Barrichello tops first practice

By Sasha Forbes
22 May 2009

Brawn GP's Rubens Barrichello was the fastest yesterday at the Monaco Grand Prix's opening practice session, with Ferrari and McLaren joining Formula One's surprise team at the top of the timesheet.

Barrichello set a fastest lap time of 1 minute-17-point-189 seconds to lead Ferrari's Felipe Massa by just over three-tenths of a second.

Lewis Hamilton, who won the famed street circuit race last year, was third with a best lap of 1-minute-17-point-578 ahead of teammate Heikki Kovalainen.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen completed the top-five, finishing 0-point-839 back of Barrichello.

Overall leader Jenson Button placed eighth, nearly one second off the pace.

Button has won four of the season's first five races to lead teammate Barrichello by 14 points in the standings. Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, the only other winner this year, trails by 18 points in third.