Wednesday May 2nd, 2001

The British weather once more hampered a testing session at the Silverstone circuit, where the teams working there saw their running on the dry cut short due to heavy showers. Frenchman Olivier Panis set the fastest time of the session during the morning, when the track was still dry.

The British American Racing driver outpaced Arrows' Jos Verstappen by more than a second, as the Dutchman continued working on the development of the Asiatech-powered A22.

The Sauber team saw his session shortened today due to an accident involving Kimi Raikkonen, who damaged the right hand side of the car after running off the track while he was trying to avoid a slowing Ricardo Zonta. The Finn, however, walked away unhurt and set the third fastest time of the day.

"Ricardo Zonta came after the incident to apologise and he explained that he was not sure on which side of the track I would be and he hesitated as he saw me come in his rear mirrors," explained Raikkonen. "It's clearly a misunderstanding between us. Main thing is that I am not hurt. These things happen sometimes."

Jordan's test driver Zonta was fourth fastest ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli on the second EJ11. Frenchman Patrick Lemarie, driving the second BAR, and Brazilian Enrique Bernoldi at the wheel of the Arrows set the slowest times today.

Today's times:

Pos  Driver        Team-Engine         Tyres  Time   
 1.  Panis         BAR-Honda           (B)    1:23.589
 2.  Verstappen    Arrows-Asiatech     (B)    1:24.640
 3.  Raikkonen     Sauber-Petronas     (B)    1:24.766
 4.  Zonta         Jordan-Honda        (B)    1:25.350
 5.  Trulli        Jordan-Honda        (B)    1:25.516
 6.  Lemarie       BAR-Honda           (B)    1:26.420
 7.  Bernoldi      Arrows-Asiatech     (B)    1:27.190

 All Timing Unofficial