Catalunya collective test, day two

Kovalainen Presents His Title Hopes

Besides the General Election Day in Spain, the World Series by Nissan drivers had presented today in Catalunya the candidatures for the 2004 Title. In his Dallara Nissan car with 450 Hp, the 2002 runner-up, Kovalainen, and his "new team", Pons Racing, are one of the strongest candidates.

Barcelona, 14 March 2004 -- Being also in front positions in Jarama, today Kovalainen and Pons Racing have set a new unofficial record in 1.30.549 at an average speed of 187.9 km/h (two seconds ahead the lap record set by Leinders in 2002)

Behind the Finnish, up to 9 drivers packed in the same seconds. Jean Cristophe Ravier and Rodrigo Sperafico followed Kovalainen but the Frenchman Bruce Jouanny was the leading this session for a long time. (Using only one set of tyres).

The Portuguese Tiago Monteiro outstand as the best debutant in these 2004 Collective Test. The Minardi test driver has adapted very well to the Dallara Nissan car.

Monteiro has been fastest than Bernoldi only by 0.02 seconds.

Ander Vilariño, always in the leading group of drivers, set his Epsilon Euskadi car in the 7th position.

Debutants Ryo Fukuda (Belmondo Racing) and Tristan Gommendy (Saulnier Racing) finished in top ten positions.

Kartikheyan did no trace due to a crack in one of his ribs. Pablo Donoso's spun in one the fastest corners of the circuit but the driver was unhurt.

Rainy morning session

Rainy morning in Catalunya. The World Series by Nissan Teams were forced to use the wet tyres. Kovalainen and Valles were the reference under wet conditions.

As the track dry up, Alvarez and Porteiro used the slick ones and finished the session in P1 and P2.

<pre> The best registered laps

1    Heikki Kovalainen          Pons Racing             1.30.549
2    Jean Cristophe Ravier      Epsilon Euskadi         1.30.689
3    Rodrigo Sperafico          Vergani Formula         1.30.797
4    Bruce Jouanny              KTR                     1.30.842
5    Tiago Monteiro             Carlin Motorsport       1.31.137
6    Enrique Bernoldi           GD Racing               1.31.159
7    Ander Vilariño             Epsilon Euskadi         1.31.162
8    Juan Cruz Alvarez          Gabord Reyco            1.31.334
9    Ryo Fukuda                 Belmondo Racing         1.31.538
10   Tristan Gommendy           Saulnier Racing         1.31.544
11   Felix Porteiro             Porfesa Competicion     1.31.731
12   Boris Derichebourg         Belmondo Racing         1.32.163
13   Didier Andre               KTR                     1.32.357
14   Adrian Valles              Pons Racing             1.32.657
15   Roldan Rodriguez           Porfesa Competicion     1.32.919
16   Pablo Donoso               GD Racing               1.32.973
17   Narain Kartikheyan         RC Motorsport           1.33.057
18   Roman Rusinov              Gabord Reyco            1.33.776

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