Rubens Barrichello maintained the success story for Brazilian sport today as he clocked the fastest time in first practice for the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring in Germany.
The 30-year-old finished the session just over 0.1 seconds ahead of Ferrari team-mate and world championship leader Michael Schumacher.
Schumacher, born less than an hour's drive from the track, had gone top late in the session only to be quickly displaced by Barrichello in another awesome display of their car's superiority.
The 33-year-old, perhaps anxious over Germany's pending World Cup quarter-final clash with the United States (he will have the scores relayed to his cockpit during the second session) did have one brief excursion off the track
But otherwise it is again looking good for the four-time champion as he sets his sights on a seventh victory in nine races this season on Sunday which would increase his already massive 43-point lead in the title chase.
Nick Heidfeld was third fastest in a Ferrari-powered Sauber, though he was more than 1.2secs off the pace set by Barrichello with Scotland's Allan McNish fourth quickest in his Toyota.
Brazil's Felipe Massa was fifth in the other Sauber while David Coulthard, right in the hunt for second spot in the championship after scoring 16 points in his last two races, was sixth for McLaren.
The Williams duo of Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher, the closest challengers to the Ferrari ace, were back in 10th and 14th spot respectively.
The Jordan of Giancarlo Fisichella was eighth with teammate Takuma Sato back in 13th. Eddie Irvine was back in 20th spot for Jaguar Racing.
1 Barrichello Ferrari 1m33.665s
2 M.Schumacher Ferrari 1m33.768s
3 Heidfeld Sauber Petronas 1m34.924s
4 McNish Toyota 1m34.941s
5 Massa Sauber Petronas 1m34.982s
6 Coulthard McLaren Mercedes 1m35.021s
7 Frentzen Arrows Cosworth 1m35.880s
8 Fisichella Jordan Honda 1m35.921s
9 Salo Toyota 1m35.958s
10 Montoya Williams BMW 1m36.033s
11 Panis BAR Honda 1m36.045s
12 Trulli Renault 1m36.054s
13 Sato Jordan Honda 1m36.072s
14 R.Schumacher Williams BMW 1m36.417s
15 Button Renault 1m36.520s
16 Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes 1m36.734s
17 Villeneuve BAR Honda 1m37.047s
18 Bernoldi Arrows Cosworth 1m37.186s
19 De La Rosa Jaguar 1m37.329s
20 Irvine Jaguar 1m37.849s
21 Webber Minardi Asiatech 1m37.921s
22 Yoong Minardi Asiatech 1m39.659s