Ferrari's Felipe Massa was fastest in Friday's first free practice session for Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix.

The Brazilian recorded a time of one minute 17.553 seconds, edging out BMW's Robert Kubica by 0.256 seconds.

McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen was third fastest, while team-mate Lewis Hamilton - who won the Grand Prix last year - was three places adrift in sixth.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, second to Hamilton in the drivers' championship, finished behind Nick Heidfeld in fifth.

Rain made for wet track conditions at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on an overcast morning in Montreal, which contributed to Massa's relatively slow time.

Several drivers span off the track in the opening stages, including Honda's Jenson Button, Toyota's Jarno Trulli and Renault pair Fernando Alonso, and Nelson Piquet.

Massa - who was disqualified from last year's Grand Prix for ignoring a pit-lane red light - clocked his best time on the final of his 14 laps.

However, he was well short of Hamilton's pole-winning time of one minute 15.707s set last June.

Championship leader Hamilton registered just eight laps - the fewest of the all the drivers - and will look to improve on his time in Friday's second free practice session.

First free practice times for the Canadian Grand Prix:

1. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min 17.553secs
2. Robert Kubica (Poland) BMW Sauber 1:17.809
3. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) McLaren 1:18.133
4. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber 1:18.182
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 1:18.292
6. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1:18.303
7. Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1:18.712
8. David Coulthard (Britain) Red Bull 1:18.809
9. Kazuki Nakajima (Japan) Williams 1:18.971
10. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 1:19.005
11. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Williams 1:19.093
12. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Toro Rosso 1:19.228
13. Timo Glock (Germany) Toyota 1:19.346
14. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 1:19.568
15. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Force India 1:19.815
16. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 1:19.888
17. Nelson Piquet (Brazil) Renault 1:20.091
18. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Honda 1:20.173
19. Sebastien Bourdais (France) Toro Rosso 1:20.541
20. Jenson Button (Britain) Honda 1:21.542