Warm-up: Schuey avoids the chaos

Ferrari's Michael Schumacher showed that he intends to take the fight to Brazilian Grand Prix poleman Juan Pablo Montoya this afternoon by setting the fastest time in the warm-up. Schuey also managed to avoid the wrecked Arrows of Enrique Bernoldi at the Senna S, and the medical car which had rushed to his aid, but the following Nick Heidfeld swiped the door of the Mercedes estate, when it was opened by driver Alex Ribeiro (for separate story, click HERE)

Schumacher lapped his new Ferrari F2002 in 1m15.866s, half a second ahead of Jaguar's Pedro de la Rosa, who was a surprise second fastest in his much-maligned Jaguar R3.

Kimi Raikkonen was third fastest for McLaren, ahead of Williams-BMW's Ralf Schumacher, who set the fourth fastest time despite only completing five flying laps. His team-mate Montoya was a subdued fifth, ahead of local hero Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari).

McLaren's David Coulthard was only seventh fastest, just a few tenths clear of the Arrows of Heinz-Harald Frentzen.

Besides the Bernoldi/Heidfeld/medical car incident, which halted the session with just two minutes remaining, other notable incidents involved the Minardis of Mark Webber and Alex Yoong colliding at the Senna S, just moments before Yoong spun off properly at Turn 7.

Another handbags at dawn interlude occurred in the pit lane entry, as the Toyota of Allan McNish swerved around Bernoldi's slowing Arrows, only for the Brazilian to speed up and weave towards the Scot, which whom he also clashed in Malaysia.

For full warm up results, click here.