Length: 4.361 km
Number of Laps: 70 (305.270 Km)
Best Lap: J-P. Montoya - 1'15''960 (2002, BMW Williams)
Record Pole: J-P. Montoya - 1'12''836 (2002, BMW Williams)
2002 Pole: J-P. Montoya - 1'12''836 (Williams)
2002 Podium: M. Schumacher - D. Coulthard - R. Barrichello

According to the latest weather forecast we can expect rain this weekend, and lots of it. Judging by the dark clouds overhead we could even see some rain during the upcoming free practice session.

As the digital clock overhead the pitlane turned to 11:00 it was Monaco GP winner Juan Pablo Montoya that headed the queue eager to get out on track. Behind the Colombian was da Matta followed by Panis, Heidfeld, Raikkonen, Michael, Ralf, Button, Coulthard, Barrichello, Webber and Frentzen.

The Colombian continued around the track, but whereas most of his rival returned to their garages he went on to post the first time of the session, 1:17.653.

Both the Schumachers continued as did Raikkonen and Barrichello however it was Toyota's Olivier Panis that was first to beat the WilliamsF1 star's time, posting a 1:17.464.

Seconds later Montoya was back on top as Schumacher closed to within 0.012s.

Due to the fact that it sees little action the Montreal track is always dirty when the F1 'circus' comes to town, and even though the 'track sweepers' - better known as Renaults, Jordans, Minardis and Jaguars - have been out, the track is still very dusty.

1:16.621 and Antonio Pizzonia goes quickest, the first driver to dip into the 1:16s. Montoya is still second quickest ahead of Schumacher, Webber, Panis, Ralf, Firman, Raikkonen, Coulthard and da Matta.

With almost fifteen minutes of the one hour session gone we've yet to see Button, Fisichella, Verstappen or either of the Renault stars.. who must be having problems wearing their SARS masks under their helmets.

Fifteen minutes in the session and it's Pizzonia fastest then Montoya, Schumacher, Webber, Panis, Ralf, Firman, Raikkonen, Coulthard and da Matta.

Amazingly Wilson is eleventh ahead of the BARs, Saubers and even Barrichello.

1:17.973 and Ralf Firman goes seventh, someone's forgotten to tell the Anglo-Irish driver that he's driving a Minardi.

If the Alternative Championship boys thought that the Monaco GP was boring, let's hope they're not watching this, it's like watching paint dry!

As Barrichello attempts to improve his time Montoya has a big moment, and at this point the rain begins to fall.

The drivers continue but as you'd expect there are no improvements.

At the half-hour mark Frentzen and Schumacher are the only drivers on track but they're both lapping in 1:30s as the conditions deteriorate.

Thirty-five minutes into the session and Jenson Button posts his first timed lap of the day 1:33.128, that's 16.5s off Pizzonia's benchmark which should give you some idea. Next time around Button improves to 1:32.367.

Various drivers are having little incidents including Frentzen who has a 'moment' at the chicane. Those drivers that are out there, tread very cautiously.

With fifteen minutes remaining both Renault drivers venture out. With the French outfit getting so little chance to run in 'proper' wet conditions, you'd have thought that they would have come out earlier.

1:41.266, Trulli posts his first time of the session as Alonso goes much quicker with a 1:34.241. The only driver yet to post a time is Giancarlo Fisichella.

With nine minutes remaining Fisichella finally posts a time and at 1:28.767 it's quicker than Button and the two Renaults.

One could say that this session has been a wash-out (sorry), but since rain is predicted for much of the weekend maybe some of these performances are worth paying attention to, let's not forget it was Fisichella that won in atrocious conditions in Brazil.

In the dying moments of the session, realising that the rain could be set in for the weekend, everyone except Firman is on track, and though it's like Piccadilly Circus out there we can still who's making mistakes and who isn't. That said although drivers are having all sorts of moments nobody has actually dropped off the edge of the track.

In the end, because the session was divided into a straightforward dry/wet session its hard to drawn any serious conclusions. However if the conditions continue we could be in for a surprising grid and a great race.