Saturday First Free Practice - Australian GP

Defending world champion Michael Schumacher showed no ill-effects from his high-speed shunt in Friday's practice by topping the times on Saturday in the first morning free session, ahead of Sunday's season opening Australian Grand Prix.

The triple world champion, in his Ferrari, clocked a best time of 1:28.134 seconds to finish ahead of nearest rival Briton David Coulthard, on another dry and clear day at the Albert Park street circuit.

Coulthard's McLaren teammate Mika Hakkinen was third fastest ahead of Jarno Trulli in a Jordan Honda, Jacques Villeneuve in a BAR Honda and Olivier Panis in the second BAR.

Schumacher's lap was the fastest all-time unofficial time recorded at the track, cutting nearly half a second off the previous best set in 1997 by Villeneuve, in a Williams, when 'slick' tyres were permitted.

Schumacher's Ferrari teammate Brazilian Rubens Barrichello was down in eighth place on the time sheets, after suffering an engine failure during the session and pulling to a halt. Dutchman Jos Verstappen in an Arrows also halted early on, and German Heinz-Harald Frentzen, in a Jordan, pulled up after a wild spin in the closing stages.

Pos. Driver Team Times 1. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:28.134 216.611 km/h 2. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (B) 1:28.852 + 0.718 3. Hakkinen McLaren Mercedes (B) 1:29.231 + 1.097 4. Trulli Jordan Honda (B) 1:29.459 + 1.325 5. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 1:29.465 + 1.331 6. Panis BAR Honda (B) 1:29.600 + 1.466 7. Frentzen Jordan Honda (B) 1:29.868 + 1.734 8. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:29.945 + 1.811 9. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1:30.188 + 2.054 10. Irvine Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:30.190 + 2.056 11. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1:30.208 + 2.074 12. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1:30.360 + 2.226 13. Verstappen Arrows Asiatech (B) 1:31.590 + 3.456 14. Bernoldi Arrows Asiatech (B) 1:31.599 + 3.465 15. Alesi Prost Acer (M) 1:32.113 + 3.979 16. Fisichella Benetton Renault (M) 1:32.130 + 3.996 17. Burti Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:32.274 + 4.140 18. Alonso European Minardi (M) 1:32.350 + 4.216 19. Mazzacane Prost Acer (M) 1:34.431 + 6.297 20. Marques European Minardi (M) 1:35.028 + 6.894 21. Button Benetton Renault (M) 1:57.479 + 29.345 22. Raikkonen Sauber Petronas (B) 13:51.787 + 12:23.653 All timing unofficial