Hakkinen suffers pitlane woe

Hakkinen also ran wide on the gravel

Mika Hakkinen suffered a double embarrassment in Saturday's practice session at the German Grand Prix in Hockenheim.

The Finn stalled twice in the pitlane when the launch control system on his McLaren failed and had to be hauled back to the garage by mechanics.

Hakkinen, who won the British Grand Prix, continued to have problems out on the track.

He was forced back into the pits when he ran wide onto the gravel, although he still managed to record the sixth fastest time in the 45-minute session.

Michael Schumacher: Fastest on Saturday morning

Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello topped the morning's times in their Ferraris.

Defending world champion Schumacher registered one minute 39.937 seconds while his Brazilian team-mate was five tenths adrift.

The Williams duo of Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya were third and fourth fastest respectively, with David Coulthard fifth, 0.760 of a second down.

Eddie Irvine, who lead the classification in his Jaguar on Friday, was down in ninth with one minute 41.693 secs.

Jenson Button's indifferent Formula One season continued when he failed to record a time in the session.

The Brit was forced to pull his Benetton off the track at the Ayrton Senna curve on his first lap.