JOHNNY HERBERT catapulted Sauber to the top of a grand prix timing sheets yesterday for the first time in the Swiss team's five year F1 history, when he posted the fastest time in the first free practice session, ahead of Michael Schumacher, for Sunday's 55th edition of the most demanding and charismatic race on the international calendar.

HeinzHarald Frentzen, fresh from his first grand prix victory at Imola 10 days ago, initially traded fastest times at the head of the field with Williams teammate Jacques Villeneuve. It ended with Frentzen clipping a barrier and bouncing into the wall on the opposite side of the circuit as he negotiated the tricky right hander immediately before the pits.

Villeneuve finished up third fastest ahead of the impressive Giancarlo Fisichella's Jordan, Gerhard Berger's Benetton and Mika Hakkinen's McLaren. Jordan's other driver Ralf Schumacher was placed eighth, with Eddie Irvine's Ferrari in 12th.