Qualifying Showing Boosts Jaguar Spirits

Eddie Irvine and his Jaguar team are looking forward to a strong Italian Grand Prix tomorrow after completing the Ford-owned outfit's best qualifying performance of the 2002 season at Monza today.

The Irishman, who has scored all of Jaguar's points this year, continued to show the Milton Keynes-based squad's improved form by setting a very promising sixth quickest time, beating McLaren driver David Coulthard to a spot on the third row of the grid for the race.

Irvine was delighted with the performance of the Cosworth-powered R3B and claimed the team have done a great job transforming the struggling R3 into a competitive car.

"There has been a lot of work undertaken on the Jaguar R3 and I have to say, there is little to criticise today," said a delighted Irvine. "The balance of the car was very good, the new qualifying engine from Cosworth made a significant difference and combined with a low downforce configuration, we are very much on the pace, especially when you consider where we were not too long ago.

"I was caught in a battle right between the two McLarens and while getting ahead of Coulthard was always possible, catching Raikkonen was always going to be tough. Getting points is more than a possibility tomorrow, but it's far from a formality.

"The Jaguar R3 feels like a very different animal to the one we started the season with. It feels like a real racing car now and I cannot wait to take it racing tomorrow."

Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa contributed to lift Jaguar's spirits by posting the eighth fastest time of the day.