Jerez joins testing schedule

The Spanish circuit of Jerez joined Mugello and Silverstone as the locations of choice for testing today, where Toyota tester Ryan Briscoe joined Williams's Ralf Schumacher and test driver Marc Gené. Ralf topped the times with a 1:21.230, just over a second ahead of Briscoe and two seconds clear of Gené.

"Ralf and Marc undertook testing responsibilities at Jerez circuit today with both drivers concentrating on set up work of the FW25 and tyre testing for the final race of the season at Suzuka," said Williams test team manager Tim Newton.

"With heavy downpours continuing until lunchtime, we managed to carry out some useful wet weather running this morning as well as getting some dry laps in this afternoon. Ralf completed a comprehensive 63 laps and recorded the fastest time with a 1:21.230m, while Marc ran for 13 laps and ended the session with a best time of 1:23.350m."

At Mugello in Italy, Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer again topped the times; 1:22.273, half a second ahead of fellow tester Felipe Massa. The pair continued with a tyre programme and Michael Schumacher is scheduled to join them tomorrow.

The BAR duo of Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson were third and fourth, Sato recovered from yesterday's shunt. "I had no problems with my ankle," said Sato. "It didn't affect me at all. I worked out which were the best hard and soft Bridgestone compounds for Suzuka and found the hard one particularly stable. But of course the conditions and the track at Suzuka won't be the same, so all I can do is make a recommendation based on what I have felt here."

Minardi joined the action at Mugello in a rare venture onto the test track. Jos Verstappen rounded off the times, two and half seconds down on Badoer and completed 59 laps. McLaren continued at Silverstone, where Pedro de la Rosa and Alex Wurx were scheduled to be behind the wheel.