(MY086) Webber on top after opening free practice

Australian Mark Webber topped the times in Friday morning's opening free practice for Sunday's German Grand Prix, narrowly outpacing championship leader Briton Jenson Button.

Australian Mark Webber topped the times in Friday morning's opening free practice for Sunday's German Grand Prix, narrowly outpacing championship leader Briton Jenson Button.

The 32-year-old Red Bull driver maintained the impressive form shown by his team at last month's British Grand Prix with a fastest lap in one minute and 32.082 seconds.

Button, in his Brawn GP car, was three-tenths of a second slower with Brazilian Felipe Massa of Ferrari third, a further three-tenths adrift of Webber's top time on a cool, damp and overcast morning in the Eiffel mountains.

The conditions were similar to those at Silverstone three weeks ago and once again appeared to favour Webber and Red Bull as Brawn battled to bring the best out of their car.

But while Webber shone again, it was a difficult morning for his young team-mate German Sebastian Vettel who came to a halt after at the first corner after only 10 laps.

His Red Bull car needed repairs and he rejoined later on only to wind up eighth-fastest as he struggled to find the form that brought him victory at the British race.

Half of the session was virtually lost to the wet conditions during early drizzle before Webber took command and began setting the benchmark times for the rest to chase.

Italian veteran Jarno Trulli of Toyota wound up fourth ahead of compatriot Giancarlo Fisichella of Force India, a team showing rapid improvements as the season continues.

But Fisichella's promising young team-mate German Adrian Sutil was forced to stop early in the session and had to return to the pits and sit out the practice.

Button's Brawn team-mate Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello endured a troubled morning and ended up 12th.

Finn Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari was sixth, two-times champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Renault was 10th and defending champion Briton lewis Hamilton was 13th for McLaren Mercedes while his team-mate Finn Heikki Kovalainen struggled to take 18th place.