Damon Hill topped today's time but some criticism has risen on this new track on the Formula One calendar.

Michael Schumacher stated: "The track is better than I expected, especially the middle section and the last two corners, which are quite interesting. The two corners after the pit straight, however, are too slow and in general I found the track very slippery."

Jacques Villeneuve said: "It's a safe track. There is a fair bit of straight line which is something you don't get on many tracks today."

Hill: "I think there are some good corners on the circuit. I enjoy driving it, but the first two corners could be improved."

Berger: "I think there are some good corners on the circuit. I enjoy driving it, but the first two corners could be improved."

The Times

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.

Hill (Arrows-Yamaha) B Barrichello (Stewart-Ford) B Magnussen (Stewart-Ford) B Alesi (Benetton-Renault) G Trulli (Prost-Mugen) B Hakkinen (McLaren-Mercedes) G Coulthard (McLaren-Mercedes) G Frentzen (Williams-Renault) G Herbert (Sauber-Petronas) G Fisichella (Jordan-Peugeot) G Berger (Benetton-Renault) G Villeneuve (Williams-Renault) G Irvine (Ferrari) G Diniz (Arrows-Yamaha) B M. Schumacher (Ferrari) G R. Schumacher (Jordan-Peugeot) G Nakano (Prost-Mugen) B Verstappen (Tyrrell-Ford) G Katayama (Minardi-Hart) B Morbidelli (Sauber-Petronas) G Salo (Tyrrell-Ford) G Marques (Minardi-Hart) B 107% rule B: Bridgestone G: Goodyear

1m 12.553s 1m 12.589s 1m 12.823s 1m 12.956s 1m 13.025s 1m 13.034s 1m 13.095s 1m 13.108s 1m 13.251s 1m 13.261s 1m 13.368s 1m 13.524s 1m 13.632s 1m 13.762s 1m 13.827s 1m 14.060s 1m 14.176s 1m 14.266s 1m 14.590s 1m 14.591s 1m 14.887s 1m 16.502s 1m 17.632s