which rested upon a tyre wall. Villeneuve was unhurt but he was forced to miss the remainder of the session. This came after Villeneuve drove behind Montoya and overtook him before stopping in front of him heading into the L'Epingle hairpin. Montoya spoke of his feeling that Villeneuve had "brake-tested" him but Villeneuve blamed Montoya. In the second practice session, Häkkinen set the fastest lap of the day with the only time under the one minute and 18 seconds range at one minute and 17.692 seconds, followed by his teammate Coulthard, Eddie Irvine, Barrichello, Montoya, Ralf Schumacher, Heidfeld, Trulli, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Panis. At the drivers' briefing later on Friday, Montoya reportedly threatened to place Villeneuve in the wall and Villeneuve responded by saying he would put Montoya in a tree. Montoya then told Villeneuve that he "killed" marshal Graham Beveridge in a crash at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix three months earlier. His remark prompted Villeneuve to grab Montoya by the collar on his racing overalls in an attempt to choke him, causing Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) race director Charlie Whiting to intervene to stop the altercation. Both drivers were later summoned into a meeting where Whiting warned them that they would face a ban of two races in the event of future altercations. After a heavy accident with the tyre barrier at turn three in the second practice session that measured at 19 g, Frentzen complained of double vision and headaches and he withdrew from the race to travel to a clinic in Nice for tests to his vision and balance. His car was taken over by Jordan test and reserve driver Ricardo Zonta for the remainder of the weekend after the stewards granted Jordan's request under the Formula One Sporting Code. Weather conditions remained dry and clear for the Saturday practice sessions. Häkkinen paced the third practice session with a time of one minute and 16.628 seconds. His teammate Coulthard was 0.047 seconds slower in second and Michael Schumacher was third. Barrichello in the second Ferrari car was fourth, Ralf Schumacher placed fifth and Irvine sixth. Heidfeld, Pedro de la Rosa, Räikkönen and Panis filled positions seven through ten. In the final practice session, Michael Schumacher was fastest with a one-minute and 16.200 seconds lap. Coulthard in the faster of the two McLarens came second and his teammate Häkkinen was third. Fourth place went to Barrichello