Raikkonen leads Brazilian GP practice

SAO PAULO, Oct 20 (Reuters) McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen set the pace in Friday's first free practice for Sunday's season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix.

Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso, who needs only one point at Interlagos to secure his second Formula One title in a row, did not set a timed lap while Ferrari's Michael Schumacher stayed off the track altogether.

Schumacher, preparing for one last race before retirement at the age of 37, can win a record eighth championship only if he takes his 92nd career victory on Sunday and Alonso fails to score.

Alonso is 10 points ahead of Schumacher with both on seven wins each.

Raikkonen, Schumacher's successor at Ferrari next season, lapped in one minute 13.764 seconds with Honda test driver Anthony Davidson 0.138 seconds slower on an overcast and damp morning in Sao Paulo.

The Finn has been runner-up at Interlagos for the past three years and is chasing his Mercedes-powered team's first win of the season.

Austrian Alexander Wurz, the Williams test driver, was third fastest ahead of German teenager Sebastian Vettel in the BMW Sauber.

McLaren's Pedro de la Rosa was fifth fastest.

REUTERS PDS BS2123