Frentzen fastest at Mugello

Former Formula One driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen was the fastest driver over four days at the recent DTM test held at the Mugello circuit in Italy.

Frentzen, who set a time of 1 min 43.242 on the second day of the test, was sharing Opel's 2005 spec test car with teammate Manuel Reuter, who topped the times on the final day with a lap of 1:43.512.

"The test went well, and we didn't experience any extraordinary incidents whatsoever," Reuter noted at the end of the test. "We drove a lot, and succeeded in unhurriedly completing our scheduled testing programme."

Opel dominated the test, with Frentzen fastest on the first two days and Reuter on the last, split only by Alexandros Margaritis claiming the third day's honours with a time of 1 min 43.809, just ahead of reigning Formula Three Euroseries Champion, teammate Jamie Green who finished at 1:44.104.

Opel's competitors will be worried about their turn of pace ahead of the season opener at the Hockenheimring on April 17. "We succeeded in gaining a lot of valuable experience we will need with the new car," Frentzen noted. "Everything is running according to plan."

The teams will next test at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit for four days beginning March 29, ahead of the official season launch at Hamburg's Rathausmarkt on April 5.