Saturday Second Free Practice - Canadian GP

World Champion Michael Schumacher beat his Colombian rival Juan Pablo Montoya to the fastest time of the day on Saturday in the final practice session before qualifying for Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.

At an overcast and cool Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, which suited Schumacher's Bridgestone tyres, the German Ferrari star completed the perfect preparation for the crucial qualifying hour with a lap time of 1:13.395.

Montoya, who has claimed two of the seven pole positions this season and is desperate to get top spot in Montreal, was 0.251 seconds slower than Schumacher after setting the early pace. Rubens Barrichello was third in the second Ferrari, but missed the final ten minutes of the session after going straight on at the chicane at turn nine and crashing into the wall.

Kimi Raikkonen put his McLaren-Mercedes up to fourth in the final minutes of the session, just moving ahead of Ralf Schumacher, who was more than a second slower than his brother Michael and eight tenths slower than teammate Montoya.

Briton David Coulthard was sixth in the second McLaren-Mercedes, with Brazilian sensation Felipe Massa and German Nick Heidfeld seventh and eighth respectively for the Sauber team.

Home favourite Jacques Villeneuve, of British American Racing Honda, claimed the ninth fastest time, just ahead of Jordan driver Giancarlo Fisichella, who is hoping to continue his past successes at the Montreal track this weekend.

The Renault team continued to struggle with Italian Jarno Trulli, who spun early in the session, and Briton Jenson Button managing just 14th and 15th spots, while Eddie Irvine continued his miserable time for Jaguar and stopped on the track at the end of the session to finish with the 21st fastest time.

Pos Driver Team Times 1. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:13.395 213.906 km/h 2. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1:13.646 + 0.251 3. Barrichello Ferrari (B) 1:14.243 + 0.848 4. Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:14.354 + 0.959 5. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1:14.399 + 1.004 6. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (M) 1:14.720 + 1.325 7. Massa Sauber Petronas (B) 1:14.777 + 1.382 8. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1:14.791 + 1.396 9. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 1:14.843 + 1.448 10. Fisichella Jordan Honda (B) 1:14.973 + 1.578 11. Frentzen Arrows Cosworth (B) 1:15.018 + 1.623 12. Panis BAR Honda (B) 1:15.057 + 1.662 13. de la Rosa Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:15.208 + 1.813 14. Bernoldi Arrows Cosworth (B) 1:15.326 + 1.931 15. Trulli Renault (M) 1:15.344 + 1.949 16. Button Renault (M) 1:15.426 + 2.031 17. Salo Toyota (M) 1:15.584 + 2.189 18. Sato Jordan Honda (B) 1:15.791 + 2.396 19. McNish Toyota (M) 1:15.918 + 2.523 20. Webber Minardi Asiatech (M) 1:16.143 + 2.748 21. Irvine Jaguar Cosworth (M) 1:16.267 + 2.872 22. Yoong Minardi Asiatech (M) 1:17.005 + 3.610 All Timing Unofficial