The crackling tension between Ferrari and McLaren hung in the air like static electricity here yesterday as Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen finally accelerated out on to the circuit to begin preparations for a momentous world championship finale.
Schumacher's Ferrari ended the first free practice session half a second faster than his brother Ralf's Jordan-Honda, with HeinzHarald Frentzen's Williams third ahead of Eddie Irvine's Ferrari.
The McLaren-Mercedes of Hakkinen and David Coulthard were fifth and sixth but few in the pit lane attached much significance to this muscle-flexing. Today's hour-long qualifying session is expected to be a two-horse race between Ferrari and McLaren.
The predictions, press conferences and general pre-event hype, which had built up a ferocious head of steam during the fiveweek lay-off since the season's penultimate grand prix at the Nurburgring, have now been put firmly behind the two title contenders. All that remains to be seen is whether Hakkinen, one of the best drivers in the best car, can beat the best driver in not-quitethe-best car.
"To be honest, if it wasn't for Michael, we wouldn't be close," said Irvine of the coming battle with his customary candour. "The McLaren is potentially a second a lap faster than our car. Hakkinen can only lose this championship while Michael can win it."
He had a valid point. The Finn has led the points table from the first race in Melbourne last March. Ferrari's F300 challenger is close only because of Schumacher's dynamism behind the wheel and the remarkable rate of Goodyear tyre development.
All things being equal, Hakkinen should have Schumacher's measure. On two of the three timing sectors round the Suzuka circuit yesterday the Finn was clearly quickest, losing the prospect of the fastest lap only when he came up behind Esteban Tuero's Minardi on the final corner.
This dropped him back to his eventual fifth place and the McLaren team were staggered by the amount of media interest after the end of the session, the suggestion being put to them that they had already lost the world championship. Yet everyone in the sport knows that Friday counts for nothing.
Today's qualifying session provides the crucial target and Schumacher will need all the inspiration he can muster to equal Hakkinen.
If any outsiders are to gate crash the private party between McLaren and Ferrari, Jordan must be top of the list. Ralf Schumacher and Damon Hill, who set the seventh fastest time, will benefit from further evolution of the Mugen-Honda V10 engines.
The Japanese car maker is keen to remind its public that it is still a player in the grand prix game. For the 2000 season an all-new factory Honda Formula One team will contest the world championship.
