gravel in avoidance. Both cars sustained no major damage. The weather remained hot and dry for the Saturday practice sessions. Michael Schumacher was quickest in the third session, with a time of 1:39.937. Barrichello was second quickest, almost half a second slower than Michael Schumacher. The two Williams drivers were third and fourth; Ralf Schumacher ahead of Montoya. Coulthard secured the fifth fastest time, two-tenths of a second faster than teammate Häkkinen in sixth. Sauber's Nick Heidfeld, Jacques Villeneuve of British American Racing (BAR), Irvine and Sauber's Kimi Räikkönen rounded out the top ten. Benetton driver Jenson Button did not set a time. Häkkinen understeered wide into the gravel and grass at Agip turn during his first quick lap and he was delayed in the pit lane while gravel was removed from his car. In the final practice session, Ralf Schumacher lapped fastest at 1:39.188 that he recorded 22 minutes into the session, almost three-tenths of a second quicker than teammate Montoya in second. Montoya attempted to better his teammate's lap but slowed and set his best lap on his next attempt. Michael Schumacher was unable to better his lap time from the preceding session and he fell to third. Häkkinen was fourth-fastest; Heidfeld fifth; Barrichello sixth; Irvine seventh and Panis eighth. Coulthard, who beached his McLaren in the Agip corner gravel trap and spent most of the session in the pit lane after pushing his car back to that area, was ninth and Trulli tenth. Qualifying Saturday's afternoon one hour qualifying session saw each driver limited to twelve laps, with the starting order decided by the drivers' fastest laps. During this session, the 107% rule was in effect, which necessitated each driver set a time within 107 per cent of the quickest lap to qualify for the race. The session was held in dry and hot weather conditions; conditions were expected to be warmer for qualifying. Montoya clinched his first pole position of his Formula One career, with a time of 1:38.117. Although he was pleased with his starting position, he was surprised at his team's performance in qualifying; Montoya lost two-tenths of a second in the second sector and found time in the stadium section. He was joined on the grid's front row by teammate Ralf Schumacher whose lap was 0.019 seconds slower than Montoya who displaced Schumacher from pole just after halfway through qualifying. It marked the