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INDIANAPOLIS, June 18: Brazilian Rubens Barrichello pipped team mate Michael Schumacher to the top of the timesheets as Ferrari dominated Friday's first practice for the U.S. Grand Prix.
Barrichello lapped the 4.1-km Brickyard circuit in one minute 11.354 seconds, 0.265 quicker than the championship leader who is seeking his eighth win in nine races on Sunday.
The Brazilian won at Indianapolis two years ago and while yet to win this season is second in the championship, 16 points adrift of six times champion Schumacher. The fastest time was well inside Kimi Raikkonen's 2003 pole position for McLaren of 1:11.670.
BAR test driver Anthony Davidson was the closest to the Ferraris, lapping 0.339 slower than Barrichello on a bright and humid morning in Indianapolis, with the Williams of Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya fourth.
Toyota's Brazilian test driver Ricardo Zonta was fifth while Jaguar's Swedish test driver Bjorn Wirdheim raised the struggling team's hopes with the sixth best time, ahead of BAR's Jenson Button.
The session was halted for four minutes to allow marshals to remove the stalled Minardi of Italian Gianmaria Bruni, who spun at turn eight.
FREE PRACTICE TIMES
1. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 1:11.354
2. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 1:11.619
*3. Anthony Davidson (Britain) BAR 1:11.693
4. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 1:12.008
*5. Ricardo Zonta (Brazil) Toyota 1:12.366
*6. Bjorn Wirdheim (Sweden) Jaguar 1:12.424
7. Jenson Button (Britain) BAR 1:12.553
8. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Sauber 1:12.575
9. Olivier Panis (France) Toyota 1:12.631
10. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 1:12.850
11. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 1:12.989
12. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 1:13.147
13. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Renault 1:13.351
14. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Sauber 1:13.371
15. Takuma Sato (Japan) BAR 1:13.532
16. Cristiano da Matta (Brazil) Toyota 1:13.555
17. Mark Webber (Australia) Jaguar 1:13.762
18. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 1:13.916
19. Christian Klien (Austria) Jaguar 1:14.407
*20. Timo Glock (Germany) Jordan 1:15.017
21. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Jordan 1:15.020
*22. Bas Leinders (Belgium) Minardi 1:15.028
23. Giorgio Pantano (Italy) Jordan 1:15.260
24. Gianmaria Bruni (Italy) Minardi 1:15.468
25. Zsolt Baumgartner (Hungary) Minardi 1:17.051
Note: * denotes test drivers who will not race on Sunday. -Reuters
