Ferraris set the pace

Updated 16.00 Fri Jun 29 2007

Keywords: Mercedes, Magny-Cours, French Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso, Formula One, McLaren, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa

Ferrari pair Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen topped the timesheets on the Friday practice sessions for the French Grand Prix.

The Italian constructor has had to play second fiddle to the resurgent McLaren team for much of the season.

Massa and Raikkonen finally seem to have got their act together as the duo were easily head and shoulders above their rivals around Magny-Cours

But Massa and Raikkonen finally seem to have got their act together as the duo were easily head and shoulders above their rivals around Magny-Cours.

Raikkonen, currently trailing championship leader Lewis Hamilton by 26 points, posted the fastest time of the day in the first of the two 90-minute sessions with Massa quickest in the second timed outing.

The Toro Rosso of Scott Speed was third fastest in the afternoon ahead of Hamilton.

The 22-year-old Briton, who leads the world championship by ten points from team-mate Fernando Alonso, was down in fourth just over three-tenths of a second adrift.

In the first session Hamilton suffered a technical failure when he was forced to pull off the circuit with engine trouble.

The second Toro Rosso of Tonio Liuzzi was fifth fastest ahead of Saturday's qualifying session, followed by David Coulthard for Red Bull Racing in sixth.

Current world champion, Fernando Alonso, was a lowly eighth and half a second down.

The 25-year-old did not have a happy afternoon as he ran off the circuit on three separate occasions.