Schumacher quickest in Spain practice

World champion Michael Schumacher kept Ferrari out front today with the fastest lap in free practice for Sunday's Spanish Grand…

World champion Michael Schumacher kept Ferrari out front today with the fastest lap in free practice for Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix.

The four-times world champion, aiming for a fourth win in five races this season, lapped in one minute 20.380 seconds on a bright afternoon in Barcelona.

Germany's Heinz-Harald Frentzen was a surprising second quickest in 1:20.450 for Arrows, ahead of Briton Jenson Button in a Renault in 1:20.693.

The times were well off last year's pole mark of 1:18.201 but are likely to be considerably faster in Saturday's qualifying.

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Schumacher won last year in Barcelona, a circuit where all the teams have tested extensively, and has been on pole for the past two seasons.

The German leads his younger brother Ralf, 12th fastest today in a Williams, by 14 points in the standings after a Ferrari one-two finish with Brazilian Rubens Barrichello in the last race in Italy. Barrichello was fourth quickest.

Jordan, who have yet to score a point and cut their workforce on Tuesday, made a difficult start to the weekend when Japan's Takuma Sato pulled over at the end of the pit lane with the session only seconds old.

The rookie, whose engine died after a camshaft sensor problem, sat out the rest of the session but completed 20 laps in the afternoon to end the day 14th fastest.

Malaysian Alex Yoong, who failed to qualify his Minardi at Imola two weeks ago, was the slowest driver, running off track and also spinning in the morning.

Times from today's free practice ahead of Sunday's Spanish Formula One Grand Prix:

1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari one minute 20.380 seconds.
2. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Arrows 1:20.450
3. Jenson Button (Britain) Renault 1:20.693
4. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 1:20.742
5. Olivier Panis (France) BAR 1:20.758
6. Enrique Bernoldi (Brazil) Arrows 1:20.834
7. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 1:20.996
8. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Jordan 1:21.169
9. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Sauber 1:21.197
10. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Renault 1:21.278
11. Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 1:21.294
12. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 1:21.298
13. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Sauber 1:21.301
14. Takuma Sato (Japan) Jordan 1:21.351
15. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 1:21.409
16. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 1:21.413
17. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 1:21.623
18. Mika Salo (Finland) Toyota 1:22.082
19. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Jaguar 1:22.094
20. Mark Webber (Australia) Minardi 1:22.459
21. Allan McNish (Britain) Toyota 1:22.564
22. Alex Yoong (Malaysia) Minardi 1:23.269