Montoya Still on Top with New Williams - Day Two

Juan Pablo Montoya continued to impress with the new Williams FW26 by setting the fastest time for the second consecutive day of testing at the Jerez circuit.

Montoya lapped the Spanish track in 1.16.721, over a tenth of a second faster than yesterday, when the new car made its proper testing debut.

Williams unveiled the highly distinctive FW26, with an innovative front wing and nose, in Valencia on Monday and gave it a limited shakedown on Tuesday at that circuit before heading south for a week of serious testing. Test driver Marc Gene was second quickest with last season's FW25.

The fastest of the non-Williams drivers was Franck Montagny, who was third in the first of the Renaults on track today. Italian Jarno Trulli, again the busiest man in action with 132 laps, continued at the wheel of the hybrid R23 and set the fourth quickest time of the session.

The McLaren-Mercedes team kicked off a four-day test at Jerez with both Scot David Coulthard and Spanish test driver Pedro de la Rosa continuing with the development of the MP4-19 car the Woking-based squad will use during the 2004 season.

De la Rosa was the fastest of the McLaren duo, but posted only the sixth quickest time, while Coulthard, who had a troubled day hampered by mechanical problems, finished at the bottom of the times with the second MP4-19.

Once again Luca Badoer and Felipe Massa took to the track to continue with Ferrari's tyre and electronics test programme. Badoer completed a total of 74 laps while Massa covered three more to finish slightly over two tenths of a second ahead of the Italian. Both men will continue testing tomorrow.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time Laps 1. Montoya Williams-BMW (M) 1:16.721 85 2. Gene Williams-BMW (M) 1:17.197 102 3. Montagny Renault (M) 1:17.878 76 4. Trulli Renault (M) 1:17.894 132 5. Zonta Toyota (M) 1:17.974 106 6. de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:18.224 63 7. Massa Ferrari (B) 1:18.409 77 8. Panis Toyota (M) 1:18.647 88 9. Badoer Ferrari (B) 1:18.684 74 10. Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:19.157 18 All Timing Unofficial

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