David Coulthard launched his title fightback by spoiling Michael Schumacher's big day at the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo today.
Coulthard clocked the fastest time in first practice as reigning champion Schumacher had to settle for fifth place as Ferrari finally unveiled their 2002 challenger.
The 31-year-old Scot, still pointless after failing to finish the first two races in his McLaren-Mercedes, finished the opening day just over 0.2secs ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams-BMW.
Allan McNish made it a double dose of Scottish joy by clocking the third-fastest time in only his third outing in the Toyota Racing car.
Schumacher, who leads the championship by two points, was half-a-second adrift of Coulthard in the radical F-2002 car, whose arrival on the grid had been eagerly awaited.
But the German could yet be toying with his rivals having been quickest - by just over a second - in the first practice session and could well have been running heavier fuel loads later.
It was an eventful day for Schumacher who had a spin in the first session and twice went off the track after the interval, almost hitting the Jordan of Japanese rookie Takuma Sato as he returned to the circuit after the first hiccup.
Schumacher's brother Ralf, whose victory in Malaysia last time out forced Ferrari to finally introduce the 2002 car this weekend, was fourth fastest in his Williams.
PA