Jordan ready for Monza

For us it is going to be a challenge," said Heidfeld, "but with the test last week we have a slight head start compared to other races.

"It was good to get back into testing again as we test less than other teams so our days are really important. We have got some good information in preparation for the race and we were able to test quite a few things but as is always the way, you want a bit more time to get deeper into evaluating things."

For team-mate Pantano, Monza represents his home race and is hoping for a better run out than in Belgium where he was involved in the multi-car shunt at Eau Rouge on the first lap.

"I am looking forward to it," he said. "I would really like to have a good race there because there will be a lot of people who have come to see me.

"As a boy I went to Monza quite a few times to watch the race and I always did quite well there in the three years I did F3000. Testing last week was good: we mainly tested tyres for the grand prix and it went pretty well."

Jordan also used last week's test at Monza to evaluate parts for its 2005 car. "Our programme focused on a number of areas with effort targeted on evaluating tyres with Bridgestone for the Italian Grand Prix, which is excellent as it means we can make a late call on the tyre we need for the race," explained the team's head of race and test engineering James Robinson. "Our other work has been looking at development areas for the 2005 car and we completed a trouble-free 500km a day so all in all a productive test. For the race, the aero package is exclusive to Monza.

"The fact that the drivers have all been driving here a week before the Grand Prix means during the weekend we can concentrate on fine-tuning the car rather than some of the larger steps we have to take at other race weekends."