Final Day testing for WilliamsF1 at Jerez

The final day of testing in 2002 for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team saw them at Jerez with Ralf Schumacher and Marc Gené winding up their three day test in the south of Spain. Again the days testing would focus on development work on components for the 2003 car, including the P83 BMW engine. The team will not start testing again until the new year.

The day would see Marc finish in seventh position, again testing the new P83 BMW engine, while Ralf Schumacher would finish in fifth, while he conducted tyre testing for Michelin.

Sam Michael, WilliamsF1 Chief Operations Engineer, explained the days testing by saying: "We have moved further south to Jerez to look for the best weather in Spain. There have been variable conditions with a lot of wind. Marc continued working on the new engine and gearbox as well as evaluating new brake development. Ralf has been doing aerodynamic assessment and tyre testing for Michelin. Now we have the Christmas break and then it will be straight back to Jerez in the New Year, again with Ralf and Marc."

For BMW's DR Mario Theissen he would come away pleased with the testing. He would say: "We are also pleased with the test results. One of the two FW24 was powered by our new P83 BMW engine which Marc Gené was driving, focussing on engine set-up, traction control and the car set-up. We have had no problems with the new engine. Meanwhile Ralf’s car has been running the P82 engine and last year’s gearbox."

As for the other teams it would be McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen who would set the best time. Kimi would complete forty nine laps, with a best time of 1m:19.774. Jaguar's Mark Webber, using the 2002 Cosworth engine,  would set the second fastest time of the day, sixth tenths behind Raikkonen.

British American Racing test driver Anthony Davidson ended up third quickest in his BAR-Honda. Alex Wurz, quickest yesterday, set the fourth fastest time ahead of Ralf Schumacher and Spanish talent Fernando Alonso.

For BAR newcomer Jenson Button he would finish eighth fastest and for the first time tested the Bridgestone intermediates while the track was still damp in the morning. F3000 champion Sebastien Bourdais and Franck Montagny would both test for Renault and both would finish at the bottom of the times.