Coulthard Breaks Barcelona Track Record - Day Two

McLaren driver David Coulthard set a new lap record at the Circuit de Catalunya today, on the second day of testing at the Spanish track.

Coulthard, driving the Mercedes-powered MP4-17 on Michelin tyres, posted a quickest lap of 1:15.266, lowering the previous track record - set by Coulthard himself earlier this year - by nearly half a second.

The Scot, who joined the test today and worked alongside McLaren's test driver Alexander Wurz, lapped more than a second faster than Spaniard Marc Gene.

The Williams test driver continued with the development of components for this year's FW25 car, which will be unveiled at the end of the month. Gene finished ahead of German Nick Heidfeld, who set a promising pace with the new Sauber C22, which the Swiss squad debuted yesterday.

"Once again we were fortunate to have cold but dry weather today which enabled us to maintain consistency in this important first test of the C22," said Sauber's technical director Willy Rampf. "We are pleased the way the new car went again today when Nick did more laps than any one else today and the car proved completely reliable.

"Having completed all of our preliminary checks and evaluations yesterday our focus today was on aerodynamic work. In the afternoon we completed a tire test program on behalf of Bridgestone."

Heidfeld, the busiest man today with 81 laps, outpaced his teammate Heinz-Harald Frentzen by more than a second, the veteran German finishing as seventh quickest today. Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, fastest yesterday and this morning, slipped down the list and had to settle with the fourth quickest time with the second Williams.

"Again we started with a very cold day, the track temperature was as low as minus 3°C when we began at nine this morning," said Williams's test team manager Tim Newton. "The track temperature did get up to 15 °C by the end of the session. Olivier Beretta has joined the test team driving a FW24D 01 for engine work and successfully completed the mileage task of 250km.

"It was the first time that he had driven that car and on dry track conditions. Juan was focusing on brake and tyre work alongside Marc who also concentrated on tyres and chassis work. We are expecting a similar weather forecast tomorrow."

Frenchman Olivier Panis continued to put miles on the new Michelin-shod Toyota TF103, setting the fifth quickest time while teammate Cristiano da Matta, driving the TF102B, finished eighth more than two seconds off Panis's pace.

"This is our first test with the new TF103 car at Barcelona, and although we did not complete many laps, what we did was very positive," said Panis at the end of the day. "The most encouraging aspect is that we have found ourselves in a good position with respectable lap times.

"I already feel confident enough to push the car to the limit. Last week's test at Paul Ricard gave us a good baseline, and today's session gave me a confirmation that the team have done a good job on this car ­ I can really feel the difference."

Olivier Beretta finished at the bottom of the times with the third Williams.

Testing at Barcelona resumes tomorrow.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time Laps 1. Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:15.266 61 2. Gene Williams-BMW (M) 1:16.568 69 3. Heidfeld Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:16.688 81 4. Montoya Williams-BMW (M) 1:16.828 39 5. Panis Toyota (M) 1:17.066 34 6. Wurz McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:17.307 48 7. Frentzen Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:17.909 68 8. Da Matta Toyota (M) 1:19.092 28 9. Beretta Williams-BMW (M) 1:19.160 53 All Timing Unofficial

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Today's Full Laptimes:

David Coulthard McLaren Mercedes 1-> 8:23.178 14-> 1:17.613 27-> 1:22.765 40-> 1:17.399 53->10:17.947 2->54:28.387 15-> 1:24.589 28->21:26.147 41-> 1:18.247 54-> 1:17.385 3->18: 6.313 16->27:56.643 29-> 1:16.618 42-> 1:23.930 55-> 1:19.101 4-> 1:17.991 17-> 1:18.830 30-> 1:17.484 43->26:29.090 56-> 1:19.719 5-> 1:21.357 18-> 1:18.454 31-> 1:18.231 44-> 1:16.869 57-> 1:26.587 6->51:41.789 19-> 1:18.539 32-> 1:24.088 45-> 1:18.113 58-> 8:21.012 7-> 1:18.946 20-> 1:25.744 33->18:45.069 46-> 1:18.349 59-> 1:16.626 8-> 1:18.506 21->16:37.514 34->20:39.982 47-> 1:24.897 60-> 1:17.820 9-> 1:23.363 22-> 1:16.911 35-> 1:16.979 48-> 9:20.813 61-> 1:26.754 10->16:43.352 23-> 1:18.017 36-> 1:17.667 49-> 1:16.718 11-> 1:17.014 24-> 1:23.942 37-> 1:18.323 50-> 1:18.260 12-> 1:17.639 25->31:37.310 38-> 1:24.075 51-> 1:19.007 13-> 1:17.830 26-> 1:15.266* 39-> 9:51.471 52-> 1:25.988 Marc Gene Williams 1-> 4: 8.520 15-> 1:21.851 29->38:34.549 43-> 1:27.036 57-> 1:18.169 2->50:21.416 16-> 1:29.763 30-> 1:17.615 44->23:41.664 58-> 1:26.132 3-> 1:20.130 17->18:43.028 31-> 1:18.870 45-> 1:17.040 59-> 8: 8.230 4-> 1:19.228 18-> 1:17.549 32-> 1:19.313 46-> 1:17.966 60-> 1:18.579 5-> 1:19.867 19-> 1:18.052 33-> 1:19.442 47-> 1:18.867 61-> 1:18.769 6-> 1:24.797 20-> 1:19.010 34-> 1:19.697 48-> 1:32.714 62-> 1:18.975 7->35: 6.143 21-> 1:19.063 35-> 1:19.446 49->10:39.151 63-> 1:24.739 8-> 1:34.481 22-> 1:19.316 36-> 1:19.434 50-> 1:17.853 64-> 7:24.412 9->54:16.052 23-> 1:19.362 37-> 1:19.165 51-> 1:18.345 65-> 1:16.568* 10-> 1:20.332 24-> 1:19.344 38-> 1:25.956 52-> 1:18.840 66-> 1:17.648 11-> 1:19.945 25-> 1:19.208 39->45:32.336 53-> 1:25.691 67-> 1:18.608 12-> 1:20.477 26-> 1:25.465 40-> 1:17.317 54-> 6:17.086 68-> 1:25.068 13-> 1:20.612 27->23: 7.412 41-> 1:18.993 55-> 1:17.465 69-> 8: 5.522 14-> 1:21.492 28-> 1:59.923 42-> 1:21.039 56-> 1:17.963 Nick Heidfeld Sauber Petronas 1-> 8:28.116 18-> 1:38.738 35-> 1:29.544 52-> 1:19.604 69-> 1:17.843 2->22:42.577 19->14: 3.273 36->30:55.239 53-> 1:35.356 70-> 1:27.769 3-> 1:18.426 20-> 1:18.568 37->11:54.746 54->12:59.443 71-> 6:48.446 4-> 1:19.216 21-> 1:19.132 38-> 1:18.095 55-> 1:19.553 72-> 1:16.800 5-> 1:20.207 22-> 1:35.027 39-> 1:18.964 56-> 1:19.775 73-> 1:28.918 6-> 1:30.222 23->13:57.066 40-> 1:19.769 57-> 1:33.193 74-> 6: 6.265 7->15:13.500 24-> 1:19.492 41-> 1:19.948 58->28: 4.830 75-> 1:16.688* 8-> 1:20.102 25-> 1:19.663 42-> 1:36.147 59-> 1:21.806 76-> 1:29.155 9-> 1:20.628 26-> 1:33.836 43-> 2:20.845 60-> 1:34.982 77->10:22.083 10-> 1:36.621 27->10: 7.162 44->12:56.029 61->15: 1.071 78-> 1:19.189 11->11:25.868 28-> 1:20.278 45-> 1:20.075 62-> 1:18.452 79-> 1:28.857 12-> 1:20.563 29-> 1:19.937 46-> 1:20.263 63-> 1:20.424 80-> 2: 2.461 13-> 1:20.430 30-> 1:33.932 47-> 1:20.063 64-> 1:27.565 81-> 1:19.413 14-> 1:33.478 31->15:56.752 48-> 1:20.738 65->10:44.957 15->38: 4.104 32-> 1:20.432 49-> 1:33.369 66-> 1:16.917 16-> 1:20.788 33-> 1:19.918 50->35:49.126 67-> 1:28.521 17-> 1:21.259 34-> 1:29.013 51-> 1:18.393 68-> 9:26.267 Juan Pablo Montoya Williams F1 1-> 9:39.365 9-> 1:18.368 17-> 1:27.109 25-> 1:17.739 33-> 1:17.229 2-> 2:17.635 10-> 1:24.053 18->20:52.664 26-> 1:18.940 34-> 1:17.879 3->13: 3.842 11->44:25.648 19-> 1:17.625 27-> 1:24.897 35-> 1:23.896 4-> 1:28.223 12-> 1:17.732 20-> 1:17.717 28->13:53.512 36-> 7:37.598 5-> 1:25.317 13-> 1:18.136 21-> 1:18.297 29-> 1:17.335 37-> 1:18.340 6->38:57.661 14-> 1:18.235 22-> 1:23.271 30-> 1:25.312 38-> 1:18.683 7-> 1:21.078 15-> 1:23.853 23->11:12.322 31->10:27.586 39-> 1:24.864 8-> 1:18.777 16->28:55.954 24-> 1:16.884 32-> 1:16.828* Olivier Panis Toyota 1-> 8:52.728 8-> 1:17.689 15-> 1:25.185 22-> 1:29.113 29-> 1:17.066* 2->16:40.248 9-> 1:18.428 16-> 1:19.107 23->35:42.413 30-> 1:18.289 3-> 1:21.439 10-> 1:25.934 17-> 1:26.350 24-> 1:18.897 31-> 1:25.805 4-> 1:19.186 11->46:35.040 18->31: 4.756 25-> 1:23.435 32-> 6:26.235 5-> 1:18.862 12-> 1:19.482 19-> 1:22.172 26-> 1:18.896 33-> 1:19.350 6-> 1:28.069 13-> 1:19.338 20-> 1:22.780 27-> 1:28.230 34-> 1:18.980 7->25:38.939 14-> 1:20.061 21-> 1:22.500 28->17:45.170 Alex Wurz McLaren Mercedes 1-> 8:53.807 11-> 1:24.358 21->17:59.325 31->17:59.690 41-> 1:19.413 2->27:46.364 12->26: 5.413 22->17: 7.928 32-> 1:17.503 42-> 1:19.638 3-> 1:18.617 13->19:44.680 23-> 1:17.311 33-> 1:17.978 43-> 1:24.291 4-> 1:18.634 14-> 1:20.422 24-> 1:18.266 34-> 1:18.574 44->20:58.287 5-> 1:18.955 15-> 1:21.905 25-> 1:18.392 35-> 1:23.591 45-> 1:19.955 6-> 1:24.090 16-> 1:24.460 26-> 1:24.237 36->24:27.667 46-> 1:19.630 7->53: 6.801 17->44:39.270 27->23:19.166 37-> 1:17.307* 47-> 1:19.631 8-> 1:20.111 18-> 1:19.920 28-> 1:18.812 38-> 1:31.712 48->29:12.319 9-> 1:19.169 19-> 1:23.823 29-> 1:19.108 39->45:55.123 10-> 1:19.537 20-> 1:23.991 30-> 1:24.355 40-> 1:19.139 Heinz H. Frentzen Sauber Petronas 1->17:45.128 15-> 1:22.649 29-> 1:20.180 43-> 2:36.064 57-> 1:18.401 2->17:28.142 16-> 1:19.868 30-> 1:20.508 44-> 2: 9.234 58-> 1:19.633 3->13:34.987 17-> 1:35.014 31-> 1:20.377 45->25:47.725 59-> 1:20.367 4-> 1:18.838 18-> 1:20.367 32-> 1:20.634 46-> 1:20.447 60-> 1:20.605 5-> 1:19.227 19-> 1:20.372 33-> 1:20.567 47-> 1:19.851 61-> 1:20.788 6-> 1:19.585 20-> 1:20.824 34-> 1:20.413 48-> 1:32.952 62-> 1:33.582 7-> 1:28.390 21-> 1:20.666 35-> 1:27.908 49->11: 6.178 63-> 9: 1.551 8->11: 0.655 22-> 1:20.402 36-> 8: 6.019 50-> 1:18.450 64-> 2:12.232 9-> 1:17.909* 23-> 1:33.210 37-> 2:26.285 51-> 1:19.438 65-> 8:20.839 10-> 1:19.524 24->42:13.074 38-> 9:49.879 52-> 1:19.835 66-> 2:16.277 11-> 1:27.046 25-> 1:18.325 39-> 2:18.341 53-> 1:20.168 67->11:43.743 12->39:50.656 26-> 1:19.430 40->10:50.996 54-> 1:20.823 68-> 2: 8.428 13-> 1:17.949 27-> 1:20.033 41-> 2:18.110 55-> 1:33.215 14-> 1:19.920 28-> 1:20.223 42->12:31.037 56->14: 8.028 Cristiano da Matta Toyota 1-> 4:29.192 9->14:26.821 17-> 1:21.303 25->45: 6.616 33-> 1:25.327 2->16:40.309 10-> 1:22.123 18-> 1:33.006 26-> 1:19.092* 34->56:40.176 3-> 6:58.258 11-> 1:21.834 19->39: 7.127 27-> 1:19.598 35-> 1:21.731 4-> 1:22.754 12-> 1:21.537 20-> 1:19.924 28-> 1:20.483 36-> 1:21.867 5-> 1:21.254 13-> 1:26.261 21-> 1:29.074 29->34:55.497 37-> 1:21.191 6-> 1:20.804 14->33: 2.256 22-> 1:19.527 30-> 1:21.892 38-> 1:25.422 7-> 1:30.049 15-> 1:22.048 23-> 1:20.200 31-> 1:20.529 8->27:35.866 16-> 1:21.376 24-> 1:25.889 32-> 1:21.014 Olivier Beretta Williams 1-> 7:20.078 12->50: 0.574 23-> 1:21.531 34-> 1:19.471 45-> 1:27.243 2->26:10.807 13-> 1:22.227 24-> 1:28.561 35-> 1:19.480 46->15:23.703 3-> 1:28.982 14-> 1:21.605 25->12:52.325 36-> 1:21.295 47-> 1:19.160* 4-> 1:24.288 15-> 1:22.753 26-> 1:22.316 37-> 1:20.456 48-> 1:19.688 5-> 1:22.670 16-> 1:31.152 27-> 1:21.455 38-> 1:26.503 49-> 1:20.487 6-> 1:29.798 17->11:29.187 28-> 1:21.446 39->19:30.592 50-> 1:20.791 7->12:47.101 18-> 1:19.397 29-> 1:21.452 40-> 1:21.333 51-> 1:20.464 8-> 1:21.666 19-> 1:20.128 30-> 1:21.066 41-> 1:21.241 52-> 1:26.345 9-> 1:22.811 20-> 1:20.527 31-> 1:27.340 42-> 1:21.117 53->27:55.270 10-> 1:22.305 21-> 1:20.716 32->16: 4.493 43-> 1:21.170 11-> 1:29.361 22-> 1:20.750 33-> 1:19.464 44-> 1:21.037