Montoya, Alonso fastest in opening practices
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-19 22:02

Juan Pablo Montoya, who won the Monaco Grand Prix two years ago, and championship leader Fernando Alosno led the opening practices Thursday for this weekend's race.

The Colombian won the race in 2003 for Williams-BMW, but last year was involved in a crash with Michael Schumacher that ended the German's five-race winning streak.

Now driving a McLaren-Mercedes, Montoya lapped the 3.34-kilometer (2.076-mile) street circuit in 1 minute, 17.152 seconds in the morning practice.

Second quickest on a sunny morning was Alonso in a Renault in 1:17.301. In the afternoon session, as the sun and track warmed up, Alonso clocked 1:15.835 seconds.

Schumacher, hoping to use Monaco to turn around an atrocious season, had an uneven day in his Ferrari. In the morning, the defending world champion clocked 1:17.640 for fourth. Later, he was 11th in 1:17.170.

Schumacher has just 10 points in this season's championship to Alonso's 44, having finished seventh at the Malaysian GP and second in the San Marino GP.

At the Spanish Grand Prix two weeks ago, he was forced out of a race for the third time this season.

Between 1994 and 2001, the seven-time world champion Ferrari driver won the Monaco GP five times to move one short of Ayrton Senna's record of six victories.

He hasn't won since, his longest winless streak at any race on the Formula One circuit.

Jarno Trulli, last year's winner for Renault, was 13th in both practices in a Toyota. McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, who won last time out in Spain, had a 12th and sixth.

There are two more practice sessions Saturday. Friday is traditionally a day off.

The qualifying sessions Saturday and before the race Sunday will be crucial and Schumacher, as a result of dropping out of the last race, will go off early. Times from the two sessions will be combined to determine the starting positions.

BAR-Honda was missing from the practice as it serves the second part of a two-race suspension for racing an underweight car at San Marino.

Close

Spurs VS SuperSoniccs Federer wins Laureus Awards UEFA Cup final

Today's Top News     Top Sports News
China slams US over textiles, denies yuan manipulation         Premier Wen: China to sustain rapid growth         Coal mine blast traps 51 miners underground         China urges Koizumi to avoid war shrine visit         Koreas can't break nuclear impasse         US expands curbs on clothing from China	Nash leads Suns to 114-108 win Over Mavs       Man United manager won't discuss takeover       Talks between NBA, players' union collapse       Nash and Nowitzki are newcomers to All-NBA Team       German match-fixing suspect speaks       Chakvetadze to play Venus in Istanbul