Webber tops Barcelona test 2002-12-03

Testing got under way again this week at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, with twelve drivers from six teams on track. Williams was once more evaluating drivers and former Renault tester Fernando Alonso was behind the wheel for his first winter test as race driver.

Mark Webber topped the times for Jaguar, setting a fastest of 1:18.192 over 67 laps, narrowly ahead of Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya. Webber's team mate Antonio Pizzonia did not have such a successful time: after writing off a Jaguar S-Type road car last week, the Brazilian today crashed his R3B head on into turn two and the car was too badly damaged for him to get any further track time. Pizzonia was unharmed.

McLaren test driver Alex Wurz was third quickest and the Woking squad also had Gary Paffett on duty. The British driver, who competed in this year's German F3 series, was ninth fastest. Olivier Panis set the fourth time of the day, the Frenchman testing in a 2002 spec Toyota chassis and working on familiarizing himself with the set-up. Team mate Christiano da Matta is on duty at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France this week.

Williams' test driver Marc Gene was fifth fastest, ahead of Alonso and BAR tester Anthony Davidson. Nico Rosberg, son of the legendary Keke, was a new, and remarkably young, face behind the wheel of a Williams, as was German Dirk Müller. At 17, Rosberg is the youngest ever driver to take part in an F1 test and acquitted himself well: eighth quickest and just over two and a half seconds behind Webber's top time. Both he and Müller, who was tenth, were thrilled with the experience.

Rounding off the times was Romain Dumas, the Frenchman trying out for Renault. Elsewhere, Luciano Burti was on track for Ferrari at Mugello, working on electronics and new components for next year.