Raikkonen leads Hungarian Grand Prix practice

BUDAPEST, Aug 4 (Reuters) Kimi Raikkonen continued McLaren's return to form with the quickest lap in opening practice for the Hungarian Grand Prix today.

The Finn, last year's runaway winner at the Hungaroring and third in Germany last weekend, set a time of one minute 21.624 seconds on a damp and grey morning after heavy overnight showers.

Briton Anthony Davidson, who will not race on Sunday, was second quickest in a Honda, 0.772 seconds adrift.

Ferrari's seven times world champion Michael Schumacher was third and McLaren's Pedro de la Rosa fourth.

Schumacher has won the last three races and is 11 points behind Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso with six rounds remaining.

Spaniard Alonso, as usual for a Friday morning, did not set a timed lap to save his engine.

Hungary has long been considered the closest thing to a home race for Formula One's Finnish drivers and Raikkonen can count on considerable support this weekend.

So too can Poland's Robert Kubica, usually to be seen pounding round the racetrack in Friday practice as part of his BMW Sauber third driver duties, who signalled his move up to the race seat by also staying off the track.

Kubica is replacing Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, who told the team on Tuesday that he had not recovered from a big crash in last weekend's German Grand Prix.

REUTERS DH HT1632