A 5 day test at Barcelona commenced today with 2 teams present. The McLaren and BMW Sauber teams both had 1 2006 car and 1 interim car running.
Jacques Villeneuve in the F1.06 BMW Sauber set the fastest time of the day ahead of McLaren test drivers Gary Paffett and Pedro de la Rosa.
Villeneuve's time was was a 1:17.242. Nick Heidfeld in the interim Sauber C24B covered the most number of laps with 77.
The new McLaren MP4-21 made its track debut with Pedro de la Rosa at the wheel (earlier story). Initially scheduled for Tuesday, the team decided to run the new car a day earlier. de la Rosa covered a total of 15 laps with a best time of 1:18.247. The new McLaren stopped on the track with an oil
pressure problem.
Weather conditions were sunny with air temperature reaching 21 degrees and track temperature reaching 18 degrees.
Testing continues tomorrow with Ferrari, Honda and Red Bull joining the test.
