Lauda upbeat about Jaguar prospects

Drivers Eddie Irvine and Pedro de la Rosa ended the two hours of practice fourth and eighth respectively, well among the leading teams.

"Today has given us a good measure of the car's capability around this very fast circuit," said Lauda. "We came here in a positive frame of mind knowing that the R3 is quite competitive under these conditions. The long straights and sweeping fast corners are conducive to extracting the best from our Cosworth engine and the Michelin compound is well suited to Monza."

Irvine was also pleased with progress, but sounded a note of warning about the punishment that will be meted out to the brakes during Sunday's race.

"The good news is we are quick, but the bad news is that we are worried about the brakes," he admitted. "We have suffered from a brake issue all season and if there is one circuit that exposes the fact more than any other it's Monza. Suffice to say we're pleased with the pace of the Jaguar R3, but let's wait and see where we stack up after qualifying tomorrow."