EDDIE JORDAN'S Formula One team continued its most competitive spell in its five year history with Rubens Barrichello being faster than all but Michael Schumacher at the end of the first day's practice for the San Marino Grand Prix to be held on the outskirts of the medieval Italian town of Imola.

Schumacher delighted Ferrari fans by being fastest overall in both sessions in his first race for the scarlet cars on Italian soil.

Eddie Irvine was second to Schumacher until he spun off mid way through the afternoon session.

"The four fastest cars in Grand Prix now are Schumacher, the two Williams and Barrichello," said John Watson, Ireland's most successful driver who celebrates his 50th birthday today.

"The Peugeot engine is now as strong as the best of them and Rubens is much more mature and confident this year - he didn't put a foot wrong all last weekend despite having Schumacher and Hill on his tail for most of the race," said the Belfast man.

For Barrichello, Imola carries memories of two years ago and his own narrow brush with death and the accidents which skilled Ratzenberger and his idol Ayrton Senna. "It is hard here at Imola," he reflected after his fine performance around what is now a considerably slower and safer track.

"I was a bit surprised to end up second today because the session didn't start very well," said the Brazilian.

"When I went out on slicks the car felt bad like there was something fundamentally wrong. The tyres grained very badly. Then I came in and we put on a new set of tyres and changed a few things and straight away it was much better. I am hoping to be fighting for a place on the front row," he added.

Martin Brundle only completed two laps in the morning session when a gearbox problem sidelined him. In the afternoon he finished 11th after completing only 23 of the allowed 30 laps: "I didn't race here last year, so the loss of the morning was a blow.

"In the afternoon I was playing `catch up' all the time but I only used one set of tyres (out of seven allowed for the weekend) so I will have plenty in my pocket for the official session," said the 36 year old Norfolk man.

Michael Schumacher was spectacular in the Ferrari 310 and early in the session blasted around the parkland track in 1 minute, 28.831 seconds a time no one could get within a half a second of as the session went on.

"We have quite a good set up," said the World Champion afterwards. "But I think the Williams ran with a lot of fuel so I am sure they will be faster in the official session.

Schumacher stepped over the limit on his last lap - careering off the track but coming to a rest harmlessly in the gravel trap. Eddie Irvine was second fastest half way through the afternoon practice when he spun and stalled the engine: "I went up on a kerb and the steering got out of my hands. I spun but the clutch is on the steering and I couldn't operate it to stop the engine from stalling."

Irvine enjoys life as a Ferrari driver in Italy and is very popular with the fans who cheered loudly as he waved to them on his long walk back to the garage. He lives a half an hour drive away in Bologna during the racing season.

Ferrari have a new version of their V10 engine this weekend and Hill believes they will be strong: "It's important for Ferrari to do something here in front of the home fans, but I will be trying - hard to win," said the winner of three of the first four races of the season.

Jacques Villeneuve was third yesterday and is happy to be in Imola: "This is the first Fl track this year that I know well. I tested a lot here over the winter and won the Italian Formula three championship here in 1991. There are a lot of silly chicanes but I suppose they are necessary," said last weekend's winner.

Damon Hill shrugged off one of the most uncompetitive days of his Formula One campaign to warn his rivals: "You ain't seen nothing yet."

The championship leader finished a comparatively lowly sixth in initial free practice. However, Hill immediately issued a note of caution to the Ferrari faithful by indicating he is ready to shoot down the Ferrrari team - symbolised by the famous `prancing horse' - in qualifying.

"I'd be foolish not to be concerned at all by Michael's time," said Hill after finishing one and a half seconds off the pace set by the German. "But we have got something in hand.

"We can go quicker than that. There is certainly more to come far as I am concerned, the times today are not a good indicator of what is in store for the rest of the weekend."

But Hill faces a tough battle to extend his 11 point lead in the championship, having seen his three race unbeaten run - in the Williams Renault this season come to an end in Germany last weekend.

The race looks set to be a duel between Williams and Ferrari with the Benetton duo of Jean Alesi and Gerhard Berger way down in 13th and 14th places, though they warned they were concentrating on race set up.

Benetton's poor start, after the departure of Schumacher, in the early races had led to rum ours that they are contemplating dumping one of their drivers before the end of the campaign.

But team boss Flavio Briatore played that down yesterday insisting the team - who are powered by the same Renault engine as Williams - could yet cause Hill some problems.

"I am happy with Jean (Alesi) and Gerhard (Berger) so far," said Briatore. "Last year we ran the team for one driver, but this year. We have two and it is up to us to give them the right support.

"I have been impressed by Damon this year - I always believed he was a good driver but it is easy to say that when he is winning.