Scott Dixon set the fastest time in the opening free practice session of the IZOD IndyCar Series season in Sao Paulo. The former champion stopped the clocks at 1m31.7707sec for Ganassi as the field acclimatized to the new Brazilian street track that will host tomorrow's opener.

Three different teams filled the top three, with Penske's Ryan Briscoe and Andretti Autosport's Tony Kanaan claiming second and third, both two tenths of a second down on Dixon.

Penske's Will Power and Dreyer & Reinbold's Mike Conway completed the top five, followed by Ryan Hunter-Reay in his debut with Michael Andretti's team.

New squad Fazzt also made an encouraging start to its season, with Alex Tagliani taking ninth place. Top rookie was HVM's Simona de Silvestro in 12th.

Reigning champion Dario Franchitti was only 17th, though. The Ganassi driver had an early trip down an escape road, then had to park his car in the pits after damaging his suspension against the Turn 8 wall.

Franchitti was not the only driver caught out by the new track. Marco Andretti (Andretti Autosport) also went off course in the opening minutes, Conquest's rookie Mario Romancini did severe rear end damage to his car when he hit the Turn 3 wall, and Milka Duno brought the session to a slightly early end when she spun under acceleration out of the final corner and nosed into the opposite barrier.

Pos  Driver               Team                    Time        Gap
 1.  Scott Dixon          Ganassi                 1m31.7707s
 2.  Ryan Briscoe         Penske                  1m31.9731s  + 0.2024s
 3.  Tony Kanaan          Andretti                1m31.9753s  + 0.2048s
 4.  Will Power           Penske                  1m32.3009s  + 0.5302s
 5.  Mike Conway          Dreyer & Reinbold       1m32.6446s  + 0.8739s
 6.  Ryan Hunter-Reay     Andretti                1m32.7943s  + 1.0236s
 7.  Raphael Matos        Luczo Dragon/de Ferran  1m32.8537s  + 1.0830s
 8.  Helio Castroneves    Penske                  1m32.9402s  + 1.1695s
 9.  Alex Tagliani        Fazzt                   1m33.1523s  + 1.3816s
10.  Justin Wilson        Dreyer & Reinbold       1m33.3587s  + 1.5880s
11.  EJ Viso              KV                      1m33.3998s  + 1.6291s
12.  Simona de Silvestro  HVM                     1m33.4757s  + 1.7050s
13.  Marco Andretti       Andretti                1m33.4808s  + 1.7101s
14.  Mario Moraes         KV                      1m33.5580s  + 1.7874s
15.  Hideki Mutoh         Newman/Haas/Lanigan     1m33.6684s  + 1.8978s
16.  Vitor Meira          Foyt                    1m33.6970s  + 1.9263s
17.  Dario Franchitti     Ganassi                 1m33.8456s  + 2.0750s
18.  Alex Lloyd           Dale Coyne              1m33.9907s  + 2.2200s
19.  Takuma Sato          KV                      1m34.0126s  + 2.2420s
20.  Dan Wheldon          Panther                 1m34.4779s  + 2.7072s
21.  Mario Romancini      Conquest                1m34.6577s  + 2.8871s
22.  Danica Patrick       Andretti                1m34.7795s  + 3.0088s
23.  Ana Beatriz          Dreyer & Reinbold       1m37.4300s  + 5.6593s
24.  Milka Duno           Dale Coyne              1m43.4555s  + 11.6848s