On his first flying lap it was Panis who surprised everyone, the Frenchman going third quickest on his debut for Toyota. Barrichello was next out but after three laps the Brazilian could only manage ninth quickest.

On his next lap though Rubens improved with a 1:28.906 to go fourth, though still almost a second off Montoya's pace.

Other than Panis the top of the timetable featured the usual suspects until Jenson Button went fourth with a 1:28.4. Fisichella went ninth while Verstappen went eleventh.

Making his F1 debut, Justin Wilson looked impressive the youngster leap-frogging his team-mate to go eleventh, albeit 2.6s off the pace but ahead of da Matta and Villeneuve who had completed more laps.

Suddenly it was the same old story as Schumacher went quickest with a 1:28.826, 0.103s quicker than his Colombian rival.

Twenty minutes gone: Michael, Montoya, Ralf, Panis, Button, Webber - much to the delight of the partisan crowd - Barrichello, Raikkonen, Coulthard and Fisichella. While Heidfeld and the two Renault drivers had set a time.

Coming up to the half hour mark and still no sign of the Renaults, while Schumacher continued to top the timesheets ahead of Montoya, Ralf, Panis, Button and Webber.

Just past the half hour and it's the same old story for BAR as Button's Honda gives up, different season, same old sh**. Jos Verstappen meanwhile goes thirteenth.

Clearly Webber is using home advantage, the Australian goes fourth behind Michael, Montoya and Ralf.

Forty minutes gone and Barrichello moves up to fifth, still 0.2s off Webber's pace, still no sign of the Renaults.

Fifteen minutes to go and Schumacher, who has completed 16 laps, is still quickest on 1:27.666, leading; Montoya, Ralf, Webber, Barrichello, Panis, Raikkonen, Button, Coulthard and Fisichella.

Firman improves to go twelfth while Villeneuve is still propping up the timesheets. From out of nowhere da Matta goes tenth but still a full second slower than his French team-mate.

If proof were needed that Friday testing might not be such a bad thing, Fernando Alonso goes third quickest with his first flying lap - clearly after the test session the engineers back at Enstone were kept very busy, the Spaniard is just 0.3s off Schumacher's pace. Quite amazing!

Ten minutes remaining and Coulthard moves up to seventh as the rest of the 'big guns' take to the track.

Michael, Montoya, Alonso, Ralf, Webber, Barrichello, Coulthard, Panis, Raikkonen and Button.

Seven minutes to go and Trulli comes out, but he's unable to emulate his team-mate's feat with his first flyer.

1:27.459 and Rubens leapfrogs his German team-mate to go quickest by 0.207s.

Suddenly the two Saubers improve also as Frentzen goes seventh and Heidfeld thirteenth, Alonso also improves but stays third behind the two Ferraris.

Unbelievable! Webber goes second just 0.1s off Rubens' time only for Raikkonen to beat them both with a 1:26.509, seconds later Coulthard joins him at the top of the timesheets.

In the dying moments Trulli goes third as the Michelin runners trounce the Bridgestone boys.