Ferrari the fastest as Alonso tops early tests

JEREZ, Spain: Ferrari finished Formula One’s first pre-season test on a high note as Fernando Alonso was fastest in yesterday’s session.

The Spanish double world champion had a quickest lap of one minute, 18,877 seconds to go 7/10ths of a second faster than the field.

The Italians rebounded from a subdued start with the second fastest time this week among 2012 designs, although Alonso’s running was restricted to 39 laps due to a hydraulics problem.

Jean-eric Vergne of Toro Rosso was second yesterday ahead of defending world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, whose best lap was 1:19,606.

Lewis Hamilton was fourth for Mclaren in front of Lotus’s Romain Grosjean, whose quickest lap on Thursday has so far set the pace for the 2012 cars.

Meanwhile, Mercedes’s 2011 car topped testing for a second straight day, while Lotus were quickest of this season’s new batch of cars on Thursday.

Nico Rosberg was quickest around the Jerez circuit with a lap time of 1:17,613 seconds to follow up Michael Schumacher’s leading pace a day earlier.

Grosjean was the fastest in the 2012 designs, the French driver’s time of 1:18,419 more than 8/10ths of a second faster than two-time defending world champion Vettel, who was driving for the first time.

Hamilton’s first spin in the new Mclaren placed him fourth ahead of Vergne, while Alonso kicked off his Ferrari campaign with the seventhfastest time.

Grosjean’s time was the fastest of the 2012 cars after three days of testing, with team-mate Kimi Raikkonen having topped the time-sheets on Tuesday’s opening session.

“I am one of the happiest guys in the world right now,” said Grosjean, who returns to the former Renault team after competing in GP2 for one season. “For sure there’s margin for improvement in the tests ahead, but it’s a great start to the year.”

Cool morning temperatures delayed optimal running for most as cars needed time to warm up tyres that all teams are still getting accustomed to.

Force India reserve driver Jules Bianchi skidded off the slippery circuit to keep Nico Hulkenberg from getting any laps in the afternoon, when he was meant to hand over.

“The car feels fine and as we expected,” said Vettel, who was back on track after dominating the championship last season.

“There’s quite a loss of grip due to the regulation changes, but you get used to it quickly and then start to explore how the new car feels. So far we can be happy, we had a couple of issues, but it’s normal when the car is new.” – Sapa-ap