Alonso goes even faster at Valencia
World Champion Fernando Alonso continued to prove the impressive pace of the new Renault R26 by topping the times on the final day of this week's testing at Valencia
Alonso has finished on top on the last three days, and today the Spaniard posted the best time of the week with a fastest lap of 1:10.552.
The Renault driver completed a Grand Prix simulation without any problems, managing a total of 144 laps.
Despite the big amount, however, Alonso was not the busiest man on track, as teammate Heikki Kovalainen covered a massive 168 laps in the second R26.
The Finn and Alonso, who both set their times during short stints, were the only drivers capable of lapping the Spanish track in less than 71 seconds.
Nico Rosberg was third fastest in the Williams FW28, the German driver focusing on tyre testing for Bridgestone. Rosberg completed his programme without any mechanical failures but he stopped late in the session when his car ran out of fuel.
Rosberg was joined by Brazilian driver Joao Paolo de Oliveira, who made his Formula One debut with the Williams team, testing the interim FW27C car. The 24-year old, the Japanese Formula Three champion, completed 32 laps and finished at the bottom of the times.
"I am just stunned and I am so happy and I really thank the team for this chance," Oliveira said after the test.
Pedro de la Rosa was fourth fastest in the hybrid McLaren fitted with a V10 engine, while teammate Juan Pablo Montoya was down in ninth with the new MP4-21. The Colombian, who caused a red flag when his car stopped on track in the morning due to another engine blow-up, was over two seconds slower than Alonso.
German Nick Heidfeld took over from teammate Jacques Villeneuve as BMW continued with the development work of the new F1.06 car. The team's test driver Robert Kubica continued at the wheel of the interim car.
Ralf Schumacher and Ricardo Zonta were sixth and seventh quickest for Toyota, the German driver causing one of the red flags of the day when his TF106 stopped on track.
Today's times:
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Alonso Renault (M) 1:10.552 144 2. Kovalainen Renault (M) 1:10.952 168 3. Rosberg Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:11.404 55 4. de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:11.667 96 5. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (M) 1:11.797 89 6. R.Schumacher Toyota (B) 1:11.851 77 7. Zonta Toyota (B) 1:11.934 115 8. Kubica BMW-Sauber (M) 1:12.219 89 9. Montoya McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:12.802 71 10. Oliveira Williams-Cosworth (B) 1:13.920 32 All Timing Unofficial
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