SPIELBERG, Austria McLaren's Mika Hakkinen showed no signs of suffering from influenza on Friday as he set the fastest time in opening free practice for the Austrian Grand Prix.

The two times world champion, who has won at the A1 ring twice in the last three years, lapped in a best time of one minute 11.751 seconds, Reuters reported.

British teammate David Coulthard, second in the championship behind Ferrari's Michael Schumacher, was second fastest in 1:12.036 ahead of Ferrari's Brazilian Rubens Barrichello in 1:12.222.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen was fourth fastest in a Sauber in 1:12.617. Hakkinen's time compared to his 2000 pole position of 1:10.410.

World champion Schumacher, the winner in the last Grand Prix in Barcelona, went off into a gravel trap toward the close of the session.

The German was sixth fastest behind the Williams of his younger brother Ralf, who now lives in Austria.

Finn Hakkinen, who led the last Spanish Grand Prix until his McLaren's clutch exploded on the last lap, had been suffering from flu on Thursday.

Ralf, winner in San Marino last month, and his Colombian teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, runner-up in Spain, went off in a session that started bright but clouded over toward the end.

A second free practice session was scheduled for 1200 GMT.