Raikkonen sets pace at Belgian GP
 |  Schumacher could clinch his seventh title in Ferrari's 700th GP on Sunday. |
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(CNN) -- Just as was the case two weeks ago in Hungary, McLaren driver Kimi Raikkonen was fastest after Friday's practice sessions ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps.
The Finn came in ahead of BAR's Jensen Button and Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher.
"It has gone well today," Raikkonen said. "I wasn't completely happy with the car this morning, but the team worked on it and it was much improved this afternoon.
"But it is always very difficult to judge how things will go for the rest of the weekend as a lot will depend on the weather. But we feel that the car will perform well on this track."
Michael Schumacher could secure his seventh world championship title at Ferrari's 700th GP this Sunday if he manages to score two points more than his teammate Rubens Barrichello who is currently placed second.
Ferrari clinched the constructors' title two weeks ago in Hungary, with Schumacher waiting to take the drivers championship in the most one-sided season in F1 history.
Renault driver Jarno Trulli is so far the only one to have won a race apart from the German champion.
Friday's afternoon session was red flagged when Toyota's Australian test driver Ryan Briscoe crashed out coming into the infamous Eau Rouge section of the Belgian track.
He was however unhurt and the practice carried on 10 minutes later.
The initial impact ripped two wheels off the red and white machine and Briscoe's car came to rest on the opposite side of the track after bouncing back across the circuit.
He was taken to hospital for checks but the team's technical director Mike Gascoyne said: "Ryan is fine. He was taken to hospital for a precautionary scan on his arm, but everything appears okay.
"We saw from the data once we got the car back that his car had picked up a tire puncture, which caused him to spin. It was unfortunate because Ryan had been running particularly well and consistently throughout the day."
The F1 circus returned to Spa Francorchamps this year after a one year break that was due to a dispute between F1 organizers and the Belgian government over tobacco advertizing regulations.
Although it remained dry on Friday, there is always a chance of rain at Spa and current weather forecasts for Saturday and Sunday seem to be pointing in that direction.
