Preparations for the 2005 Formula One World Championship season got underway at Jerez de la Frontera, in southern Spain today.

Conditions were ideal, with blue skies and temperatures reaching 16 degrees C, as WilliamsF1 and BAR began the first test session of the year.

Mark Webber and Nick Heidfeld were both on duty for the Grove outfit, running interim FW26s, which sported the new 2005 livery, unveiled in Bahrain last week. Both drivers concentrated on set-ups, in addition to evaluating different brake ducts.

Heidfeld, who is in competition with Antonio Pizzonia for the second race seat, was the quicker of the two WilliamsF1 drivers, outpacing Webber by 0.136s.

Ahead of next Sunday's launch of its 2005 contender, BAR had Anthony Davidson and Enrique Bernoldi on duty. Davidson, running the latest upgraded power-plant from Honda, was 0.745s off the pace, while the Brazilian, who complained of neck pains, was 1.7s off the pace.

The hybrid car - which is running with 2005 aerodynamic downforce - was continually off the pace in the December tests, but since few other teams are running with 2005 aero packages, many F1 insiders feel that the BAR's pace is looking very, very good.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), Ferrari, McLaren, Renault and Toyota, all begin their preparations for the new season, which gets underway in just over seven weeks.

Today's Times