Formula 1: Hakkinen fastest in Monte Carlo

Mika Hakkinen blasted Michael Schumacher off the top of the time-sheets during practice for Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo today.

The flying Finn finished almost 0.5 seconds ahead of his Ferrari foe, who is bidding for a fifth victory in Formula One’s most famous race this weekend.

Hakkinen has been discounted as a title contender because he is 38 points behind the German, but a victory would keep the McLaren-Mercedes driver’s flagging championship hopes alive.

Team-mate David Coulthard, who is just four points behind Schumacher, suffered a set-back in his attempt at winning what is now his home race for a second successive year.

The Scot, who ended 27 years of British failure in Monaco last season, finished back in sixth spot 1.2secs adrift although he might have been higher if a late run had not been ruined by Jordan’s Heinz-Harald Frentzen.

Ralf Schumacher claimed the third fastest time despite a collision moments before the end of the session when he had a lengthy slide along the guard-rail damaging his Williams-BMW.

Rubens Barrichello took fourth spot in the other Ferrari with Jordan’s Jarno Trulli fifth fastest.

Eddie Irvine was 12th quickest for Jaguar Racing while Benetton’s Jenson Button, staying on his new £2million yacht, was 17th fastest.

Rookie Juan Pablo Montoya’s first outing in an F1 car on the tight track ended when his Williams-BMW clattered into a metal guard-rail at Rascasse corner.

The second session had to be briefly red flagged while the stricken Williams was towed away and the debris from the car cleared away.

The Minardis of Tarso Marques and Fernando Alonso and the Jaguar Racing car of Pedro de la Rosa also hit the barriers that hug the track.