Arrows driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen made a surprise appearance at the top of this morning's time sheet after the 30 minute warm-up session, having qualified 13th yesterday. However, this should be taken with a pinch of salt as Arrows have a habit of opting for unusual race strategies. If the German was the surprise at the front, then equally unusual was the fact that pole man Juan Pablo Montoya is down in 20th spot in the Williams.

In terms of this afternoon's race, a one stop strategy is just about the only acceptable option, the only decision centring on whether to stop early or late. The former choice means running a lighter car which theoretically gives the driver a better opportunity to move up the order in the early stages. But with overtaking so tough on this street circuit, there is no guarantee it will work and there is the risk of getting stuck in traffic after refuelling.

With accidents a common occurrence here, the possible appearance of the Safety Car adds another unknown factor to the choice of strategy. While there are a few more clouds than yesterday hanging over the picturesque Monaco harbour, the race is expected to run in dry conditions from start to finish.

Gary Anderson, Director of Race and Test Engineering
"Everything seems reasonable this morning.  The tyres are a big factor because they grain and cause quite a lot of understeer.  From now it's about driving and surviving, and staying out of trouble."

Giancarlo Fisichella recorded the 9th fastest time while Takuma Sato was in 19th place.