NUERBURGRING, Germany -- Ferrari's Michael Schumacher set himself up for a qualifying battle on home territory on Saturday with the fastest lap in final practice for today's European Grand Prix.

The Formula One world champion, chasing his 60th career victory and his seventh in nine races this season, lapped the reconfigured Nuerburgring circuit in one minute 30.658 seconds.

The German spun, without serious consequences, on a bright morning in the Eifel hills and set his fastest time in that first session.

Free practice, and the televised hourlong qualifying later on Saturday, were moved forward by 45 minutes to prevent a clash with World Cup soccer action.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen was second fastest in the McLaren, 0.518 behind Schumacher, with Brazilian Rubens Barrichello third in the second Ferrari.

Williams asserted themselves as Ferrari's closest challengers in the first session, with Ralf Schumacher and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya following the Italian cars on the timesheets.

But they fell back later with Montoya, chasing his third successive pole, eighth fastest.

Australian Mark Webber, who tests for Jaguar next week, was 14th fastest for Minardi, Reuters reported.

Schumacher won and was on pole last year but his 2001 lap of 1:14.960 does not compare with this year's times since the circuit -- just an hour's drive from his boyhood home in Kerpen -- is now considerably longer.

He has a runaway lead of 43 points over Ralf and Montoya but, records aside, will be eager to continue piling on the points ahead of a hearing in Paris next Wednesday that could punish him for events in Austria last month.

The German won at Spielberg after Barrichello slowed in the final meters to let him through and Schumacher then controversially pushed the Brazilian to the top of the podium to collect the winner's trophy.