Jerez Test - Day Three: 16 January.

David Coulthard restored McLaren to the top of the times at Jerez yesterday [Sunday], as Williams tried again to run both Jenson Button and Bruno Junqueira.


Coulthard clocked the fastest time of the three-day session with 1min 24.344secs, to edge out the improving BAR-Honda combination of Ricardo Zonta. Johnny Herbert also climbed the order after a disappointing day on Saturday, taking third place for the new Jaguar R1.


The second McLaren of Olivier Panis was next up, as the top four all lapped within a second of the pace-setting Coulthard, Pedro Diniz (Sauber) and Luciano Burti (Jaguar) - both at the top of the times on the opening days - brought up the rear in sixth and seventh respectively, separated from the frontrunners by Button's maiden laps in the Williams-BMW.


Having been forced to largely kick his heels in the team's garage over a trying weekend, the British youngster finally got his chance to put together a string of laps in the 1999 hybrid. Fifth overall, with a best lap of 1min 25.692secs, convinced Williams technical director Patrick Head that Button had talent, but the team is insistent that both the Briton and rival Junqueira - who did not run - would be back with the team at Barcelona next week. Such is Williams' desire to give both drivers a fair chance in the car, it cancelled Ralf Schumacher's test day on Sunday, although the German will be present in Catalunya.



Leading performances (16 January):


David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes* 1min 24.344secs

Ricardo Zonta BAR-Honda 1min 24.680secs

Johnny Herbert Jaguar-Cosworth 1min 24.785secs

Olivier Panis McLaren-Mercedes* 1min 25.086secs

Jenson Button Williams-BMW* 1min 25.692secs

Pedro Diniz Sauber-Petronas 1min 25.904secs

Luciano Burti Jaguar-Cosworth 1min 26.557secs


[Times courtesy of BAR - * denotes 1999 chassis]