Free practice 3: Ferrari in total control

Schumacher was the only driver to break into the 1m14s, Barrichello was the only other driver to dip into the 15s. From there onwards were a host of unfamiliar names to the top six. Panis was followed by Felipe Massa, Giancarlo Fisichella and then the top Michelin runner Kimi Raikkonen.

Nick Heidfeld was seventh ahead of Jacques Villeneuve before the second car on French rubber, the Renault of Jenson Button.

BAR's Panis was the first driver to better his time from Friday's session, but the Frenchman's time at the head of the field was fleeting and he was soon usurped by the McLarens of David Coulthard and then Raikkonen.

Raikkonen's effort of 1m16.5s was put into perspective when halfway through the session Schumacher took to the track in his Ferrari. His opening effort was a 1m15.1s; his second a 1m14.7s. Rubens Barrichello managed a low 15, only to see the world champion shave a further four tenths off his best time.

Ralf Schumacher had a trip across the gravel at Turn 6 but continued without damage, but the Williams-BMW was well off the pace in 13th. Juan Pablo Montoya was also well down in an unrepresentative 11th.

With just a couple of minutes of the session remaining, Coulthard took a trip over the gravel at six as Ralf had done earlier, and like the German he continued without damage. Less fortunate was Button who spun at Turn 9 and clouted the barrier damaging the nose of his Renault.

Anthony Davidson made a small mistake on the entry to Turn 5 and locked his brakes forcing him to take to the gravel, but once again the Englishman did a steady job and was just three tenths slower than Mark Webber in the sister Minardi. However, such was Schumacher's pace at the front that both drivers were outside the 107 percent limit.