Schumacher back to front

Michael Schumacher scorched back to the top of the timesheets as practice resumed at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps.

The five-time world champion finished the penultimate session before qualifying a commanding 0.8 seconds ahead of Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello.

Schumacher is looking for his sixth win on the track on Sunday to claim the outright record for the number of triumphs which he currently shares with Brazil's Ayrton Senna.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen, who set the pace in his McLaren-Mercedes on Friday, dropped to third fastest and finished 1.4secs adrift of Schumacher.

Team-mate David Coulthard was close behind in fourth spot followed by the Williams-BMW duo of Ralf Schumacher and Colombia's Juan Pablo Montoya.

Britain's Allan McNish shrugged off the fact that he has lost his Toyota drive for 2003 by posting the seventh fastest time.

Fellow Briton Jenson Button was ninth for Renault with Eddie Irvine back in 15th spot in his Jaguar Racing car.

Anthony Davidson, in his second outing in the Minardi as replacement for the rested Alex Yoong, was 19th just ahead of team-mate Mark Webber.

The field has been reduced to 20 with Arrows having packed up and left after boss Tom Walkinshaw was unable to conclude the sale of his team.