Jaguar Mystified by Improved Qualifying Pace

The Jaguar team were surprised to be so high up the grid for tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix, according to the Milton Keynes squad's boss Niki Lauda.

"Our qualifying positions now allow us with an outside chance of scrapping for points," said Lauda. "Not an easy task, I know, but if we are honest, we expected to be slightly further back given the aero problems we are presently carrying on the car."

Jaguar have struggled so far to extract the best of their car, paying the price for the lack of wind tunnel work. But at the wheel of the ill-handling R3 chassis, Eddie Irvine was capable of qualifying in 15th place, and the Irishman could not explain his improved pace either.

"To be honest, I am a little mystified by how I've ended-up in 15th position," Irvine said. "There wasn't anything different on the car compared to this morning and unless the tyres have found some extra grip because of the higher track temperature, I can't explain it."

Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa, competing in his 50th Formula One Grand Prix this weekend, set the 17th quickest time of the day.