McLaren back-track on testing new car

The McLaren team is intent on maintaining the momentum it gained from David Coulthard's win in Brazil on Sunday and has reversed its decision not to test its 2001 car before the San Marino Grand Prix by readying a fourth chassis to run at Silverstone this week

The Woking-based team surprised many by not running this year's MP4-16 in testing after the first two rounds of the season, but extra work has led to a new car being completed in anticipation of Mika Hakkinen's arrival at the Northamptonshire circuit tomorrow (Wednesday).

Meanwhile, McLaren test driver Alex Wurz had to make do with last year's interim car. The Austrian was able to complete only 15 laps and continuous showers of Malaysian GP proportions left the time sheets somewhat shaken up, with the Jordan of Ricardo Zonta more than 10 seconds clear of the rest of the field.

The unpredictable Northamptonshire weather left teams guessing and with conditions changing from showers to shine at regular half-hourly intervals, completing any useful running became nigh on impossible.

Zonta was the only driver to set a time during the drier morning session and attempted to solve the electrical problems that blighted the Jordan team's Honda engines last weekend in Brazil.

Second to the Brazilian was Wurz, who carried out several practice starts on the back section of the Silverstone track and planned to carry out a tyre evaluation programme for supplier Bridgestone before the heavier rain came in the afternoon.

In third and fourth places were the BAR-Hondas of test driver Patrick Lemarie and Olivier Panis. Similar to McLaren, BAR had a newly-completed fourth 2001-spec car on hand, which was shaken down by Frenchman Lemarie in preparation for Jacques Villeneuve, who arrives tomorrow.

Panis finished the day fourth and last in last year's BAR002 and was also thwarted in his attempts to carry out tyre development. The Frenchman, who lost out on a potential podium finish in Brazil after a pits mix up, completed just nine laps and experimented with some development components.

Silverstone test, day one (unofficial times)

Ricardo Zonta Jordan-Honda (2001 car) B 1m28.11s 15
Alex Wurz McLaren-Mercedes B 1m39.22s 15
Patrick Lemarie B (2001 car) 1m40.41s 36
Olivier Panis BAR-Honda B 1m41.23s 9