Massa leads Canada GP practice from Kubica

Jun 6, 2008, 18:56 GMT

Montreal - Felipe Massa led the way for Ferrari in a wet first practice session for the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix on Friday, with BMW driver Robert Kubica placing second a year after a horrific crash on the course.

Massa clocked 1 minute 17.553 seconds for the 4.361-kilometres lap on the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit. Kubica was second in 1:17.809 and Heikki Kovalainen third in a McLaren-Mercedes in 1:18.133 minutes.

World champion Kimi Raikkonen came fifth in the other Ferrari in 1:18.292, finishing ahead of championship leader Lewis Hamilton of McLaren, who posted 1:18.303 minutes.

Faster times were expected for the second session later Friday as the course dried up towards the end of the first 90-minute stint.

Kubica's good result confirmed that he was not traumatized by last year's spectacular high-speed crash when his car flew over the top of Jarno Trulli's Toyota and smashed into a concrete wall after is now behind him. He escaped the incdent with minor injuries.

Hamilton got his first career win last year in Montreal and hopes to follow it up with another top spot on Sunday.

Coming off his second season win in Monte Carlo almost two weeks ago, The Briton leads the drivers standings with 38 points from Raikkonen (35), Massa (34) and Kubica 32.

Qualifying was scheduled for Saturday and the race for Sunday.

The Canadian GP is the first race since Max Mosley won a vote of confidence Tuesday to stay on as president of the ruling motorsport body FIA - despite calls for to quit over a sex scandal from F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone and several teams.

Most teams refrained from commenting on the issue but BMW motorsport chief Mario Theissen said that FIA could face difficult times.