Verstappen Goes Fastest at Valencia - Day One

Today was the first day of testing at the Valencia circuit, where Bridgestone and Michelin users tested together for the first time this year, with Jos Verstappen setting the fastest time of the session.

The day started wet and initially most of the drivers ran full wet-weather tyres, and though conditions improved throughout the morning, the track remained damp so the teams decided to use intermediate tyres.

Verstappen's best lap was set during the afternoon, when the weather allowed the use of dry-weather tyres, but rain began to fall once more 45 from the end of the session.

Benetton's Giancarlo Fisichella, who celebrated his 28th birthday, was the quickest of the Michelin users, more than a second off Verstappen's time, while Eddie Irvine, driving a hybrid Jaguar R1, was third.

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya and Spaniard Marc Gene were fourth and fifth quickest respectively for the Williams team, also on Michelins.

Mika Hakkinen, who was testing for the first time since the end of last season following his paternity leave, set the sixth fastest time on the Bridgestone-shod McLaren-Mercedes.

Hakkinen caused the session to be red-flagged following an engine problem, but the Finn was pleased to be back at work.

"It’s very, very nice to be back and to see all the team," Hakkinen said. "When I was first told about the test it was the day after [my son] Hugo was born, which wasn’t good timing. But now I’m here I’m very happy to be back."

As it happened last week during the final day of testing at Jerez, Jenson Button completed only four laps with the second Benetton-Renault after going off the track in the wet.

The three-day testing session at Valencia will continue tomorrow.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time 1. Verstappen Arrows-AMT (B) 1:18.30 2. Fisichella Benetton-Renault (M) 1:19.32 3. Irvine Jaguar (M) 1:19.70 4. Montoya Williams-BMW (M) 1:19.82 5. Gene Williams-BMW (M) 1:20.50 6. Hakkinen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:20.65 7. Wurz McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:24.67 8. R.Schumacher Williams-BMW (M) 1:28.31 9. Burti Jaguar (M) 1:32.18 10. Button Benetton-Renault (M) 1:51.13 All Timing Unofficial