Eddie Irvine today stood at the top of the standings following the first two practice sessions ahead of Sunday's German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.
Irvine underlined the recent improvements made to the aerodynamics of the Jaguar, initially proven at last week's three-day test in Monza, by posting a time of one minute 41.424 seconds.
The time was almost three seconds under the lap record set by Rubens Barrichello in his Ferrari last year, but Irvine and team boss Bobby Rahal are aware such speed needs to be converted into a respectable qualifying position tomorrow.
Irvine was just six hundredths quicker than the Williams of Juan Pablo Montoya at the end of the second 60-minute session, with the Colombian clocking 1:41.487.
Mika Hakkinen, fresh from his triumph at Silverstone, moved up into the top three, albeit half a second down on Irvine, with the Ferraris of Barrichello and Michael Schumacher in fourth and fifth.
Barrichello was the only other driver to clock under one minute 42 seconds for the 4.2 mile circuit, with reigning world champion Schumacher, on course for his fourth title as he stands 37 points clear of nearest rival David Coulthard, setting a time of 1:42.255.
Irvine's team-mate, Pedro de la Rosa, second-quickest at the end of the first timed run, was unable to improve and dropped to sixth, with Coulthard down in seventh with a time of 1:42.304.
With all eyes on Jordan this weekend, following the controversial sacking of Heinz-Harald Frentzen on Wednesday, replacement Ricardo Zonta was 13th in 1:43.461, four places and half a second behind team-mate Jarno Trulli.
PA