Friday First Free Practice - Japanese GP

Prost driver Tomas Enge emerged unscathed from a heavy crash in Friday's opening free practice at Suzuka ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, as world champion Michael Schumacher topped the times.

Enge thumped into the tyres barrier and ripped off both right-hand side wheels, after he had lost control of his Prost and slid from the track.

Ferrari's Schumacher was quickest with a lap time of 1:37.443, ahead of McLaren's Mika Hakkinen and Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

Schumacher's teammate Rubens Barrichello was fourth fastest, ahead of impressive Jean Alesi in the Jordan, with David Coulthard and Ralf Schumacher sixth and seventh respectively. German Heinz-Harald Frentzen powered his Prost to eighth in the timesheets.

Both Sauber drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Nick Heidfeld had minor offs in a relatively incident-free session, as all drivers familiarised themselves with the Suzuka circuit.

Pos Driver Team Times 1. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:37.443 216.644 km/h 2. Hakkinen McLaren Mercedes (B) 1:37.798 + 0.355 3. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1:37.947 + 0.504 4. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:38.032 + 0.589 5. Alesi Jordan Honda (B) 1:38.157 + 0.714 6. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (B) 1:38.160 + 0.717 7. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1:38.276 + 0.833 8. Frentzen Prost Acer (M) 1:38.445 + 1.002 9. de la Rosa Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:38.555 + 1.112 10. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1:38.937 + 1.494 11. Irvine Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:38.953 + 1.510 12. Fisichella Benetton Renault (M) 1:39.000 + 1.557 13. Trulli Jordan Honda (B) 1:39.361 + 1.918 14. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 1:39.532 + 2.089 15. Button Benetton Renault (M) 1:40.018 + 2.575 16. Raikkonen Sauber Petronas (B) 1:40.197 + 2.754 17. Verstappen Arrows Asiatech (B) 1:40.381 + 2.938 18. Panis BAR Honda (B) 1:40.652 + 3.209 19. Alonso Minardi European (M) 1:41.097 + 3.654 20. Enge Prost Acer (M) 1:41.216 + 3.773 21. Bernoldi Arrows Asiatech (B) 1:41.376 + 3.933 22. Yoong Minardi European (M) 1:43.800 + 6.357 All Timing Unofficial