Free practice 3: Schumacher still top

The world champion in waiting set a time of 1m15.466s - 0.264s ahead of second-placed team mate Rubens Barrichello and a full 0.738s quicker than title outsider David Coulthard's McLaren-Mercedes in fourth.

Coulthard had missed the majority of Friday's running after damaging his car on a modified kerb. But despite playing catch-up on track time and set-up, the Scot was within four tenths of his third-placed team mate Mika Hakkinen.

Nick Heidfeld was fifth fastest for Sauber-Petronas, with Williams-BMW driver Ralf Schumacher completing the top six, some 1.318s off the ultimate pace.

IN the battle for Honda honours, Olivier Panis's BAR was seventh, edging out the first of the Jordans - Jarno Trulli in eighth. Behind them, Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams and Kimi Raikkonen's Sauber rounded off a top 10 covered by 1.827s.

Benetton-Renault took heart from a solid showing by its revised B201s. The new aero package and revised cooling system allowed Giancarlo Fisichella to finish 12th overall, with Jenson Button 16th after holding a top three slot early in the session.

Of the team-swappers, Jean Alesi got the best of the session, taking 13th fastest in his Jordan, with Heinz-Harald Frentzen down in 17th, but still ahead of his Prost team mate Luciano Burti, who languished in 21st.

For full free practice session 3 results,
click here.