Friday Second Free Practice - German GP

Michael Schumacher let his driving do the talking on Friday by setting the fastest time in opening practice for Sunday's German Formula One Grand Prix.

After Thursday's war of words with former Ferrari team mate Briton Eddie Irvine and Canadian Jacques Villeneuve over Schumacher's aggressive driving style, the 31-year-old German concentrated mainly on set-up work.

"I did a lot of laps and I am happy with the work we have done and with the balance of my car," the world championship leader said.

"It works well in both the wet and the dry, although we did not get enough running in the wet to finalise a wet weather setting.

"It is very difficult to find the right compromise to suit both the straights and the stadium section on this circuit.

"Our engine specification is the same as the one we used in the last race and I think qualifying will be very close and now I am looking forward to going up against our usual rivals for the front row."

Schumacher, with a time of 1:43.532, was just faster than compatriot Heinz-Harald Frentzen on a day of changeable weather at the high-speed Hockenheimring circuit in pine forests south of Heidelberg.

Schumacher set his best time during the morning's opening session and failed to improve in the afternoon when Frentzen, in a Jordan, cut his time to within four-hundredths of a second of Schumacher's best lap.

Frentzen, who was second on the grid for last year's German Grand Prix and who signed a new two-year contract with Jordan this week, improved his time to 1:43.575 as the circuit dried out following a wet lunch interval.

World champion Mika Hakkinen of Finland was third fastest in his McLaren, ahead of Brazilian Rubens Barrichello in the second Ferrari.

"I am sure our car is well-suited to this track which means we will be in a strong position in qualifying and for the race," the Finn said.

Briton David Coulthard, who is second in the standings six points behind Schumacher, was fifth fastest in the second McLaren ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli in the second Jordan.

Brazilian Ricardo Zonta was seventh fastest, ahead of his BAR team-mate Villeneuve.

The heavy rain increased the dirtiness of the track and left Barrichello complaining that his visor was covered in debris thrown up from the surface of the circuit.

The day had few incidents except for one in the morning session when Briton Jenson Button slid his Williams into the barriers, damaging the nose of his car slightly.

"I think we learned a lot today," said the sought-after 20-year-old Englishman who is expected to leave the Williams team and join Benetton, Jaguar or BAR at the end of the year.