The Williams star lapped the circuit in 1m21.939s, just the second lap of the Hungaroring this weekend in under 1m22s. However, Ralf's lap was still 0.169s off Olivier Panis' mega effort for Toyota in practice yesterday.

Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) led the session at several points, but ended 0.374s slower than his brother. Importantly though, both he and team-mate Barrichello were faster than Montoya (Williams), his chief rival for the title.

Mark Webber continued his promising weekend with the fifth fastest time in his Jaguar, ahead of the lead McLaren of Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn's session was curtailed five minutes early when his Mercedes engine failed in an impressive burst of billowing smoke. Fortuitously, the powerplant gave up as Raikkonen was approaching the pit lane entry, allowing him to coast back to his McLaren pit stall.

After impressing yesterday and setting the fastest time in practice two this morning, Renault was off the ultimate pace in the session, with Fernando Alonso and Jarno Trulli just seventh and eighth fastest respectively. David Coulthard (McLaren) was ninth, with Olivier Panis (Toyota) rounding out the top ten.

Jenson Button was 11th fastest, yet again ahead of BAR team-mate Jacques Villeneuve, with fellow Briton Justin Wilson in 13th, sandwiched in the timesheets by the two Saubers.

Giancarlo Fisichella was 16th fastest in the sole Jordan to participate in the session, ahead of Cristiano da Matta, who ended his session early when he ran wide, spun on the dusty track and embedded himself firmly in a gravel trap.

Minardi's Nicolas Kiesa was another to lose control on the off-line dirt, although he managed to miss the gravel and keep his car running. His team-mate Jos Verstappen's session came to a premature halt when his car was side-lined by a mechanical failure, the latest in a string of problems for the Cosworth-powered runners this weekend.