Villeneuve shines with F1.06 at Barcelona

Villeneuve, driving BMW's new F1.06 car unveiled last week, finished with a best time of 1:17.242, the Canadian being the only driver to lap in less than 78 seconds.

It was the first time the new BMW was on track with rival cars, having only done private testing in Valencia last week.

Former World Champion Villeneuve worked alongside teammate Nick Heidfeld, who was at the wheel of the hybrid car fitted with a V8 engine as the team wait to have the second new chassis ready.

Spanish driver Pedro de la Rosa was the man in charge of completing the first test with the new McLaren-MP4-21.

De la Rosa said first impressions of the V8-powered car were good, but the test driver could only complete 19 laps before the Mercedes engine gave up.

De la Rosa finished over a second behind Villeneuve, with Briton Gary Paffett splitting the two in the hybrid McLaren MP20 fitted with a V10 engine.

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya will drive the new car at the Spanish circuit on Tuesday and Wednesday with Finland's Kimi Raikkonen, winner of seven races last year, testing on Thursday and Friday.

Today's times:

Pos  Driver        Team                Tyres  Time     Laps
 1.  Villeneuve    BMW-Sauber           (M)  1:17.242   84
 2.  Paffett       McLaren-Mercedes     (M)  1:18.066   74
 3.  de la Rosa    McLaren-Mercedes     (M)  1:18.247   19
 4.  Heidfeld      BMW-Sauber           (M)  1:18.471   82

All Timing Unofficial