Timothy Collings' Friday Practice Report - Malaysian GP

Mika Hakkinen outpaced newly-crowned world champion Michael Schumacher to post the fastest time in Friday's opening practice for Sunday's season-ending Malaysian Grand Prix.

The Finn, who had to concede his title to Schumacher at the Japanese Grand Prix two weeks ago, battled against searing heat to clock a fastest time of 1:40.262 at an average speed of 199.026 km/h.

That left him just 0.014 seconds ahead of triple World Champion Schumacher at the end of the two-hour practice for Sunday's race which will decide the Constructors' championship.

"We made great progress today," said Hakkinen. "We were preparing for the race and we worked a lot on getting the optimum set-up for the car through both sessions. Since Suzuka, the team has done a good job and I am happy.

"But it is tough to race in these sweltering conditions, though it is not so bad as last year because we now have power steering in the car. For us, there is no doubt that the weekend has started well."

Schumacher said: "As I expected, the car handled quite well. Also, as I knew it would be, it is very close between us and McLaren.

"We want to win the Constructors' championship, of course, and we only require a minimum of effort and results to get it, but I would like to achieve a lot more than the minimum.

"Obviously, the hot conditions in the car are not very pleasant, but I am fit enough for it not to bother me. In fact, I suffer a lot more in the cold weather."

Briton David Coulthard, in the second McLaren, was third fastest ahead of Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, in the second Ferrari.

Ferrari sporting director Jean Todt said he believed the race would be a straight battle between his team and McLaren, following the pattern for most of the season.

"As I have said at nearly every Grand Prix this year, I am sure we will see the usual battle between us and our traditional rivals for the front two rows," said Todt.

Barrichello said he was suffering from a heavy cold which made life difficult for him in the cockpit of his car as the Ferrari team evaluated tyres and set-ups for the race.

Todt said Ferrari had decided to opt for the use of air extractors mounted on the sidepods to help with cooling.

Italian Jarno Trulli was fifth in a Jordan ahead of German Ralf Schumacher in a Williams. Ricardo Zonta of Brazil was seventh for BAR and Italy's Giancarlo Fisichella in a Benetton was eighth.

The session was run in hot and dry conditions with a track temperature of 36 degrees celsius and humidity of 60 per cent.

There were few dramas until the closing stages when Dutchman Jos Verstappen, in an Arrows, Finn Mika Salo in a Sauber and then Hakkinen spun off the circuit, but continued without damage or injury.