Alonso Fastest, Sato Tests BAR - Morning Session

Spaniard Fernando Alonso went quickest in the morning session of the final day of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya.

The Renault driver, who had struggled for pace on the first two days of work at the Spanish circuit, set his best time of the week with a quickest lap of 1:16.920 as the French squad continued working on a tyre programme for French manufacturer Michelin.

Alonso, wearing Allan McNish's helmet so the team could fit the HANS device, finished ahead of compatriot Marc Gene in the fastest of the Williams, with Colombian teammate Juan Pablo Montoya more than half a second behind in the second BMW-powered FW24.

Japanese driver Takuma Sato returned to the wheel of a BAR after competing with Jordan in last year's Championship. Sato, BAR's test driver in 2001, took to the track with the new Honda-powered 005 chassis, completing 16 laps on his way to the fourth quickest time of the morning session.

Jaguar's Antonio Pizzonia and Renault's Jarno Trulli finished at the bottom of the times.

The session will conclude in the afternoon.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time Laps 1. Alonso Renault (M) 1:16.920 45 2. Gene Williams-BMW (M) 1:17.296 39 3. Montoya Williams-BMW (M) 1:17.877 15 4. Sato BAR-Honda (B) 1:18.500 16 5. Pizzonia Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:18.747 50 6. Trulli Renault (M) 1:18.910 56 All Timing Unofficial

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More details of today's testing at Barcelona will be published at the end of the day, along with a full breakdown of each driver's laptimes