Barrichello outshines Schumacher

Rubens Barrichello celebrated his new deal with Ferrari by sweeping team-mate Michael Schumacher off the top of the time-sheets in practice for the Austrian Grand Prix in Zeltweg today.

But the Brazilian, who has resigned with the team until the end of the 2004 season, finished the opening day on the A1-Ring, just 0.03 seconds ahead of the reigning champion.

It was another impressive showing from the Ferrari duo, although Barrichello did find the gravel in the first session and Schumacher drifted wide after the break.

Title pacesetter Schumacher also saw his championship rivals fight back in today’s second session, although the German is still favourite to make it five wins out of six races this season on Sunday.

Colombia’s Juan Pablo Montoya, the closest challenger to the four-time champion but still 21 points adrift, was third fastest in his Williams-BMW which should be suited to the track in the Styrian Alps.

Montoya, like Schumacher the only driver to finish in the points in every race so far, was within a 10th of a second of Barrichello.

McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen, hoping to end a run of four successive non-finishes on Sunday after finishing third in his debut for the team in the season opener in Australia, was fourth fastest.

Allan McNish benefited from the ‘ghost’ grand prix he undertook in Austria last year as Toyota were building towards their F1 bow with the fifth best time from the Arrows of Brazil’s Enrique Bernoldi.

Raikkonen’s McLaren team-mate David Coulthard finished up ninth fastest having also drifted wide on a track where he finished second for four successive years before triumphing last year.

The 31-year-old Scot will be desperate to repeat the feat on Sunday and end a 12-month win drought with Schumacher already 35 points ahead of him in the drivers’ standings.

Eddie Irvine was 11th for Jaguar while Jenson Button ended the opening day 14th in his Renault.

Witness Nicholas Anastasiou told Sky News he heard a ‘‘big bang and that was it.’’

He said: ‘‘One carriage is very badly damaged indeed. In the car park there are bits of the train everywhere.

‘‘People are quite badly hurt. There are loads of hurt people here.

‘‘There are people running around trying to help people but I don’t think they can do much because it’s quite bad. All I can see is the last carriage.’’