Barrichello blows it in first session.

In a largely uneventful first session this morning at Monza it was a case of the usual suspects at the top of the timesheets, save for Rubens Barrichello, who suffered an engine blow after completing a mere four laps.

Barrichello's mechanics now face a busy time trying to replace the engine - one of the latest spec qualifying lumps - for the next session.

It was familiar early session protagonists Minardi that set the first times in the session, with Webber followed by Yoong on his return to the sport. Japanese Jordan rookie Takuma Sato the first driver to go out and beat the Malaysian sponsored cars. He didn't hold that mantle for long however, as Michael Schumacher opted to set an early time with a 1 min 23.319, then next out for a 1.22.538.

With 21 minutes to go Barrichello had completed his fourth lap of the session and the left bank on the new qualifying engine decided to let go, stranding Barrichello and the car at an awkward part of the circuit such that the session was stopped.

As the cars returned to the track after the Ferrari was removed from danger it was clean running for the rest of the session. Michael Schumacher was down in the 1min 22s as was Juan Pablo Montoya. The Jaguars cemented their good form with strong showings from both drivers at the top end of the times.

In the closing minutes Michael Schumacher decided that Montoya had got close enough to him and set a 1min 22.110s. Five minutes to go and David Coulthard, who was not looking quick until then, was up to third quickest. Then in the closing seconds Montoya set notice that there could be an interesting qualifying session by going just 2 hundredths slower than Schumacher.

Top Times:
1 Michael Schumacher
2 Juan Pablo Montoya
3 David Coulthard
4 Kimi Raikkonen
5 Ralf Schumacher
6 Eddie Irvine
7 Pedro de la Rosa
8 Felipe Massa
9 Allan McNish
10 Jacques Villeneuve