Crowd gives Schumacher easy ride

Michael Schumacher saw the jeers turn to cheers today as he took to the track in Monaco for the first time since his controversial win in Austria.

The Formula One champion was all smiles and blew kisses to the crowd in stark contrast to the boos he suffered at the A1-Ring 11 days ago after he was gifted victory when Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello moved over just before the line.

Schumacher responded by clocking the fastest time in opening practice for Sunday's race.

The German, who leads the championship by 27 points heading into the seventh round of the 17-race season, finished almost 0.3 seconds quicker than Britain's David Coulthard, who ended the session in second.

Monaco resident Coulthard scored his last pole position in last year's race and was on top of the timesheets for much of today's practice until Schumacher's charge.

The Scot is effectively out of title contention given his 44-point deficit to the title pacesetter but will take heart from today's display after a frustrating campaign.

But McLaren team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was ninth after he drifted too close to a metal barrier on the inside of the circuit and was sent sliding backwards into the perimeter barrier on the other side of the track. The Finn was watched by countryman Mika Hakkinen who was attending his first race since taking a sabbatical.

Renault's Jarno Trulli was third quickest, Barrichello fourth and Germany's Heinz-Harald Frentzen fifth fastest in the Arrows just ahead of the BAR duo of Jacques Villeneuve and Olivier Panis.

Jenson Button was eighth in his Renault while Eddie Irvine was 11th though Jaguar Racing team-mate Pedro de la Rosa damaged his front wing after hitting the barrier.

Allan McNish, on his first outing at Monaco, was 12th in the Toyota.

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F1 2002 - essential guide