Free Practice 1: Ralf dominates

Williams is confident that strong progress has been made and that it should be in a position to challenge Ferrari and McLaren in Italy, but a 0.7s margin before the third quickest car, Mark Webber's Jaguar, is likely to be misleading at this stage.

Although the first five cars in the session were all on Michelin tyres, it is too early to draw any conclusions, given the varying fuel loads and testing programmes being conducted. David Coulthard for example, was fourth quickest, while McLaren-Mercedes team mate Kimi Raikkonen was much further from the ultimate pace in13th, despite running more laps in the session than anyone barring Rubens Barrichello's Ferrari.

As much for the record as anything then, Fernando Alonso was fifth quickest, ahead of Jenson Button's BAR-Honda which was the fastest Bridgestone-shod car.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen was seventh fastest in the quicker Sauber, ahead of Jarno Trulli's Renault. The Ferraris of Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher completed the top 10 with laps in an identical 1:23.057.