Kimi Raikkonen underlined his belief Ferrari will be a force at this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.
Reigning world champion Raikkonen, who also leads this season's drivers' standings by seven points, posted the quickest time in first practice under clear blue skies on the French Riviera.
However, the 20 drivers on show around the streets of Monte Carlo should enjoy the conditions while they last as rain is forecast throughout the weekend, more prominently on race day.
In dry conditions, Raikkonen edged out Lewis Hamilton by 0.268 seconds as he set a lap time of one minute 15.948secs in his Ferrari.
McLaren star Hamilton had led proceedings for the majority of the 90-minute session that had to be red-flagged for 16 minutes due to concerns over a manhole cover on a section of the public road.
But Hamilton, who was runner-up in last year's race, was forced to settle for second again as Ferrari - and Raikkonen in particular after the team's trouncing on this circuit last year - signalled their intent.
Heikki Kovalainen was third quickest, exactly 0.3secs down, with Ferrari's Felipe Massa completing a not entirely unexpected top four.
They were followed by Williams' Nico Rosberg and Robert Kubica in his BMW Sauber, with Fernando Alonso - winner here of the last two races - seventh for Renault, but over 1.5secs down on Raikkonen.
Honda's Rubens Barrichello, the Red Bull of Mark Webber and Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella - on the occasion of his 200th grands prix - completed the top 10, all within two seconds of the leader.
Jenson Button was 12th, 2.2secs adrift in his Honda, with David Coulthard at the bottom of the standings without setting a time due to a small fire early on in his Red Bull.
BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld also suffered problems, slowing and pulling off track just before Casino Square, as did Jarno Trulli who buckled his left-rear wheel after clipping a barrier coming out of the tunnel.
Times
01 K. Rдikkцnen Ferrari 1:15.948 26 laps
02 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:16.216 26 laps
03 H. Kovalainen McLaren 1:16.248 27 laps
04 F. Massa Ferrari 1:16.292 25 laps
05 N. Rosberg Williams 1:16.653 27 laps
06 R. Kubica BMW 1:16.653 27 laps
07 F. Alonso Renault 1:17.498 25 laps
08 R. Barrichello Honda 1:17.511 26 laps
09 M. Webber Red Bull 1:17.798 22 laps
10 G. Fisichella Force India F1 1:17.883 26 laps
11 T. Glock Toyota 1:17.942 26 laps
12 J. Button Honda 1:18.153 25 laps
13 S. Bourdais Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:18.245 30 laps
14 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:18.263 13 laps
15 K. Nakajima Williams 1:18.274 28 laps
16 J. Trulli Toyota 1:18.360 16 laps
17 A. Sutil Force India F1 1:18.360 25 laps
18 N. Piquet jr. Renault 1:18.955 32 laps
19 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:19.176 35 laps
20 D. Coulthard Red Bull no time 3 laps
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