Practice 4: Sato's flier

Should he repeat this kind of form in qualifying, Sato could become the first Japanese driver to start an F1 race from pole position. But first he must stave off the challenge from world champion Michael Schumacher who ended free practice second fastest in his Ferrari.

Schumacher's 1m15.025s time was ominously close to that of the BAR driver while Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams FW26, a different animal to that which the Colombian was fighting yesterday, is only two tenths further behind in third.

Jarno Trulli kept Renault in the hunt with fourth fastest time, although he was more than half a second away from the ultimate pace. Nevertheless he will be encouraged that he has outperformed team-mate Fernando Alonso for most of the weekend. The Spaniard was more than four tenths slower, ending the session eighth fastest.

Rubens Barrichello was fifth for Ferrari ahead of Jenson Button. The Englishman set his fastest lap of the weekend so far but could not match his BAR team-mate's scintillating lap.

David Coulthard was seventh quickest in the Mclaren MP4-19. For the first time this weekend the silver cars looked close to competitiveness and at one stage during the session, were first and second. Kimi Raikkonen's lap, which placed him at the top of the times when he set it, was eventually good enough for 11th however.

Jaguar Racing's Mark Webber was ninth, the Australian another to shine early in the session only to lose out in the late dash before the chequered flag. Cristiano da Matta completed the top ten for Toyota.

Ralf Schumacher was 12th, although the German didn't look as if he was attempting qualifying runs. Next up was Christian Klien in the second Jaguar ahead of Nick Heidfeld's Jordan. The former F3000 champion's name has been mentioned in connection with a Williams drive this weekend which coincides neatly with a jump in form for the EJ14 that could see him qualify near the top ten this afternoon.

Giancarlo Fisichella and Felipe Massa were a disappointing 15th and 16th fastest in the Sauber-Petronas C23s ahead of Giorgio Pantano (Jordan), Olivier Panis (Toyota) who stopped early in the session, Zsolt Baumgartner (Minardi) and Gianmaria Bruni (Minardi).