Alonso Sets the Pace at Jerez

Four Formula One teams got back to action today to begin their final test of 2002, working for the first of four days at the Jerez circuit in Southern Spain.

Williams, McLaren, Renault and Jaguar kicked off their final programme of the year at the Spanish track, which was wet during the first hours of the morning after some heavy overnight showers.

Spaniard Fernando Alonso, at the wheel of the hybrid Renault R202 fitted with several sensors, was the fastest man on the first day as the French squad worked on their new and revolutionary Optimum Contact Patch Suspension.

"A very productive day's testing with Fernando in the hybrid car," said Renault's technical director Mike Gascoyne. "It was his first time in the car and he was very happy with the feeling and handling of the new car.

"We were able to conduct our mechanical evaluations and also do some tyre testing for Michelin. Jarno run in the standard R202, focusing on development items for next season."

Alonso was slightly faster than McLaren's test driver Alexander Wurz and German Ralf Schumacher, who posted the third quickest time of the day in the BMW-powered Williams. Finn Kimi Raikkonen was fourth fastest in the second of the McLarens, while Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia finished fifth in the Jaguar R3C.

Pizzonia, the busiest man today with 87 laps, enjoyed a much better day than his teammate Mark Webber, the Australian only completing 24 laps after being hit by mechanical problems. Italian Jarno Trulli and Spaniard Marc Gene finished ahead of Webber, the Williams test driver also stopping on track with a problem in his car in the morning session.

Testing at Jerez will resume tomorrow, when the British American Racing team will join the session.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time Laps 1. Alonso Renault (M) 1:21.782 71 2. Wurz McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:21.868 48 3. R.Schumacher Williams-BMW (M) 1:21.872 81 4. Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:22.424 44 5. Pizzonia Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:23.035 87 6. Trulli Renault (M) 1:23.401 46 7. Gene Williams-BMW (M) 1:23.811 60 8. Webber Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:24.276 24 All Timing Unofficial

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