Private testing: Pizzonia quickest

The Brazilian completed 33 laps with a best time of 1m23.099s, compared with a 1m23.239s best from new Interlagos victor Giancarlo Fisichella. The team concentrated largely on brakes, an important issue at post-chicane Imola, and finished the session without any undue dramas.

Fisichella climbed straight from his car to take part in a somewhat belated Brazil podium celebration, staged for his benefit on the front straight at Imola. It went some way towards recompense for missing out on his special moment in Brazil when the race result was still under discussion and Kimi Raikkonen stood on the top step. Raikkonen and McLaren boss Ron Dennis were on there to hand over the trophies.

Third quickest was Pizzonia's Jaguar team mate Mark Webber, from Ralph Firman's Jordan.

The Renault squad, used to dominating the early Friday proceedings thus far this year had to be content with fifth quickest lap from Jarno Trulli, who blotted his copybook slightly with a spin into the gravel at the second Rivazza.

Spanish star Fernando Alonso was sixth quickest, ahead of Allan McNish with the French team's third car.

Jos Verstappen was quickest of the Minardis, ahead of Justin Wilson and young Italian test driver Matteo Bobbi, who ran in a third chassis for the first time. He spent the first hour acclimatising before being fully integrated into the team's programme, trying out a new nose section.