Mika Hakkinen endured an unsatisfactory start to his relationship with McLaren's MP4-15, after the car suffered software problems on its maiden run.
The reigning world champion was restricted to just 34 laps of the
Jerez circuit either side of several stops to correct the problem, and was comfortably outpaced by team-mate
David Coulthard in last year's uprated MP4-14. The Scot clocked a best time of 1min 24.42secs, compared with Hakkinen's best of 1min 25.32secs.
The new car, which was unveiled to the press earlier in the day, was making its first appearance on a circuit after a long gestation period stretching back to the middle of 1999.
Title rivals Ferrari, meanwhile, continued to test in private at the tiny Italian venue of Vairano, with
Luca Badoer entrusted with the latest round of development running. BAR and
Williams were present at neither Spanish test, preparing instead for their annual sojourn to Kyalami in South Africa net week.
Leading performances (3 February):
David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes* 1min 24.42secs 93 laps
Mika Hakkinen McLaren-Mercedes 1min 25.32secs 34 laps
