The new world championship leader, following his maiden victory 12 days ago in Canada, was over a second down on Felipe Massa who blew away the field.
The Brazilian, who currently trails Kubica by four points in the drivers’ standings, was almost 0.7secs quicker than his nearest challenger in McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton.
Massa set a superb time of one minute 15.306secs for the 4.411km Circuit de Nevers, 0.071secs faster than Michael Schumacher’s 2004 race lap record.
McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen and reigning world champion Raikkonen, who is seven points adrift of Kubica after failing to score in the last two races, were both in close attendance.
Robert Kubica was in his habitual 2008 place, chasing them, with 1m 16.377s for BMW Sauber, then came Fernando Alonso for Renault on 1m 16.400s; Jarno Trulli for Toyota on 1m 16.758s; Sebastian Vettel for Toro Rosso on 1m 16.838s; Nick Heidfeld in the second BMW Sauber on 1m 16.870s and Timo Glock in the other Toyota, on 1m 16.886s.
Alonso, however, may need a new engine after his R28 ground to a very smoky halt right at the end of the session. Trulli, meanwhile, had a spin in Turn Five.
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