Coulthard fastest in practice

McLaren's David Coulthard was fastest in today's practice for the Spanish Grand Prix and Eddie Irvine revived the Jaguar roar…

McLaren's David Coulthard was fastest in today's practice for the Spanish Grand Prix and Eddie Irvine revived the Jaguar roar by lapping second quickest.

The first practice sessions since the end of 1993 to see the legal use of traction control had joint championship leader Coulthard out front with a best of one minute 20.107 seconds.

Michael Schumacher, who shares the championship lead with Coulthard after four races, was fifth fastest behind Ferrari team mate Rubens Barrichello in third and BAR's Olivier Panis.

Irvine responded well to pressure from new Spanish team mate Pedro de la Rosa. De la Rosa is a local who knows the track well and will be making his Jaguar debut in Sunday's race after replacing Brazilian Luciano Burti.

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At one point the former Arrows driver was fifth fastest in 1:21.184 but Irvine replied by pulling out a late lap of one minute 20.615 seconds.

McLaren's Mika Hakkinen, the two times champion who has won the past three races in Barcelona but has scored just four points so far this season, was sixth fastest.