Friday Free Practice - San Marino GP

BMW-Williams dominated Friday's opening practice session for the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola as Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya topped the times.

German Schumacher, who has been criticised for a below-par start to the season, went quickest ahead of his teammate with a best lap of 1:21.335 after setting the time late in the session. Montoya was less than one tenth of a second slower, with Jaguar's Mark Webber, who impressed in Brazil two weeks ago, again demonstrating his ability with the third best time.

McLaren's David Coulthard was fourth quickest ahead of Renault's Fernando Alonso and BAR-Honda driver Jenson Button the leading Bridgestone runner as Ferrari failed to shine on their home event. World Champion Michael Schumacher could only set the 10th fastest time following an early error, while Rubens Barrichello, who also had an off, was one place better off in ninth after the pair set the exact same time.

Sauber driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Renault's Jarno Trulli had finished ahead of the pair in seventh and eighth respectively. Coulthard had an early off-track excursion at turn 17 and Ferrari's Schumacher also spun off but was able to continue after leaving the circuit at turn 12.

Antonio Pizzonia, quickest in the morning testing session, went off the circuit at turn seven, and Minardi's Justin Wilson also stopped on the circuit at turn 11. Barrichello, top of the times early in the session, made a mistake at turn two and ran over the gravel before returning to the circuit and completing his run.

Ralph Firman managed to avoid a collision with the barriers after leaving the circuit, while Jacques Villeneuve abandoned his BAR-Honda at the opening corner after encountering mechanical problems. McLaren's Coulthard, pushing hard to improve his time, left the track for a second time, at turn 12 on this occasion, and Toyota's Cristiano da Matta made a similar error at the same corner.

Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1:21.335 218.341 km/h 20 2. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1:21.409 + 0.074 18 3. Webber Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:22.056 + 0.721 21 4. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:22.121 + 0.786 22 5. Alonso Renault (M) 1:22.561 + 1.226 17 6. Button BAR Honda (B) 1:22.669 + 1.334 20 7. Frentzen Sauber Petronas (B) 1:22.714 + 1.379 18 8. Trulli Renault (M) 1:23.051 + 1.716 19 9. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:23.057 + 1.722 26 10. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:23.057 + 1.722 9 11. Fisichella Jordan Ford (B) 1:23.267 + 1.932 9 12. Pizzonia Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:23.426 + 2.091 8 13. Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:23.557 + 2.222 24 14. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1:23.834 + 2.499 17 15. Firman Jordan Ford (B) 1:24.007 + 2.672 11 16. da Matta Toyota (M) 1:24.117 + 2.782 23 17. Panis Toyota (M) 1:24.565 + 3.230 14 18. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 1:25.153 + 3.818 13 19. Verstappen Minardi Cosworth (B) 1:25.180 + 3.845 17 20. Wilson Minardi Cosworth (B) 1:25.706 + 4.371 4 All Timing Unofficial