Friday Free Practice - Spanish GP

Williams-BMW driver Ralf Schumacher topped the times in Friday's practice session for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya as Ferrari were off the pace with their new F2003-GA, which made its Grand Prix debut today.

The younger Schumacher topped the times with a best lap of 1:17.015 around the Barcelona track, while his brother Michael languished 15th after the first competitive appearance of Ferrari's new car. World Champion Michael Schumacher was 1.723 seconds behind his younger brother with Ferrari's second driver Rubens Barrichello 10th, more than a second off the pace.

Renault driver Jarno Trulli, quickest in private testing, ended second quickest behind Ralf despite completing just seven laps, with his teammate Fernando Alonso third in his home Grand Prix. McLaren's David Coulthard was fourth quickest ahead of the impressive Toyota of Olivier Panis and Williams-BMW driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

Jaguar driver Mark Webber finished seventh fastest to ensure Michelin drivers filled the top-seven spots, with BAR-Honda's Jenson Button, Toyota driver Cristiano da Matta and Barrichello completing the top ten. Championship leader Kimi Raikkonen was classified 18th in the times after completing 17 laps with under-fire Jaguar driver Antonio Pizzonia 11th overall.

Ferrari duo Schumacher and Barrichello took to the track for the first time as the World Champions' new F2003-GA made its long-awaited debut in practice. Barrichello and Sauber's Heinz-Harald Frentzen set the pace for much of the early stages of the session, before Alonso moved to the head of the times for Renault in his home race to the delight of the home crowd.

Track conditions continued to improve as temperatures rose and Ralf Schumacher took the top spot with a time more than seven tenths quicker with 13 minutes remaining in the session. Trulli, quickest in private testing, failed to complete a flying lap until he bettered Schumacher's time to take over at the head of the times two minutes later.

Panis then moved up to third for Toyota and Montoya became the fourth driver to go below one minute and 18 seconds with a time marginally slower than the Frenchman. Alonso regained top spot with only his eight lap of the session as he lowered Trulli's best by more than a tenth of a second with Renault benefiting from their earlier running.

Ralf Schumacher, however, outpaced the pair again as he shaved another 0.169 seconds off the best time of Alonso as Coulthard and Panis moved up to third and fourth splitting the two Renault's only for Trulli to respond to take second.

Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1:17.015 221.100 km/h 17 2. Trulli Renault (M) 1:17.138 + 0.123 7 3. Alonso Renault (M) 1:17.184 + 0.169 11 4. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:17.209 + 0.194 20 5. Panis Toyota (M) 1:17.220 + 0.205 13 6. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1:17.897 + 0.882 18 7. Webber Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:17.933 + 0.918 17 8. Button BAR Honda (B) 1:17.986 + 0.971 29 9. da Matta Toyota (M) 1:18.101 + 1.086 26 10. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:18.303 + 1.288 25 11. Pizzonia Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:18.350 + 1.335 18 12. Firman Jordan Ford (B) 1:18.639 + 1.624 18 13. Frentzen Sauber Petronas (B) 1:18.691 + 1.676 16 14. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 1:18.731 + 1.716 23 15. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:18.738 + 1.723 24 16. Fisichella Jordan Ford (B) 1:18.954 + 1.939 18 17. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1:19.219 + 2.204 19 18. Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:19.337 + 2.322 17 19. Wilson Minardi Cosworth (B) 1:20.264 + 3.249 21 20. Verstappen Minardi Cosworth (B) 1:20.559 + 3.544 12 All Timing Unofficial