to keep my position and I am happy to take a point in front of my home crowd.”

Da Matta also made it home but unfortunately for him he could only manage 11th place in the second of the two Toyotas.

Race Result after 70 Laps.
Position/Driver Team Engine Time Laps

1 Ralf Schumacher Williams BMW 1h30m49.213s 70
2 Juan Pablo Montoya Williams BMW 1h31m03.026s 70
3 Michael Schumacher Ferrari Ferrari 1h31m08.781s 70
4 Kimi Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes-Benz 1h31m27.260s 70
5 David Coulthard McLaren Mercedes-Benz 1h31m29.502s 70
6 Mark Webber Jaguar Jaguar Cosworth 1h31m55.593s 70
7 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari Ferrari - 69
8 Olivier Panis Toyota Toyota - 69
9 Jacques Villeneuve BAR Honda - 69
10 Antonio Pizzonia Jaguar Jaguar Cosworth - 69
11 Cristiano da Matta Toyota Toyota - 69
12 Heinz-Harald Frentzen Sauber Petronas Ferrari - 68
13 Nick Heidfeld Sauber Petronas Ferrari - 68
14 Justin Wilson Minardi Ford Cosworth - 67
15 Ralph Firman Jordan Ford Cosworth RS - 67
16 Jos Verstappen Minardi Ford Cosworth - 66
17 Jarno Trulli Renault Renault - 45
18 Fernando Alonso Renault Renault - 43
19 Giancarlo Fisichella Jordan Ford Cosworth RS - 42
20 Jenson Button BAR Honda - 21