Monza test, day one: Jos is the Boss

David Coulthard slotted his McLaren into fifth, despite blowing an engine late in the day, but test king Olivier Panis could finish the day only eighth after engine problems had stranded him out on the circuit and necessitated a change of Mercedes V10.

Panis and Verstappen had concentrated on testing 2001-spec tyres for Bridgestone, while Manning ran a qualifying-spec Honda V10 for BAR. Manning's only problem during the day was when a circuit safety car reversed into the nose of his parked BAR in the pitlane.

Giancarlo Fisichella finished the day sixth quickest for Benetton, ahead of Heinz-Harald Frentzen's Jordan, which ran a modified race-spec Mugen Honda engine.

The test was the first time the F1 circus has tried Monza's modified Rettifilio chicane. Drivers reported that the modifications to the track and the partial reduction of the surrounding gravel traps have made it easier to 'straightline' the chicane - a possible reason for one or two of the quickest laps seen today.

For day two tomorrow (Wednesday) big guns Mika Hakkinen, Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve are due to join the test.


J Verstappen Arrows-Supertec 1m25.46s 43
P Diniz Sauber-Petronas 1m26.19s 34
L Badoer Ferrari 1m26.33s 93
D Manning BAR-Honda 1m26.67s 76
D Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes 1m26.72s 70
G Fisichella Benetton-Supertec 1m26.95s 75
H-H Frentzen Jordan-Mugen Honda 1m27.09s 42
O Panis McLaren-Mercedes 1m27.18s 28
M Salo Sauber-Petronas 1m27.93s 18
P Lemarie BAR-Honda 1m28.00s 49
J Herbert Jaguar 1m28.04s 36
B Junqueira Williams-BMW 1m28.70s 20
N Heidfeld Prost-Peugeot 1m28.79s 33
M Gene Minardi-Ford 1m29.46s 5