Jordan on track with their new EJ12 car

Jordan rushed their new EJ12 Formula 0ne car straight from factory to test track on Monday with Japan's Takuma Sato given first go at the wheel.

The Silverstone-based team said the shakedown at the nearby circuit was completed successfully after factory staff worked through the weekend and into the early hours on Monday to complete the car.

Team boss Eddie Jordan watched Sato, who makes his grand prix debut in Australia on March 3 with Italian team mate Giancarlo Fisichella, complete the run on a cold and windy afternoon.

"It is very pleasing to see it coming together in the way it did and we are all satisfied with today's first outing," said technical director Eghbal Hamidy in a team statement.

"Today was a productive first systems check of our new car" added test and race engineering head Gary Anderson.

Jordan said the new car was an entirely new design but based on last year's Honda-powered EJ11.

"A new carbon fibre monocoque is complemented by a dramatic looking aerodynamic package featuring a swooping front nose section," the team statement said.

Jordan have yet to confirm their title sponsor for 2002 or announce an official launch date for the car. They will start a three day test on Tuesday.

Four teams -- Toyota, British American Racing, Jaguar and McLaren -- have officially unveiled their 2002 challengers so far with Williams and Renault doing so later this week.

Sauber have also run their new car already before their formal launch in Switzerland on Friday.

BARRICHELLO BACK

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello showed no ill effects from his big crash at Valencia in Spain on Saturday, returning to the track in his Ferrari and setting a faster time than team mate Michael Schumacher.

Ferrari said the third and final day of their test ended with world champion Schumacher and Barrichello both driving last year's F2001s and testing tyres and electronics.

Schumacher did 89 laps, with a best time of one minute 12.544 and Barrichello 99 with a fastest 1.12.498.

Barrichello had flipped into the air after hitting a circuit barrier at speed in his first test of the new season. He was unhurt but the car was badly damaged.

McLaren and Sauber tested in Barcelona, with Briton David Coulthard fastest in the new MP4-17.