OCTOBER 13, 2000

Panis set to complete McLaren testing duties

OLIVIER PANIS will today (Friday) complete his testing duties for the McLaren team as he gets ready to take up his new role as team-mate to Canadian Jacques Villeneuve at the British American Racing team.

The Frenchman has been testing for McLaren at Valencia this week and on Thursday he completed 135 laps, clocking a fastest time of one minute and 13.50 seconds to smash the lap record by two seconds.

Panis was also testing a new compound of soft Bridgestone tires which will be offered to all teams for the final Grand Prix in Malaysia, alongside an existing extra-soft compound.

Arrows driver Pedro de la Rosa was also present at the track and was testing the team's new Asia Motor Technologies engine.

The Spanish driver completed 62 laps of the circuit clocking a fastest time of one minute and 16.51 seconds, three seconds slower than Panis.

De la Rosa was also set-back on Thursday when the AMT power-unit broke down and left the driver and car stranded out on the circuit.