Button moves to head of the class


By Jamie Makin
February 12 2005

BAR Honda's Jenson Button was relieved to have a car fast enough to set the best time in the Friday test session at Jerez. He was more than half a second clear of his nearest rival, Juan Pablo Montoya in the McLaren Mercedes. Despite the fast pace, it was not the happiest of days for the team. Button's car stopped twice on track and Bernoldi had an off causing minor damage to the front of the car. The repairs were made quickly enough to allow the drivers to rack up a lot of laps, Button completing 129 in the BAR007 and Bernoldi 121 in the BAR006.

The team will complete their 5-day Jerez test and return to the factory to try to sort out the BAR007's reliability problems.

P Driver Team Engine Car Tyre Best Lap Gap
1 Button BAR Honda BAR007 M 1:15.680 -:--.---
2 Montoya McLaren Mercedes MP4/20 M 1:16.198 0.518
3 M Schumacher Ferrari Ferrari F2004M B 1:16.668 0.988
4 Coulthard Red Bull Cosworth RB1 M 1:16.802 1.122
5 Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes MP4/20 M 1:17.366 1.686
6 Webber Williams BMW FW27 M 1:17.421 1.741
7 Liuzzi Red Bull Cosworth RB1 M 1:17.439 1.759
8 Zonta Toyota Toyota TF105 M 1:17.719 2.039
9 Heidfeld Williams BMW FW27 M 1:17.932 2.252
10 R Schumacher Toyota Toyota TF105 M 1:18.062 2.382
11 Bernoldi BAR Honda BAR006 M 1:18.585 2.905
12 Badoer Ferrari Ferrari F2004M B 1:18.778 3.098

Bookmark or share this story with: