Juan Pablo Montoya gave the FW26 its best possible debut by setting the fastest time on the first day of testing at Jerez.
The radical car was unveiled at Valencia on Monday and briefly driven round the Spanish circuit, but today it faced its first real test and passed with flying colours.
Montoya was over a second quicker than second-placed man Ricardo Zonta in the Toyota and faster still than Williams test driver Marc Gene who drove last year�fs Williams.
Jarno Trulli was third quickest in the Renault after completing 99 laps of the Spanish circuit. The Italian was joined by test driver Franck Montagny who finished fifth behind Gene.
Sauber�fs Felipe Massa was on loan to Ferrari for today�fs test. The Brazilian finished the day in sixth spot just two tenths quicker than fellow test driver Luca Badoer.
Testing times from Jerez
1 MONTOYA Williams 1m16.847s
2 ZONTA Toyota 1m17.984s
3 TRULLI Renault 1m18.092s
4 GENE Williams 1m18.099s
5 MONTAGNY Renault 1m18.424s
6 MASSA Ferrari 1m19.002s
7 BADOER Ferrari 1m19.207s
8 PANIS Toyota 1m19.377s
courtesy of www.itv-f1.com
hmm... now this was a month ago:
11 December 2003 17:17
PEDRO FASTEST AGAIN IN JEREZ
Pedro de la Rosa was the fastest man on the track again today during Team McLaren Mercedes' final day of testing at Jerez.
Pedro, in the MP4-19 completed 53 laps of the Spanish circuit, with his best time a 1m16.203s lap.
Fernando Alonso was the second fastest driver for the second day in a row, the Renault driver completing 118 laps - the most by any driver on track today. His time was 1m16.690s.
courtesy of www.McLaren.com
so........ open for discussion, who do u think will be faster? the MP4-19? or the FW26? how about the Renualt R24?