Michael Schumacher narrowly avoided a 150 mph smash to help Ferrari power back to the top of the time-sheets at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza today.
The five-time world champion skidded off the track after losing control of his car at the sweeping Curva Parabolica on his first lap out of the pits.
Schumacher's car brushed against the tyre barrier but the German managed to avoid a more serious collision and was able to get the car back to the garage.
The 34-year-old, who has seen his lead in the championship whittled down to just one point with three races left, responded later in the hour long session by clocking the fastest time.
Although Schumacher was quickly relegated to second behind team-mate Rubens Barrichello - they were separated by just 0.1 seconds - he was ahead of his two main title rivals.
Schumacher finished around 0.2secs quicker than McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, third in the drivers' standings just two points adrift, with the Williams of second-placed Juan Pablo Montoya just behind in fourth spot.
Montoya and Raikkonen are both using the narrower Michelin tyres the manufacturer were forced to introduce after Ferrari, which uses Bridgestone tyres, protested the legality of the rubber their rivals had been using this season.
David Coulthard finished fifth fastest in his McLaren with Jenson Button a promising seventh for BAR, the British duo being split by Brazil's Cristiano da Matta in his Toyota.
Renault's Fernando Alonso, who roared into the history books at the last race in Hungary three weeks ago by becoming Formula One's youngest winner, was eighth.
Germany's Ralf Schumacher was one place further back after being given the all-clear to race yesterday having barrel-rolled out of the test at Monza last week when the rear suspension on his Williams broke.
Hungary's Zsolt Baumgartner, who has replaced Ralph Firman after the British rookie was ordered not to race following his crash in Hungary, finished one place off the bottom of the time-sheets in 19th spot.
Britain's Justin Wilson was 16th for Jaguar Racing having been given extra time by the team to prove he should be retained in 2004.