Schumacher leads in early practice

Schumacher had the top time in his Ferrari in 1 minute, 43.532 seconds. Hakkinen was next in 1:44.120 in a McLaren-Mercedes. Rubens Barrichello in a Ferrari was next in 1:44.128 followed by the other McLaren driver, David Coulthard, 1:44.379.

Last year the only appearance Schumacher made at the German Grand Prix was in a TV interview while at home in Switzerland. He had broken his leg in the British Grand Prix and was out for six races. Ironically, Ferrari went 1-2 in last year’s German Grand Prix with different drivers. Eddie Irvine won the race and challenged Mika for the title in Schumacher’s absence until the final week of the season. Mika Salo, Schumacher’s replacement, came in second.

Now Irvine is now driving a Jaguar-Cosworth and Salo a Sauber-Petronas. Irvine was 14th in practice, 1:45.901 and Salo ninth, 1:45.336. Heinz-Harald Frentzen in a Jordan-Mugen Honda and Ricardo Zonta in a BAR-Honda were fifth and sixth, timing 1:44.587 and 1:44.906 Zonta is the driver that helped Schumacher continue a run of bad luck by bumping him out of the Austria Grand Prix two weeks ago on the first corner.

After dropping out of three of the last four races and seeing a 22-point point lead dwindle to six, Schumacher needs to score some points to hold off the McLaren drivers. Schumacher has won five of the 10 races so far this season. However when he doesn’t win, he doesn’t do well. He has scored just a third and a fifth place in the five other races with Coulthard winning three and Hakkinen two.

Schumacher has 56 points for the season — a total he has been stalled at since the Canadian Grand Prix June 18.