Button Shatters Barcelona Track Record - Day Four

Briton Jenson Button became the first Formula One driver to lap the Barcelona circuit in less than one minute and 15 seconds when he broke the track record on the fourth day of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Button's time of 1:14.607 after 85 laps was more than four tenths quicker than the previous benchmark of 1:15.020 set last year when the track was 100 meters longer. The BAR driver, at the wheel of the hybrid Honda-powered 005 chassis, finished almost a whole second ahead of Ferrari's Michael Schumacher.

World Champion Schumacher was second quickest on his first day of work for Ferrari since the end of the 2003 season in Japan. The German replaced Brazilian teammate Rubens Barrichello at the wheel of one of the two F2003-GA cars on track at Barcelona today. The second was driven by Italian test driver Luca Badoer, who was fifth fastest.

"How nice it is to be back in the car. We really missed it," Schumacher said at the end of the day. "I was already a bit nervous but I have to say it really went well. To see the guys again was beautiful and you could almost feel their motivation."

Spain's Fernando Alonso drove the new Renault R24 for the first time today after having worked with an hybrid version of the French squad's R23 chassis on Tuesday and Wednesday. Alonso took over from teammate Jarno Trulli, who had debuted the new car on Tuesday, and set a promising third quickest time.

The second Renault was driven by French test driver Franck Montagny.

The Williams team, who had dominated the previous three days of testing, had to settle for the fourth, sixth and seventh fastest times of the session. Ralf Schumacher was again the quickest of the Williams trio, outpacing Marc Gene in the FW25 car and Juan Pablo Montoya, who like Schumacher drove an FW26.

Toyota resumed testing with both the TF104 and the TF103B. Frenchman Olivier Panis replaced teammate Cristiano da Matta at the wheel of the new car, while Australian Ryan Briscoe worked on the other chassis, taking over from Ricardo Zonta. Panis was eighth fastest, while Briscoe was down in 15th.

Italian Giancarlo Fisichella replaced teammate Felipe Massa as the Sauber team continued to put miles on their new C23 car. The team concentrated on engine work and will use the same unit again tomorrow to simulate the usage of the engine at a race weekend according to the new regulations.

"In the morning it didn't work that well for me as the car set-up didn't fit to my driving style and we had to change quite a few things," said Fisichella. "Then, in the afternoon, we made a big step forward and the C23 was getting better and better.

"Considering the fairly long break which we were forced to take due to the fuel supply problem I'm quite happy that I could still run 66 laps."

The Jaguar Racing team continued with the development work of the new R5 chassis unveiled in Barcelona last Sunday. Austrian Christian Klien was again the man in charge of testing duties with the new car, while Australian teammate Mark Webber drove last year's R4 chassis.

German Nick Heidfeld returned to Formula One action with the Jordan team, sharing the EJ13 chassis with compatriot Timo Glock. Heidfeld, who had already tested for Jordan at the end of last year, is still hoping to secure a drive with the Silverstone-based squad for the 2004 season.

Rookie Glock had already driven the Jordan on Tuesday, but skipped yesterday's session in favour of Belgian Bas Leinders. Glock drove in the morning and set the slowest time, while Heidfeld took over in the afternoon, posting the 13th best time of the day.

The Barcelona test concludes tomorrow.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time Laps 1. Button BAR-Honda (M) 1:14.607 85 2. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1:15.410 95 3. Alonso Renault (M) 1:15.506 102 4. R.Schumacher Williams-BMW (M) 1:15.736 63 5. Badoer Ferrari (B) 1:15.767 86 6. Gene Williams-BMW (M) 1:15.820 46 7. Montoya Williams-BMW (M) 1:16.251 97 8. Panis Toyota (M) 1:16.507 98 9. Fisichella Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:16.529 66 10. Sato BAR-Honda (M) 1:16.560 90 11. Webber Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:17.173 144 12. Montagny Renault (M) 1:17.447 130 13. Heidfeld Jordan-Ford (B) 1:17.530 49 14. Klien Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:18.029 46 15. Briscoe Toyota (M) 1:18.106 62 16. Glock Jordan-Ford (B) 1:18.236 36 All Timing Unofficial

Visit Atlas F1's Testing Center for further information