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Formula One: Bar Honda speeds through the Canadian sunshine

16 June 2000

Lucky Strike Reynard BAR Honda's preparations for Sunday's Canadian Grand
Prix got underway this afternoon under the heat of the Montreal sun that
took temperatures up towards 30 degrees. As a semi-permanent motorsport
venue, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is used just one weekend a year, so
the first day's running invariably features a layer of rubber being laid
down by the cars. The times therefore get progressively faster as the
surface becomes more grippy. 

Jacques Villeneuve made good progress around the challenging course in
today's two free practice sessions, focusing mainly on the set-up of the
car for the coming weekend. Both he and team mate Ricardo Zonta recovered
from minor spins on the slippery tarmac, but Ricardo also lost valuable
track time with a gearbox oil leak in the afternoon and was able to
complete just 19 laps.

Jacques Villeneuve	Position: 10th	1min 21.846sec
"The car seems pretty quick right out of the box, which is encouraging. I
have no idea where we might qualify tomorrow, but at least we'll be
competitive and fighting for better positions than we were in Monaco. This
is one of the best tracks of the year, although it hasn't really been good
to me over the years. It's a quick circuit, with low downforce
requirements, so we should be in pretty good shape for the weekend."

Ricardo Zonta	Position: 20th	1min 22.668sec
"It is a shame I did not do many laps as the car really feels good here.
In the first session the track was really slippery and I just lost the
back of the car. It was important to have been on the track this afternoon
when everyone went faster, but we will try to make up for it tomorrow."

Takefumi Hosaka - Managing Director, Honda R&D	
"Today we have been concentrating on the set-up of the car. The speed
seems to be very good as we are fastest across the finish line. We have
had no problems with the engine today."

Jordan Mugen Honda's first day in Canada was also used to prepare the cars
for the coming weekend. Jarno Trulli continued to show the form that
earned him a front-row grid position in Monaco, finishing sixth fastest
today, with team mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen 15th.