Timothy Collings' Friday Practice Report - Japanese GP

Michael Schumacher failed to notice tremors from an earthquake as he concentrated on finishing fastest in opening practice for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix in which he could seal Ferrari's first drivers' world title for 21 years.

The 31-year-old German said he did not feel any movement though buildings in the paddock at the Suzuka circuit swayed during the tremors from an earthquake about 200 kilometres away in western Japan.

They lasted for nearly two minutes and caused a mild panic with several Europeans looking for safety.

"Out on the track, I did not feel anything," said Schumacher after clocking the fastest lap time. "I felt no tremors. But the circuit suited me and the car reasonably well...and I am optimistic at what is certain to be a long weekend."

Schumacher leads this year's drivers' world championship by eight points ahead of Mika Hakkinen and he can take his third title and Ferrari's first since Jody Scheckter in 1979 if he wins Sunday's showdown or increases his lead over the Finn by at least two points.

"It was a good day for me and we developed the car nicely throughout the sessions," said Schumacher. "Certainly, the work we did at Mugello last week seems to have paid off.

"The new tyres are as good as we expected, very fast and consistent, which I am pleased about. We made some positive changes. The circuit seems to suit us well."

Similarly confident noises came from the McLaren camp in which Hakkinen, who was second fastest, remains determined to keep alive his title challenge by beating Schumacher and winning Sunday's race.

Good Balance

"We have done a lot of good work," he said. "The balance we have achieved is good. I am still trying to find the right line and the optimum acceleration to get the last part of the circuit right especially at the final chicane where the kerbs have been modified."

After a morning during which his Ferrari teammate Brazilian Rubens Barrichello slid off the Suzuka circuit and into the barriers, Schumacher clocked a fastest time of 1:37.728.

This left him 6/10ths of a second clear of nearest rival and defending world champion Mika Hakkinen in a McLaren Mercedes-Benz, the Finn proving unable to break Schumacher's domination on a dry and warm day under a grey sky.

Schumacher's Ferrari team mate Barrichello was third fastest, 2/10th down on Hakkinen, ahead of Briton David Coulthard in the second McLaren. Another Briton Jenson Button, in a BMW-Williams, with Italian Jarno Trulli sixth for Jordan.

The earthquake apart, the day was run largely without major incidents as Schumacher made smooth progress towards clocking his increasingly fast best times.

The only other incidents during the session involved Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 world champion, who slithered off and on the track in his BAR-Honda and Argentine Gaston Mazzacane whose Minardi stopped mid-run.

Schumacher needs to finish two points clear of Hakkinen to confirm his third title and his first for Ferrari.