Raikkonen fastest in final European GP practice

NUERBURGRING, Germany, July 21 (Reuters) Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was fastest in final free practice today for a European Grand Prix that could bring him a third win in a row.

On a bright and clear morning at the Nuerburgring, the Finn limbered up for qualifying later in the afternoon with a best lap of one minute 31.396 seconds.

McLaren's 22-year-old rookie championship leader Lewis Hamilton, fastest in yesterday practice, was second quickest with a time 0.231 seconds slower.

Hamilton, who leads team mate and double world champion Fernando Alonso by 12 points, is chasing his 10th podium finish in a row tomorrow Alonso was third on the timesheets, despite his lap of 1:32.039 being matched exactly by BMW Sauber's Polish driver Robert Kubica, with Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa fifth.

Leaders McLaren, racing under the shadow of a spying controversy that could dent their championship hopes at a hearing called by the governing body in Paris next Thursday, are 25 points clear of Ferrari.

tomorrow's race will be the first in Germany since the retirement of the country's seven times world champion Michael Schumacher last October.

Raikkonen, who has a poor record at the Nuerburgring, will be hoping for some of his Ferrari predecessor's luck there as he seeks to add to wins in France and Britain this month.

REUTERS BJR KP1600