Coulthard boost in Barcelona

David Coulthard set the pace in testing at Barcelona yesterday.

Coulthard, who is driving for Red Bull Racing after leaving McLaren, gave the new team a psychological boost by clocking the fastest time in Spain.

His time of one minute 16.134 seconds was less than 1/10 of a second faster than Antonio Pizzonia, who outpaced his rival for the vacant Williams seat, Nick Heidfeld.

The German was third quickest while Olivier Panis took his Toyota to fourth and Coulthard’s Red Bull colleague Christian Klien, who is fighting it out with Vitantonio Liuzzi for a race seat, was fifth.

Rubens Barrichello was sixth for Ferrari, over a second down on Coulthard while Toyota’s Ralf Schumacher was eighth.