Monza day 3: De la Rosa flies

Conditions were dry all day for the first time since the test kicked off on Tuesday, and the Spaniard ended up 1.5s quicker than Ralf Schumacher's benchmark from yesterday (Wednesday). His 1m22.75s lap was 0.1s faster than his nearest rival today, McLaren's David Coulthard.

"The balance of the car is very, very good here and already was yesterday," said a delighted de la Rosa. "I was expecting to be quick here, but not this quick. I am quite surprised."

Williams test driver Antonio Pizzonia was third fastest, ahead of the team's race driver Juan Pablo Montoya, while sacked Toyota man Allan McNish was on a mission with the fifth best lap.

Rubens Barrichello was only sixth quickest for Ferrari, but unlike those ahead of him, the Brazilian did not put in a one-lap flier. He was the first of the Bridgestone-shod cars.

The BARs of Jacques Villeneuve and Olivier Panis were next, but it was another bad day for the team's engine supplier, Honda. Following Panis' three blown V10s at Spa last weekend, he lost another two today. And Jordan's Giancarlo Fisichella suffered a Honda failure too (see separate story)...

Eddie Irvine was only ninth after only managing 10 laps. He only ran in the morning and left the circuit, leaving de la Rosa as the lone Jaguar testing.

Renault's Jenson Button worked on race simulation which was curtailed by a gearbox problem, while his team-mate jarno Trulli concentrated on Michelin tyre testing. Minardi's Mark Webber propped up the times.

Tomorrow's fourth and final day will finish early as the circuit officials work to prepare Monza for next week's Italian Grand Prix.

Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer completed 71 more laps of the Paul Ricard circuit in France today as the team ended its three-day programme. The Italian managed a best time of 1m37.848s as he carried tyre development work for Bridgestone.

Pedro de la Rosa Jaguar-Cosworth M 1m22.75s 58
David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes M 1m22.87 93
Antonio Pizzonia Williams-BMW M 1m23.18s 45
Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW M 1m23.49s 36
Allan McNish Toyota M 1m23.89s 52
Rubens Barrichello Ferrari B 1m23.89s 79
Jacques Villeneuve BAR-Honda B 1m24.36s 68
Olivier Panis BAR-Honda B 1m24.68s 28
Eddie Irvine Jaguar-Cosworth M 1m25.28s 10
Mika Salo Toyota M 1m25.33s 45
Giancarlo Fisichella Jordan-Honda B 1m25.36s 53
Jarno Trulli Renault M 1m25.38s 48
Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas B 1m25.48s 77
Jenson Button Renault M 1m25.71s 73
Mark Webber Minardi-Asiatech M 1m26.02s 66

B=Bridgestone
M=Michelin