Montoya, chasing his team's first win of the season before he moves to McLaren, put in a quick lap at the end of the session at Interlagos in a time of one minute 12.547 seconds.

The Brazilian Grand Prix is the only South American round of the championship and the closest Montoya has to a home appearance.

His time was more than a second inside the 2003 pole position time set by Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello, the local favourite who has retired from his last nine home grands prix, and more than two quicker than the official lap record.

Barrichello's team mate Michael Schumacher, seeking his 14th victory of the year after wrapping up his seventh championship in August, was 11th fastest.

Toyota's Australian test driver Ryan Briscoe was a surprising second fastest, just 0.067 behind, on a bright morning in Sao Paulo.

Montoya's team mate Ralf Schumacher, also in his final race for Williams before joining Toyota, was third quickest ahead of McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen.

Both Raikkonen and team mate David Coulthard, winner in Brazil in 2001 but without a drive for next year, had looked quick.

Barrichello had topped the timesheets during the session as had BAR test driver Anthony Davidson, but a series of quick laps by rivals pushed the Brazilian down to ninth place.