Schumacher quick off the mark

Michael Schumacher was quickest in practice for the British Grand Prix this morning.

World champion and current championship leader Fernando Alonso feels the 37-year-old German, who trails the Spaniard by 21 points, will prove victorious at the Northamptonshire track tomorrow.

Schumacher at least topped the practice standings at Silverstone with the fastest lap so far of one minute 20.919 seconds in his Ferrari, almost half a second quicker than the remainder of the field.

Schumacher might have escaped censure by the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association following a meeting yesterday, but the fans certainly let the seven-times world champion know their feelings.

Despite the Monaco qualifying incident that so angered his fellow drivers, Schumacher’s role as a director of the GPDA is unaffected.

However, one banner at the back of the grandstand along the pit straight said it all as it read ‘Schumi – my granny parks better than you’.

The 37-year-old is still quick, though, with Nick Heidfeld in his BMW Sauber 0.442secs off the pace in second, and Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa almost a further three tenths down in third.

Kimi Raikkonen was fourth in his McLaren, although ended the hour-long session in dramatic session by putting a wheel on the grass at Vale and sliding backwards off the track, resulting in a long walk back to the pits.

The Renaults of Giancarlo Fisichella and Alonso completed the top six, with Jenson Button in his Honda 11th and Red Bull Racing’s David Coulthard 12th, with the British duo 1.677 and 1.762secs down on Schumacher.

It proved a dismal session for Super Aguri, with both Takuma Sato and Franck Montagny sliding out within the space of three minutes.

Japanese driver Sato initially lost control, careering across the gravel at Becketts before colliding with the safety barrier, losing his front-right wheel.

As if that was not bad enough for the team, Frenchman Montagny very quickly followed, spinning and beaching his car in the gravel at Priory, at least avoiding the damage sustained by Sato.

Only Christijan Albers finished below the duo in his Midland, failing to record a time after grinding to a halt early in the session.