Ferrari remain impressive in German GP practice

Saturday morning practice for the German Grand Prix remained cloudy and Ferrari kept the same unbeatable form from Friday. In the first session Michael Schumacher led Rubens Barrichello as the rest of the pack tried to keep up. It was much the same in the second 45 minute session, Schumacher and the F2002 once again topping the times with a 1:14.487. A minor off for Barrichello in the Stadium section was the extent of the team's troubles.

Williams showed better form with Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher closing up behind the Ferraris and displacing the McLarens pace of yesterday. Ralf managed to squeeze between the Ferraris into second fastest, in the second session, Montoya lurking behind Barrichello in fourth. David Coulthard and Kimi Raikkonen ended up ninth and fourteenth respectively.

Sauber returned to its practice session form this weekend, both Felipe Massa and Nick Heidfeld in and out of the top six. Massa, with his usual enthusiasm, spun a couple of times and Heidfeld was consistently in the front runners. Renault struggled, Jarno Trulli -- who had a disastrous Friday -- was the better of the two, Jenson Button down in the back markers. Renault showed good early form this season but seem to be a bit lost at the moment.

Giancarlo Fisichella was fast for Jordan, seventh at the end of practices and team mate Takuma Sato just outside the top ten. Jaguar's impressive form of yesterday with Eddie Irvine slipped away, the Irishman down in fifteenth and Pedro de la Rosa eighteenth. Mika Salo took Toyota to eighth fastest and Allan McNish tenth; Toyota continue to impress until they get into a race.

BAR were disappointing after Olivier Panis' fine performance in previous practice; the Frenchman fourteenth and Jacques Villenueve sixteenth. Arrows also slipped away from yesterday's form, Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Enrique Bernoldi making up the back markers with Minardi. Final top six classification: M. Schumacher, R. Schumacher, Barrichello, Montoya, Heidfeld, Massa.