McLaren 'Friday' driver Alexander Wurz topped the times again, as he and colleague Pedro de la Rosa have done so often, this time with a time of 1:11.701 a full second faster than anyone else.

In second place the BAR-Honda of Takuma Sato, without a drive for 2006 following the confirmation of Jenson Button at the team, set an impressive 1:12.738, just ahead of Champion elect Fernando Alonso in the Renault on 1:12.782.

Button finished fourth, on 1:12.918, to confirm the pace of the BAR here, while Championship hopeful Kimi Raikkonen took fifth place with 1:13.065.

Sixth and seventh were Giancarlo Fisichella and Juan Pablo Montoya in the second Renault and McLaren respectively, with the Williams' of local boy Antonio Pizzonia and team leader Mark Webber in eighth and ninth positions.

Ferrari's dismal season continues, Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello managing just 12th and 13th positions, more than two seconds off the leading pace.