Australian GP: Ferrari Friday qualifying notes

Ferrari Friday qualifying notes:

Jean Todt, team principal:

"We can certainly say this was not the usual Friday and not just because it was the first day of a new season. It was also the first time we have come up against the new rules which provide for one hour of free practice, after which each driver gets just one timed lap to establish the order for Saturday afternoon's qualifying. While today's times are all relative, we can nevertheless say that the F2002 and the Bridgestone tyres appear to be pretty competitive."

Rubens Barrichello:

"This was a very good day under the new rules and I am happy with the way things went. This morning we worked on tyre choice and even if we did not have much running time on a clean track, I was optimistic for the afternoon. Being quickest on the first day of the season is a morale booster, even if it does not mean much. Tomorrow we will have to see what is the right strategy, but I am reasonably confident of going well."

Michael Schumacher:

"I felt a bit like a road-sweeping machine for all the other cars, cleaning the track, as I picked up all the dirt. It is obviously a disadvantage to be first on the road. In the end, Rubens did a very good lap and I did not. But tomorrow's session is the important one. It is too early for me to give an opinion on the new timetable for the weekend. I would have to wait for the end of this weekend to comment. But I can say I found it a bit strange doing one lap and then having to wait so long to find out what position I had."

Ross Brawn, technical director:

"It is difficult to draw an accurate conclusion from the session as we were first on the track and especially for Michael, it was quite dusty, which affected his time. Rubens did a super job. We need to get used to the new procedure, but today is not so critical and we will see what happens tomorrow. With Michael starting seventeenth and Rubens last, we should be able to do a good job. Both drivers chose the same tyre, but Michael had some difficulty getting it to work as the first man out. The tyres worked well in the morning and I am confident we have a good race tyre."

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