UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Prac 2.2: Three-car shunt

Accident abruptly ends practice

The final practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix came to an abrupt end when a three-car shunt caused the red flags to be waved.

Jacques Villeneuve, Ralf Schumacher and David Couulthard were the men involved in the incident that occurred just two minutes before Saturday’s second session was due to end.

Juan Pablo Montoya was leading the trio up towards Casino square when he appeared to suddenly pull up his McLaren causing the drivers behind to hit the breaks.

Villeneuve’s Sauber clipped the rear of Coulthard’s Red Bull racer causing the Scot to spin and collect Ralf Schumacher’s Toyota.

Only minor damage was done but with just two hours until the scheduled start of qualifying one the teams have some work to do.

Feeling more comfortable was the Renault outfit after Giancarlo Fisichella and Fernando Alonso recorded a one-two result.

Fisichella’s impressive result of 1:13.988 was enough to put him one tenth ahead of his Spanish team-mate as the session came to a close.

McLaren were again the team to fight for top position but this time it was the British squad who came of second best with Kimi Raikkonen (1:14.258) in P3.

Jarno Trulli returned to form after a relatively anonymous weekend to finish fourth fastest with a time of 1:14.322.

Mark Webber, who briefly headed the timesheets, was also on a competitive pace after recording a 1:14.18 in his Williams to finish in P5.

PRACTICE SHORTS

* Juan Pablo Montoya was in the action on Saturday morning. After setting the fastest time he spun in session two and was also the cause of the session-ending shunt.

* Narrow escape. Christijan Albers almost had the same fate as David Coulthard in session two.

The Dutchman’s Minardi appeared to lose power heading into La Rascasse when Red Bull Racing’s Tonio Liuzzi came tearing around the bend.

Albers dived for the pit lane and Liuzzi narrowly missed the touring PS05.

Written: Sat, 21 May 2005 09:14:08