SAO PAULO, March 29: Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher gave the new Ferrari an impressive first outing at the Brazilian Grand Prix with the fastest time in Friday’s practice.

The German coolly lapped in one minute 15.627 seconds as the shiny scarlet F2002 broke cover at a race weekend for the first time after being left at home for the first two grands prix of the season.

Schumacher had one spin but his best time was still 1.018 seconds faster than the Williams of his younger brother Ralf, although well outside Michael’s 2001 pole position time of 1:13.780.

It was also a marked contrast to the miserable start to the Easter weekend suffered by Ferrari team mate Rubens Barrichello in the old car.

The Brazilian, who seems almost jinxed at his home circuit where he has failed to finish his last seven races, had a puncture on his first lap.

He then spun out without setting a competitive time and was last on the timesheets with only three laps run on a bright and hot morning in Sao Paulo.

McLaren’s David Coulthard, like Barrichello seeking his first points of the season, also spun in a session halted when his Finnish team mate Kimi Raikkonen spun and could not be restarted.

While the Scot extricated his car from what looked like a vivid bed of trackside flowers and continued, Raikkonen completed only four laps and was 19th fastest. Coulthard was 11th quickest.

Italian Giancarlo Fisichella, who has a strong record at Interlagos against the odds, was third fastest for Jordan, while the Ferrari-powered Saubers of Nick Heidfeld and local Felipe Massa were fourth and fifth.

Free practice times:

1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari one minute 15.627 seconds.; 2. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 1:16.645; 3. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Jordan 1:16.770; 4. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Sauber 1:17.018; 5. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Sauber 1:17.081; 6. Enrique Bernoldi (Brazil) Arrows 1:17.327; 7. Jenson Button (Britain) Renault 1:17.522; 8. Takuma Sato (Japan) Jordan 1:17.624; 9. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 1:17.661; 10. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Arrows 1:17.717; 11. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 1:17.721; 12. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Renault 1:17.979; 13. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 1:18.121; 14. Allan McNish (Britain) Toyota 1:18.128; 15. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Jaguar 1:18.171; 16. Olivier Panis (France) BAR 1:18.237; 17. Mika Salo (Finland) Toyota 1:18.280; 18. Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 1:18.318; 19. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 1:19.247; 20. Mark Webber (Australia) Minardi 1:19.320; 21. Alex Yoong (Malaysia) Minardi 1:22.192; 22. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 32:02.755—Reuters