Nogaro Test: Day 1 Report

BAR tested with three drivers, as both race drivers Jacques Villeneuve and Ricardo Zonta ran alongside test driver Patrick Lemarie. Lemarie brought up the rear with a best lap of 1m20.692.

Ralf Schumacher ended the day fastest. "We could do today some good improvement on the set up of the car, and complete most of our daily programme.

"In many places this track is similar to the corners of Monaco's circuit and it's quite uneven just like it," he said.

Jenson Button achieved a race distance also for Williams. The Englishman ran 108 laps of the track.

"Everything has gone as planned," he said. "I must say I drove quite carefully though, because the run-offs are not too wide at this track," he said.

"We are all pretty satisfied with the programme so far," said James Robinson, the team's senior operations engineer.