BAR threatens after strong start

Test driver Anthony Davidson topped the first session while Jenson Button was second quickest in the final session.

"So far, so good," Button said. "Having all three of our drivers in the top five today is a great start to the weekend. We started out this morning with very low grip, but we've found a way round that and things are going pretty well. The car is working well here. Ferrari are looking very strong as usual but we have to compare ourselves to Renault, who are our immediate competitors in the Championship."

Team-mate Takuma Sato was the slowest of three drivers in fifth spot, but the Japanese driver was delighted with his car.

"It is great to be back in Spa again and to see all of our cars finishing in the top five today," he said. "We are very happy with the cars' performance as we were quick on the first timed laps, however we need to work on the consistency of the longer runs tomorrow as this is what counts in the race. Luckily we had dry weather today and we had no problems with the laps, so we are happy and looking forward to another strong programme tomorrow."

Team boss David Richards was happy with the day's efforts, but the Briton knows that at Spa in particular, the situation can change very quickly.

"An extremely encouraging start to the weekend, with all three drivers doing an excellent job," Richards said. "However, the weather at Spa is notoriously fickle, and whilst we have proven how fast we are in the dry, there is a strong possibility that we are going to be tested in wet conditions during tomorrow's qualifying."