Ferrari duo claim new car is best produced

SIX-TIME world champion Michael Schumacher and team-mate Rubens Barrichello yesterday described the new F2004 as the finest car Ferrari had ever produced after they opened the new Formula One season with a dominant display in Melbourne.

Schumacher bettered the Albert Park lap record on four separate occasions over the two free practice sessions, with his blistering afternoon run of one minute 24.718 seconds the fastest of the day.

Barrichello's best time was just one 10th of a second slower and none of Ferrari's nearest rivals managed to get within a second all day.