Coulthard On Top as Testing Concludes at Barcelona

David Coulthard's new Barcelona track record remained unchanged in the afternoon session of testing at the Spanish track, where six Formula One teams concluded a three-day testing session in preparations for the 2003 season.

Coulthard set a time of 1:15.674 in the morning hours of the test. It was the first time a Formula One driver set a laptime under one minute and 16 seconds around the Catalan circuit. The Scot set the time on his 18th lap today, out of a total of 67 laps he completed throughout. He only managed to set another lap with a time under 1:16, but remained the only driver to do so.

The new record was particularly pleasing for tyre manufacturers Michelin. Both laps in the 1:15s were set on Coulthard's first flying lap on fresh tyres - both on the same component type which Michelin are now developing with McLaren.

Coulthard was followed in the timesheet by Williams's Juan Pablo Montoya, who was more than 1.5 seconds slower than the McLaren driver. Right behind Montoya, just one tenths of a second slower, was Jaguar's newly signed driver Antonio Pizzonia who ran a total of 101 laps today.

Making his first appearance in a Formula One car since the 2002 season ended almost two months ago was former World Champion and BAR driver Jacques Villeneuve, who on his first day out set the eighth fastest time of the day, but more than three seconds slower than Coulthard's time.

BAR also ran the newly crowned Formula Nippon champion Ralph Firman, and the 27-year-old ran a total of 46 laps, with a best time of 1:21.056 - some two seconds slower than Villeneuve.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time Laps 1. Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:15.674 67 2. Montoya Williams-BMW (M) 1:17.372 86 3. Pizzonia Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:17.481 101 4. Panis Toyota (M) 1:17.609 64 5. R.Schumacher Williams-BMW (M) 1:18.065 76 6. Paffett McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:18.236 63 7. Gene Williams-BMW (M) 1:18.400 54 8. Villeneuve BAR-Honda (B) 1:18.905 74 9. Webber Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:18.924 73 10. Davidson BAR-Honda (B) 1:19.675 5 11. Alonso Renault (M) 1:19.860 69 12. Firman BAR-Honda (B) 1:21.056 46 13. Monteiro Renault (M) 1:21.471 56 All Timing Unofficial

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