SHANGHAI, Sept 25 (AFP) - Ferrari posted the two fastest times in the final practice session for the first ever Chinese Grand Prix here Saturday, with Michael Schumacher quickest round the new circuit.
The world champion negotiated the tricky 3.387 miles track in 1 min 33.448 secs, 0.348secs ahead of teammate Rubens Barrichello, who won the last Grand Prix in Italy.
Despite the German's performance in ideal conditions on the new Shanghai International Circuit, his time was still slower than BAR-Honda test driver Anthony Davidson's scorching lap in practice Friday.
As BAR's third driver, Davidson was not behind the wheel Saturday as test drivers are only permitted a run-out on the Friday.
His teammate Jenson Button picked up the mantle, posting fourth fastest with a time of 1:34.223 but BAR's other driver Takuma Sato, who had engine trouble Friday, was outside the top 10, finishing 13th.
McLaren-Mercedes driver Kimi Raikkonen, who won in Belgium, clocked the third fastest time of the session with Italian Giancarlo Fisichella in the Sauber rounding out the top five.
There was a welcome boost for Jordan, who are still reeling from the news that they are losing their subsidised engines next year, with Nick Heidfeld pushing the car to an excellent sixth.
Ferrari had teething troubles on the new track Friday, including tyre choice, but they looked to have sorted it out as world number one Schumacher aims for a first victory in three races.
He posted persistently good times Saturday, driving his quickest lap some 20 minutes into the 45-minute session, which proved too fast for anyone else to catch.
Columbian Juan Pablo Montoya in the Williams-BMW, David Coulthard in the McLaren-Mercedes, Ricardo Zonta in a Toyota and Felipe Massa's Sauber-Petronas completed the top ten.
It was a disappointing day for Ralf Schumacher, back in action for the first time in three months after fracturing vertebrae at the United States Grand Prix, who could only manage 12th.
He had led the field in the first of the day's two 45 minute sessions with a time of 1:34.380.
Canadian Jacques Villenueve, returning to action after being dumped by BAR last year, was 15th in his Renault with teammate Fernando Alonso of Spain 11th.
Despite it being the first Formula One in China, there were disappointing crowds watching the action. Although organisers say they expect 160,000 people for the race Sunday, there have been plenty of empty seats so far.