McLaren pair hit form in Japan

Kimi Raikkonen powered to the top of the time-sheets in practice for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

He spearheaded a promising showing in the second session for McLaren as he took top spot from team-mate David Coulthard.

Raikkonen finished almost half a second faster than Coulthard, though McLaren have often been quickest on the first day this season before being overwhelmed by the Ferraris the following day.

Michael Schumacher had been fastest in the first session before dropping to sixth spot - around 1.9 secs adrift of Raikkonen - after experiencing an electronic problem.

But Schumacher will still be favourite to land his 11th win of the campaign in Sunday's season finale.

His Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello was third fastest, just over a second slower than Raikkonen, followed by the Williams duo of Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher.

Montoya suffered a blow with just minutes left in the session when he slid off the track at a right-handed corner and hit a tyre wall losing a tyre and rear wing in the process.

Eddie Irvine was a promising seventh quickest for Jaguar on the unique figure-of-eight track.

Jenson Button started his final race weekend for Renault before the switch to British American Racing for 2003 with the 12th fastest time, while what could be Allan McNish's last outing in F1 began with 14th place for Toyota.

Jacques Villeneuve eventually wound-up 19th after being stuck in the garage for much of the day after slamming his BAR into a tyre wall in a 140mph shunt in the first session.