Silverstone day 1: Rubens quickest

The Brazilian set a fastest time of 1m21.094s to top the test, nearly half a second quicker than the German Sauber star. However, Barrichello did suffer the ignominy of causing the day's only red flag, when he lost a wheel nut and was forced to stop on the entrance to Abbey.

Heidfeld was working on Sauber aerodynamic developments as he prepares for his home Grand Prix at the Nurburgring next weekend. The Sauber team also worked on some new Bridgestone tyre developments.

Michael Schumacher was third quickest for Ferrari, ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya, who was working on the mechanical set-up of the FW25, and Takuma Sato, who completed a mammoth 109 laps.

Antonio Pizzonia was sixth fastest for Jaguar, ahead of countryman Felipe Masse, who was concentrating on Bridgestone tyre development in a year-old Ferrari.

Rubens Barrichello Ferrari B 1m21.094s 38
Nick Heidfeld Sauber-Petronas B 1m21.568s 74
Michael Schumacher Ferrari B 1m21.668s 60
Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW M 1m22.134s 63
Takuma Sato BAR-Honda B 1m22.341s 109
Antonio Pizzonia Jaguar M 1m22.377s 46
Felipe Massa Ferrari B 1m22.723s 59*

* in 2002-spec car
B = Bridgestone
M = Michelin