Valencia day 5 am: Ralf top at lunch

The McLaren, which set the pace all week in Spain has decamped for Barcelona in preparation for the launch of its 2002 challenger tomorrow (Saturday). That left Williams to assume to the top spot with Schuey Jr dipping into the 1m12s bracket for the first time this week.

Oivier Panis continued to show the potential of British American Racing's 2002 car by taking the second place, albeit 0.78s behind Ralf. The Frenchman's team mate Jacques Villeneuve carried on working on the second example of the BAR004 and despite making it onto the track he did not register a time.

Next up was a brace of Williams test drivers with Marc Gene in third and Antonio Pizzonia fourth. Mika Salo's work on the traction and launch control systems on his Toyota left the Finn in fifth.

Battle of the young guns at the bottom of the time sheets left Anthony Davidson, in a 2001-spec BAR, comfortably ahead of the Minardis of Mark Webber and Christijan Albers.

Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW M 1m14.320s 80 laps
Olivier Panis BAR-Honda* B 1m14.871s 57 laps
Marc Gene Williams-BMW M 1m14.819 38 laps
Antonio Pizzonia Williams-BMW M 1m14.819 25 laps
Mika Salo Toyota* M 1m15.324s 41 laps
Anthony Davidson BAR-Honda B 1m14.871s 29 laps
Mark Webber Minardi-European M 1m17.824s 18 laps
Christijan Albers Minardi-European M 1m18.076s 11 laps
Jacques Villeneuve BAR-Honda* B No time set

M - Michelin
B - Bridgestone
* - 2002 car