Davidson Fastest at Jerez as Testing Ends

Three Formula One teams - Jaguar, Renault and British American Racing - wrapped up their final test of 2002 today at the Jerez circuit in Southern Spain.

Briton Anthony Davidson, with the Bridgestone-shod BAR 004, topped the timesheets on this final day with a quickest time of 1:21.262 after 64 laps. The Brackley-based squad's test driver concentrated on tyre testing in the morning and worked on the electronics of his car in the afternoon, finishing nearly three tenths of a second ahead of Mark Webber.

"I'm pleased with my day's work and delighted to end the year on a high note," said Davidson. "We've made some good progress with our development work for 2003 and everyone is feeling optimistic about next season."

The Australian Jaguar driver continued with the development of the revised Jaguar R3C, outpacing his teammate Antonio Pizzonia by more than two seconds today. The Brazilian finished slowest after 16 laps.

Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais was again in action for the Renault team, but the current F3000 champion had a troubled day after going off the track twice. Bourdais, however, was the fastest of the three Renault drivers on track today, outpacing Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Frenchman Franck Montagny.

Alonso, today hit by engine problems, was the only Renault driver at the wheel of the hybrid R202.

"We were going to work on tyre testing this morning but we suffered an engine problem and we didn't have spare pieces so my day was quite short," said Alonso at the end of the day. "Overall I'm pleased as I've driven quite a lot of laps and my times have been competitive."

23-year old Kosuke Matsuura, this year's runner-up in the German Formula Three Championship, joined the British American Racing team today, making his Formula One debut at the wheel of the second Honda-powered 004. The Japanese driver spent the day acclimatising to the demands of a Grand Prix car, completing 32 laps to post the sixth quickest time ahead of Pizzonia.

"It was an amazing feeling to be driving a Formula One car for the first time," said Matsuura. "When I left the pit lane to join the track I realised just what a big moment this was for me. I was a little uncomfortable at first because I was sitting too far back in the car but the team made some changes and that helped.

"I got more and more confident as the day progressed and I was able to keep improving my lap times. The braking was so impressive; this was the first time I had used left-foot braking since my karting days. The steering is very light and the acceleration is incredible."

Formula One testing will resume in January.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time Laps 1. Davidson BAR-Honda (B) 1:21.262 64 2. Webber Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:21.549 48 3. Bourdais Renault (M) 1:21.750 38 4. Alonso Renault (M) 1:21.893 17 5. Montagny Renault (M) 1:22.153 33 6. Matsuura BAR-Honda (B) 1:23.149 32 7. Pizzonia Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:23.615 16 All Timing Unofficial

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