Saturday First Free Practice - Malaysian GP

Rubens Barrichello put Ferrari back on top with the fastest time in Saturday's opening free practice session for Sunday's Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix.

The Brazilian lapped 0.314 of a second quicker than teammate and World Champion Michael Schumacher, who will be seeking a fourth successive Malaysian pole in qualifying later.

Barrichello, who started the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on pole two weeks ago, was well inside the race lap record but his time of one minute 36.974 seconds was slower than Schumacher's 2001 pole of 1:35.220.

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, fastest on Friday, was third with a time of 1:37.639 ahead of Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya in a Williams.

The covered grandstands overlooking the pit straight were again largely empty with only a scattering of fans braving the sticky heat on an overcast day made more hazy by forest fires in the Sepang area.

The opening session was incident free, with Germany's Heinz-Harald Frentzen the only driver who failed to set a lap time in his Arrows.

Pos Driver Team Times 1. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:36.974 205.775 km/h 2. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:37.288 + 0.314 3. Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:37.639 + 0.665 4. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1:37.804 + 0.830 5. Button Renault (M) 1:37.829 + 0.855 6. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1:38.380 + 1.406 7. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:38.748 + 1.774 8. Fisichella Jordan Honda (B) 1:39.168 + 2.194 9. Massa Sauber Petronas (B) 1:39.783 + 2.809 10. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1:39.875 + 2.901 11. Bernoldi Arrows Cosworth (B) 1:40.064 + 3.090 12. Trulli Renault (M) 1:40.295 + 3.321 13. Panis BAR Honda (B) 1:40.375 + 3.401 14. Sato Jordan Honda (B) 1:40.422 + 3.448 15. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 1:40.444 + 3.470 16. Salo Toyota (M) 1:40.891 + 3.917 17. de la Rosa Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:41.158 + 4.184 18. McNish Toyota (M) 1:41.226 + 4.252 19. Yoong Minardi Asiatech (M) 1:42.618 + 5.644 20. Irvine Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:42.744 + 5.770 21. Webber Minardi Asiatech (M) 1:43.719 + 6.745 22. Frentzen Arrows Cosworth (B) No Time All Timing Unofficial