Lauda blames de la Rosa for spins

Grand prix legend Lauda retired from the sport at the end of 1985 and the closest the Austrian has come to driving a modern F1 car before today was a McLaren two-seater at Hockenheim in 2002.

Lauda took the decision to drive one of his team's cars in order to get a feel for the chassis and enable him to better communicate with drivers Eddie Irvine and de la Rosa.

The 52-year-old completed an installation lap before returning to the twisty Spanish track, but spun on the exit of the tight Turn 2. After being towed back to the pits, Lauda took to the circuit once more, but his R2 machine promptly swapped ends again in exactly the same place.

"The reason I spun is because Pedro told me where to brake," said Lauda. "I was brave enough to go in there as late as Pedro - at all the other corners I took it slower.

"Both drivers said if I'd gone out and been slow without trying, they would never speak to me again. At least they know that I tried."

In all, Lauda completed eight flying laps and his quickest time was a 1m29.481s, around 15s slower than a competitive time, with no further dramas. He also stopped on the circuit to try some practice starts.

Irvine and de la Rosa are also on hand at Valencia to continue development of the all-new R3.