Schumacher sets the pace

Michael Schumacher fired a warning to his rivals ahead of qualifying for the European Grand Prix by setting the fastest time practice at the Nurburgring.

The former world champion arrived in Germany on the back of his first win since 2004, but with doubts persisting over Ferrari’s ability to maintain their Imola pace.

Schumacher has been on form all weekend on home turf though and he prepared for qualifying with a blistering lap of one minute 30.788 seconds as Ferrari took a clean sweep of the top two.

Felipe Massa was 0.305secs behind in second while Toyota’s Ralf Schumacher pulled out a third-place lap late in practice despite languishing in the bottom four for most of the one-hour session.

Jacques Villeneuve gave BMW-Sauber reason for optimism with fourth place while Giancarlo Fisichella ran through the gravel with 25 minutes gone but still managed to take fifth for Renault.

His team-mate, world champion Fernando Alonso, was just behind in sixth but the Spaniard was over a second slower than his Imola nemesis Schumacher.

Honda’s Jenson Button was 1.316secs off the pace in seventh place as he prepares to defend the best qualifying record in the field. The Englishman has not qualified outside the top three all season and is aiming for his second pole of the season later today.

Kimi Raikkonen continued to struggle for pace in his McLaren, ending the session in 10th place after spinning earlier in the session. Team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya struggled to 17th.

Scotsman David Coulthard was 16th for Red Bull while at the bottom of the timing sheets, Super Aguri rookie impressed by beating team-mate Takuma Sato in just his second day behind the wheel.