Premature end to day for Barrichello and Speed.

Although it is a popular venue for many drivers, the challenging Magny-Cours circuit can still pose problems for drivers, not least the Nurburgring corner that claimed two victims in practice for the French Grand Prix.

Indeed, the right-left chicane that separates two of the slowest corners on the circuit, Adelaide and 180, is one of the big challenges on the circuit, with the fearsome kerbs pitching cars off the circuit before, on this occasion catching both experienced and rookies alike.

The first to get into close confines with the barrier was veteran Rubens Barrichello, the Brazilian sliding wide around the fast chicane, clipping the outside kerb and spinning of the track to watch the rest of the session from the sidelines.

"This afternoon I was going quite well with the tyres on my first run but I seemed to have some oversteer. Going into turn four, I got a little bit of the right kerb, the car touched the ground and I spun into the wall, which ended my afternoon."

Joining him at the Nurburgring 'wrecking yard' was Scott Speed, the American admitting to making a mistake when he tried to take more kerb before eventually breaching its limits, hitting the barriers with the rear of his Scuderia Toro Rosso.

"The car is not too bad here and I think we can be quite competitive. In terms of set-up and tyres it's not looking too bad either. The accident was my mistake. Earlier I had been using the right hand kerb at Turn 7 and was getting away with it.

"Then I tried to use it a little bit more and it turned around and bit me! It launched the rear in the air and I immediately lost control of the car."