Schumacher sets the pace in Monaco
 |  Schumacher sets a fierce pace in search of his sixth straight win |
MONACO -- Michael Schumacher launched his bid for a sixth Monaco Grand Prix victory -- and his sixth win of the season -- when he proved fastest in practice on Thursday.
Germany's world champion, unbeaten in his Ferrari this year, was in superb form around the narrow streets as he clocked one minute 14.741 seconds.
That put him 0.4 secs clear of BAR-Honda's British test driver Anthony Davidson with Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello claiming the third fastest time.
"It was an entertaining and interesting session as we have come to expect in Monaco," said Schumacher, who will equal Ayrton Senna's record of wins in the Principality if he is successful on Sunday.
"We worked well throughout the day improving the car all the time as can be seen from the fact that I was quickest at the end of both sessions.
"I think qualifying here will be very close. So although this is a positive sign I don't think today means so much and we will only see the real picture on Saturday."
Jaguar suffered a terrible start to the weekend when all three of their drivers were prevented from completing the full day's running with Mark Webber's car catching fire midway through the first session.
Schumacher has tipped BAR and Renault to be his closest contenders this season and they did not disappoint as Briton Jenson Button and Japan's Takuma Sato finished sixth and seventh for BAR.
Renault pair Jarno Trulli, of Italy, and Fernando Alonso, of Spain, also proved their car works well around the tight and twisty circuit by setting fourth and ninth fastest laps respectively.
McLaren, who had been hoping the unique layout of the circuit could give them a chance to improve on the disappointing form they have shown so far this season, enjoyed a mixed showing.
Finn Kimi Raikkonen, who had been tipped to fight for the title but has so far scored only one point, finished fifth fastest but Scot David Coulthard, who won here in 2002 and started from pole in 2001, could only claim 11th place.
Williams pair Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher also suffered mixed fortunes as they finished 10th and 12th fastest respectively, with the latter stopping out on the circuit in the morning session.
He will lose 10 grid places on Saturday after changing his engine following the incident.
Webber meanwhile was on his eighth lap of the day when he was forced to stop on the straight before the Tabac corner when flames licked up over the engine cover and engulfed the back end of the car as he climbed out.
His Jaguar was lifted off the circuit by a crane and marshals covered the oil trail with cement dust before the session was restarted after seven minutes. Webber failed to take part in the second session.
The British team's Swedish test driver Bjorn Wirdheim then suffered a double disappointment when he stopped out on the circuit in the first session and clattered the barriers at the Tabac corner just five minutes into the second.
And to complete the day, their Austrian race driver Christian Klien hit the barriers heading into Casino square half way through the second session and badly damaged his car, which also had to be crane lifted away.
Michael Schumacher had set a time of one minute 16.502 seconds in the opening session of the day as he finished 0.777 secs ahead of BAR-Honda driver Sato, of Japan, with Button third.
