Free practice 4: Advantage Schumacher

Mika Hakkinen led a McLaren one-two in the morning's first session with Schumacher settling for third place. But the German came back fighting in the second session as the drivers put the finishing touches to their qualifying set-ups and with just five minutes gone Schumacher went immediately quicker putting his place at the top beyond doubt.

Both McLarens came out for last gasp attempts to beat Schumacher, but neither came even close. David Coulthard was the faster of the two to take second spot, while Hakkinen finished his session in the gravel at the Epingle hairpin after out-braking himself on a final flying lap. The Finn had to settle for third.

Schumacher's team mate Rubens Barrichello completed an all-Ferrari and McLaren top four finishing in fourth place, but the Brazilian did not have much of a chance to improve as his F2001 came to a halt at the side of the Montreal track with mechanical problems after 20 minutes.

Most impressive performance of the session went to the Sauber young guns of Nick Heidfeld and Kimi Raikkonen. Heidfeld spun at turn seven early on, but recovered to set the fifth fastest time with nine minutes to go, only to be joined by Raikkonen on the third row in sixth spot just a minute later.

Olivier Panis continued to outshine his BAR team mate Jacques Villeneuve. The pair lapped in tandem towards the end of the session and while Panis jumped up to seventh, a rather ragged Villeneuve could only manage 11th.

With the Saubers and Panis improving, Ralf Schumacher was the one to suffer and the Williams driver wound up eighth after a strong showing in fifth in the first session. Jarno Trulli was ninth just ahead of the Jaguar of Pedro de la Rosa, who managed to outpace team mate Eddie Irvine in 12th as both Big Cat drivers dropped down the order.

For practice session 4 results, click here.