Length: 5.303 km
Number of Laps: 58 (307.574 Km)
Best Lap: M. Schumacher - 1'28''214 (2001, Ferrari)
Record Pole: R. Barrichello - 1'25''843 (2002, Ferrari)
2002 Pole: R. Barrichello - 1'25''843 (Ferrari)
2002 Podium: M. Schumacher - J. Montoya - K. Raikkonen

Despite a few drops of rain after the second free practice session that track was dry for the fifteen minute warm-up session the preceded qualifying. Rubens Barrichello was quickest ahead of Michael Schumacher, Alonso, Trulli, Coulthard, Villeneuve, Ralf, Raikkonen, Button and Panis. Cristiano da Matta didn't set a time, while Pizzonia was slowest, 4.676s off the pace.

Minardi's Justin Wilson will be first out today, followed by Pizzonia, Verstappen, Firman, Ralf, Webber, Fisichella, Frentzen, Heidfeld and da Matta. Last three out of course will be Villeneuve, Raikkonen and Barrichello.

As the qualifying hour drew ever closer, the sun comes out, it appears that our fears of rain were unfounded.

Wilson comes out and starts his warm-up lap, the battle has begun and in many ways the 2003 season starts right here.

0:31.363 at the first split, the Minardi looking OK. 0:55.726 at the second split but surprisingly he pulls off into the pits and aborts the lap.

Pizzonia is on track the Brazilian having a poor weekend thus far. The Brazilian goes wide and nearly loses it, 0:30.790 at the first split, 0:54.907 at the second. To the relief of the race stewards he completes the lap - 1:31.723.

Jos the Boss is next up, the Dutchman posting a 0:31.284 at the first split and 0:55.940 at the second. Like Wilson, the Minardi star pulls off into the pitlane.

Ralph Firman is next up, 0:30.392 at the first split, 0:54.232 at the second. 1:31.242 over the line and the Anglo-Irishman has provisional pole.

It's Ralf on track now, the German completes the first sector in 0:29.783 and the second in 0:53.099. 1:28.830 and the WilliamsF1 star takes provisional pole.

At this point the order is: Ralf, Firman and Pizzonia, with Wilson and Verstappen starting from the pitlane.

Local hero Mark Webber is next out, the Jaguar star getting a huge cheer from the partisan crowd. 0:30.307 at the first split, the car under-steering massively. 0:53.845 at the second split. Over the line at 1:29.367 to go second, a superb third sector.

Giancarlo Fisichella is next out. 0:29.996 at the first split, 0:53.718 at the second. The Italian is pushing hard but the EJ13 is a handful, 1:29.344 to go second.

Sauber's Heinz-Harald Frentzen is on track, the German posting 0:29.511 at the first split up on Ralf Schumacher. 0:52.755 at the second split, still up on the WilliamsF1 driver. Over the line at 1:28.274 to take provisional pole.

The other Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld is on track, 0:29.342 at the first split and 0:52.790 at the second. 1:28.464 over the line to make it an all-Sauber front row, for now.

Cristiano da Matta is next out the Toyota star posting 0:29.640 at the first split and 0:53.449 at the second. 1:29.538, the Brazilian goes sixth.

Half-time and the order is: Frentzen, Heidfeld, Ralf, Fisichella, Webber, da Matta, Firman and Pizzonia.

Next out is Juan Pablo Montoya in the second WilliamsF1. 0:29.278 at the first split and up on Frentzen. 0:52.601 at the second split and still up on the Sauber driver. Over the line at 1:27.101 the Colombian takes pole.

Jarno Trulli is next out, the Renault has looked good all weekend. 0:29.702 at the first split 0.4s off the pace already. 0:53.282 at the second. The Italian crosses the line at 1:29.136 to go fifth. Clearly he's running heavy.

Olivier Panis is on track in the second Toyota. 0:29.468 at the first split and 0:52.781 at the second, 0.181 down on Montoya. Over the line at 1:28.288 the Frenchman goes third.

Next up is Fernando Alonso in the Renault. The Spaniard finishes the first sector in 0:29.308 slightly down on Montoya. 0:52.705 the Spaniard slides wide an expensive mistake. Over the line at 1:28.928 to go sixth, he could have done better.

Next out is Coulthard in the McLaren, the Scot unhappy with the car. 0:29.867 down on Montoya by half-a-second. 0:53.387 at the second the McLaren clearly running with a heavy load. Over the line at 1:29.105 the Scot goes seventh.

Five runners still to go and the order is: Montoya, Frentzen, Panis, Heidfeld, Ralf, Alonso, Coulthard, Trulli, Fisichella and Webber.

Jenson Button takes to the track in the BAR-Honda, the Englishman looking good all weekend thus far. 0:29.590 at the first split, down by about 0.3s. 0:53.102 at the second now half-a-second down. Over the line at 1:28.682, the youngster goes fifth.

Now it's the turn of the reigning World Champion. 0:29.152 at the first split, quickest so far. 0:52.320 at the second, up on Montoya by 0.2s. Over the line at 1:27.173 it business as usual as the German takes provisional pole.

1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve is out next the Canadian completes the first sector in 0:29.490, pushing hard. 0:52.892 at the second, another heavy runner? JV crosses the line at 1:28.420 to go fifth.

Kimi Raikkonen is next out the Finn has had little running today following his major accident this morning. 0:29.465 off the pace by 0.3s. 0:52.689 at the second split the Finn almost losing it at the next corner, he's pushing hard. 1:29.470 - fourteenth! Nice try but he pushed too hard.

Now it's Rubens, will it be an all-red front row? 0:29.215 at the first split the Brazilian is pushing hard. 1:27.418 over the line and Max Mosley's worst fears are realised, Ferrari is back on top.

It appears that Kimi has a puncture following that detour - or was it the cause of the off?

It is a bit of a pot-pourri however the fact remains that Ferrari are at the front and on this showing could well rake the race.

Not a bad session for the Saubers or the BARs, while WilliamsF1 can't be too disappointed. A bad session for the McLarens, the Jaguars and the Jordans.

The big talking point however is how the officials will view the strategy of the Minardi team and its deliberate decision to abort its laps. Team boss Paul Stoddart insists that his team has not abused the rules however it remains to be seen how race stewards view the matter.