FERRARI have high hopes of retaining their slender lead in the world constructors' championship at tomorrow's Canadian Grand Prix, where they will be up against the home town hero and drivers' championship leader Jacques Villeneuve in a Williams Renault.

Villeneuve was pipped to the fastest time on the opening day of practice by teammate Heinz Harald Frentzen and Jordan driver Giancarlo Fisichella, while Eddie Irvine led the Ferrari challenge in eighth.

Irvine has predicted that Canada holds good prospects for Ferrari: "Here you need good brakes and traction and we've got both. The track has some straights but no really fast corners, which is where we tend to suffer."

Yesterday's afternoon session was a messy affair, being interrupted by rain and a 10 minute stoppage to remove the wreckage of David Coulthard's McLaren.