Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher crashed into a tyre wall while title contenders McLaren made a quick start to their Italian Grand Prix preparations on Friday.The German, likely to be mathematically out of contention for the championship after Sunday’s race, lost control at the fast Parabolica corner and skidded across the gravel and backwards into the barriers.The seven-times world champion became an unhappy spectator, standing behind the barrier for the remaining half hour of the session to watch McLaren live up to their billing as race favourites.Test driver Pedro de la Rosa was more than a second and a half faster than anyone else in first free practice and McLaren filled three of the top four places in an afternoon session topped by Toyota’s test driver Ricardo Zonta.De la Rosa’s morning time of one minute 20.201 seconds was the fastest of the day and well inside the race lap record set by Ferrari’s Brazilian Rubens Barrichello last year.Zonta lapped later in 1:20.531. Australian Mark Webber prevented a McLaren sweep in the morning and his Williams was again fast in the second hour-long stint with the fifth best time ahead of German team mate Nick Heidfeld.That came as a boost for the BMW-powered team after both their cars were forced to retire from the last race in Turkey due to repeat tyre failures. (Reuters)
