Schumacher and Montoya felt the new car showed plenty of potential

Colombian Montoya said his first impressions of the new car, which was unveiled on Monday, were "very good".

"I felt comfortable straight away and could push the car from the outset. The car has excellent potential," he added.

Schumacher backed up his team-mate's impressions, but warned it was "far too early" to fully assess the car.

Montoya and Schumacher are testing the radically-styled FW26 at the Valencia in Spain throughout this week and gave their thoughts after their first laps on Monday.

The team have said they will be disappointed if they do not win both drivers' and constructors' titles in 2004 and are optimistic that the car will perform well from the start of the season.

Montoya, who finished third in last year's drivers' championship, added: "The car doesn't feel a lot different from last year's, which is a very good start.

I really have high expectations of the radical approach taken to this new car Ralf Schumacher

"In spite of the restrictions imposed by the new rules, which give you less drag and make the car more difficult under braking, everything feels just right.

"The dusty track conditions were not 100% ideal and we only completed six hard laps, so I don't want to sound too optimistic, but there isn't a single area that doesn't work.

"I am very, very pleased; I think this car has got a good future."

Schumacher said: "It is always positive if the first day runs according to plan and I can say that the car feels good, perhaps similar to the FW25.

"I really have high expectations of the radical approach taken to this new car."

The FW26 features a brand new approach to front-wing design, and is also smaller and lighter than last year's Williams.