Practice 1: Ferrari rules

It looked like Barrichello was going to come out on top for a change, but the reigning six-times World Champion nipped in at the end of the session to beat his time by almost half a second. The red cars' performance was once again head and shoulders above anyone else, and third placed Anthony Davidson was a full 0.8 seconds behind Schumacher.

The BAR team just keeps on impressing at the moment. Malaysian podium finisher Jenson Button continued his run of form too, setting fifth-quickest time, 1.7 seconds behind Schuey. Takuma Sato, completed the hour-long session without drama, but down in 10th place, almost 2.5 seconds off the pace.

Sandwiched by the BARs of Davidson and Button was the Williams of Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya in fourth. That was despite a couple of trips across the gravel, although he still fared better than team-mate Ralf Schumacher, who spun once and couldn't seem to hook it up on the dusty circuit. He ended the hour 11th in the timesheets.

McLaren was sixth, with David Coulthard outpacing his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen. The Scot's time put him 1.8 seconds off Schumacher's pace, although earlier in the session he had placed as high as third. Finn Raikkonen was a little way behind in ninth, 2.4 seconds slower than the champion.

Toyota tester Ricardo Zonta once again did some sterling work in Friday practice, running in the top six before a late flurry of quick times bumped him down to seventh. Schumacher's fastest lap also meant he became the first of the runners to be more than two seconds off the leading car's pace.

Zonta's pace was particularly impressive given that the team's race drivers Olivier Panis (who was one of several cars to spin into the dust) and Cristiano da Matta were 19th and 20th respectively.

Sauber's Felipe Massa was eighth and seemed to get to grips with the new circuit well, once again outpacing his more experienced team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella, who was down in 16th.

The Renaults were off the pace, Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso ending up 12th and 13th fastest respectively, while Nick Heidfeld was the first of the Jordans in 14th. Jordan test driver Timo Glock had the honour of being the first F1 driver to take to the Bahrain International Circuit in anger and he ended up 17th after a last-corner spin late in the session.

Jaguar drivers Mark Webber and Christian Klien were another pair strangely off the pace. Australian Webber, who has troubled the top six several times this season already, could only manage 18th place and Klien was 21st after a run across the gravel.