Pizzonia Fastest as Monza Testing Ends

Williams test driver Antonio Pizzonia set the fastest time of the week today at Monza, where Williams, Toyota, Jaguar and BAR wrapped up testing, ahead of the French Grand Prix next weekend.

Pizzonia, who ran for the Grove-based team throughout the past four days, set a time of 1:23.200 - the fastest time set at Monza in 2002 so far.

"We tested tyres, brakes, suspension set-ups and of course development engines," Williams's chief operations engineer Sam Michael said at the end of the day. "We have found a good direction in all areas and will be well prepared for the next Monza test in September. Antonio has driven all four days which has helped us to get through a tight test program efficiently."

Pizzonia was half a second faster than Toyota's Mika Salo, who ran alongside teammate Allan McNish. The team said Salo carried out a Michelin tyre test, while McNish was able to work on brakes and data acquisition, despite an engine failure in the afternoon session.

"Today was purely and simply about collecting data, not necessarily for the Monza Grand Prix and certainly not about performance," McNish commented later. "I didn't do too many laps and had an engine failure in the afternoon. Monza is particularly hard on engines due to the high number of wide open throttle straights. The exact cause of the failure has to be determined back in Cologne."

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team-Engine Time Laps 1. Pizzonia Williams-BMW (M) 1:23.200 77 2. Salo Toyota (M) 1:23.709 65 3. Irvine Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 1:23.800 65 4. Panis BAR-Honda (B) 1:24.030 62 5. Davidson BAR-Honda (B) 1:24.621 76 6. McNish Toyota (M) 1:24.907 21 All Timing Unofficial

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