Schumacher fastest for Ferrari at Monza

Michael Schumacher kept the Ferrari fans in party mood on Friday with the fastest time in first free practice for the Formula One world champions' home Italian Grand Prix.

Schumacher, returning to Ferrari's home track with both the drivers' and constructors' titles already won along with a string of records, lapped 0.799 of a second quicker than the Williams of Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya.

The German's time of one minute 22.869 was only six tenths off Montoya's 2001 pole time of 1:22.216 and suggested that, weather permitting, Formula One could be in for the fastest race in history on Sunday.

Monza, the fastest track on the calendar, holds the current record with an average speed of 150.76 mph set by American Peter Gethin in a BRM in 1971.

Last year's race saw an average of 148.572 and lap times this season have been getting faster.

Ralf Schumacher was third fastest for Williams in 1:24.115, indicating that the BMW-powered team could again be Ferrari's main rivals on Sunday.

Jaguar's revival, with Eddie Irvine's sixth place at Spa two weeks ago, appeared to be continuing with both the green cars in the top six on the timesheets on an overcast and damp day at the circuit near Milan.

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, Schumacher's Ferrari team mate, managed just two laps before a brake problem sidelined him for the rest of the session.

Sauber's Felipe Massa and Nick Heidfeld became the first drivers to use the HANS head and neck protection system -- mandatory from next year -- at a grand prix weekend.

McLaren's David Coulthard was eighth fastest after being fined $8,500 for exceeding the pit lane speed limit a second after the session had started.

At the rear end of the field, Malaysian Alex Yoong returned from a two-race layoff at Minardi after failing to qualify for three grands prix and lapped faster than Australian team mate Mark Webber.