The final preparations for this afternoons qualifying session were made very difficult by increasing track temperatures during morning practice. Jordan Grand Prix drivers Jarno Trulli and Heinz-Harald Frentzen were separated by just three hundredths of a second in fifth and sixth places respectively, both drivers reporting that the handling of the cars became more difficult to optimise as the temperatures increased.
‘Because it became very hot, we lost a bit of performance,’ said Trulli. ‘The car isnt bad. We were quick straight away when it was cooler earlier on but it was difficult to get it completely right. Its the same for everyone, of course, so qualifying is going to be very tough.’
Both drivers were keen to save their tyres for qualifying and the race. Had they run new rubber earlier in the day then their times would have been quicker, as David Coulthard demonstrated when he set the fastest time of the morning on new tyres shortly after practice started at 9.00am.
‘We did our usual work in preparation for qualifying,’ said Frentzen. ‘I think the car is as good as we can get it because of the changing conditions. Qualifying is going to be very, very close.’

Jordan Grand Prix