Ricard 3: Button fastest

Button lapped the test track in the south of France in 1m11.047s, two-tenths faster than the Williams of Antonio Pizzonia. Button was using the new 'concept B' suspension system on the BAR 006 chassis, believed to feature a radical use of uprights.

McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa was third fastest, logging 30 laps on the team's new experimental carbonfibre gearbox. Takuma Sato set the fourth fastest time in the hybrid BAR, although he lost time with an oil leak which might mean he sticks around for another day to complete his tyre selection programme for the San Marino Grand Prix.

Williams-BMW's Ralf Schumacher was fifth fastest, the German concentrating on traction control development. Sixth fastest man Alexander Wurz only managed 30 laps as his McLaren was dogged by a chassis problem.

Franck Montagny was seventh for Renault, raking up a mammoth 134 laps in a year-old Renault. The Toyotas were again at the rear of the pack, with Ricardo Zonta setting 1m12.585s in a new car and fellow tester Ryan Briscoe managing a time two-tenths slower while carrying out braking tests.

Briscoe's test programme is over, but that of a fellow antipodean, IRL champion Scott Dixon, starts tomorrow when he gets his first taste of a Williams-BMW.

Luca Badoer completed 132 laps at Fiorano in testing today, setting a fastest time of 57.398s in a F2003-GA. Championship leader Michael Schumacher takes over from the Italian at Ferrari's test track tomorrow. Schumacher, meanwhile, was at Mugello on Thursday, and recorded 65 laps, the quickest being 1m20.106s.

Jenson Button BAR-Honda 1m11.047s 119
Antonio Pizzonia Williams 1m11.201s 129
Pedro de la Rosa McLaren 1m11.390s 30
Takuma Sato BAR 1m11.422s 80
Ralf Schumacher Williams 1m11.520s 104
Alexander Wurz McLaren 1m12.358s 31
Franck Montagny Renault* 1m12.468s 134
Ricardo Zonta 1m12.585s 94
Ryan Briscoe Toyota** 1m12.726s 110
*2003 car
**hybrid car