Michael Schumacher re-asserted his supremacy as practice resumed for the Austrian Grand Prix in Zeltweg on Saturday.

The championship leader finished the last session before qualifying on the A1-Ring faster by more than half-a-second from Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello.

Schumacher, who leads the standings by 21 points after winning four of the first five races, had been second-quickest overnight behind Barrichello, but wasted no time regaining top spot.

The battle for pole position looks set to be a private duel between the two Ferrari drivers for the third race running with the rest of the challengers well adrift in practice.

 Take a spin round the circuit with Jarno Trulli

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen was third-quickest this morning but he was a massive 1.5 secs adrift of Schumacher.

Germany's Heinz-Harald Frentzen clocked the fourth-best time late in the 45-minute session for Arrows.

Sauber's Felipe Massa was fifth with McLaren's David Coulthard, who won the race last year, sixth but over 1.8 secs off the pace set by the four-time champion.

Jenson Button was ninth in the Renault but the Williams duo of Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher - the closest challengers to the championship leader - were both well back.

Montoya was 12th fastest while Schumacher junior was 17th. Allan McNish was 16th for Toyota with Eddie Irvine 19th in the Jaguar.

Saturday's free practice times ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix:

1 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari one minute 09.001 seconds
2 Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 1:09.607
3 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 1:10.593
4 Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Arrows 1:10.764
5 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Sauber 1:10.765
6 David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 1:10.795
7 Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Sauber 1:10.818
8 Olivier Panis (France) BAR 1:10.830
9 Jenson Button (Britain) Renault 1:10.872
10 Enrique Bernoldi (Brazil) Arrows 1:10.942
11 Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Jordan 1:11.248
12 Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 1:11.250
13 Takuma Sato (Japan) Jordan 1:11.355
14 Jarno Trulli (Italy) Renault 1:11.401
15 Mika Salo (FInland) Toyota 1:11.422
16 Allan McNish (Britain) Toyota 1:11.430
17 Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 1:11.663
18 Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 1:11.795
19 Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 1:11.879
20 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Jaguar 1:12.274
21 Mark Webber (Australia) Minardi 1:13.744
22 Alex Yoong (Malaysia) Minardi 1:13.955

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