Michael Schumacher back on track but Brits set the pace

Michael Schumacher was back up to speed for Mercedes in first practice for Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix but could still not catch the McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

The seven-time champion has picked up only 10 points on his return to Formula One this year but arrived in Barcelona with new hope following major modifications to his car.

And the work by the team — most notably to the chassis — paid off as 41-year-old Schumacher was third behind the Britons.

The German was just edged out by Button and almost 0.6sec adrift of Hamilton, who lapped the Circuit de Catalunya fastest in 1min 21.134sec. Schumacher was, though, nearly 0.3sec ahead of Red Bull duo Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel, with Rosberg sixth in the other Mercedes.

Nick Fry, Mercedes chief operating officer, said: "We've been trying out a lot of different things — it looks promising. Things are going to plan and I expect to see continual improvement."

McLaren's one-two was the reverse of their positions at the last race in China, where victory for Button saw him leap to the top of the drivers' standings.

Today the world champion lost a piece of bodywork at one point as he exited onto the pit straight, forcing him back into the garage.

Fernando Alonso was eighth, four places ahead of Ferrari team‑mate Felipe Massa.