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Formula 1

Jerez first 2015 test Test day three

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Sainz is lapping the Toro Rosso consistently in the 1m26s at the moment, while Maldonado has slowed up now after that consecutive sequence of improvements.
Rosberg ends his race run and returns to the pits. He's clocked 76 laps so far today - by far the biggest total of anyone.
Another improvement for Maldonado - he's into the 1m26s now. Half a second more needed to jump Raikkonen's Ferrari.
Maldonado finds a bit more time as Massa rejoins the action in the Williams.
The Lotus improves again on the next tour. Maldonado is into the 1m27s now. Still 1.8s adrift of the best he managed yesterday but getting closer.
Maldonado is straight into the 1m28s on his first flying lap in the E23, following telemetry problems earlier in the day.
Massa is back out too now in the Williams. He's only done 10 laps so far so will no doubt want to crack on in getting to know the FW37.
Sainz moves up to second now as Maldonado's Lotus rejoins the action after a long spell in the pits.
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Rosberg shoots to the top of the leaderboard with his latest flying lap. A 1m26.064s puts him 0.171s clear of Raikkonen.
And here's the lap count just after midday in Spain:

Rosberg (Mercedes) - 70
Alonso (McLaren) - 32
Raikkonen (Ferrari) - 31
Sainz (Toro Rosso) -31
Nasr (Sauber) - 30
Massa (Williams) - 10
Ricciardo (Red Bull) - 5
Maldonado (Lotus) - 1
Rosberg improves again in the Merc. Less than half a tenth between him and Raikkonen now.
For those on our mobile site without a leaderboard, here's how things are shaping up so far:

1 Raikkonen
2 Rosberg +0.2s
3 Sainz +1.6s
4 Ricciardo +8.5s
5 Nasr +8.8s
6 Alonso +9.3s
7 Massa +19.9s
8 Maldonado (no time)

Can you spot the people who haven't set a laptime on slicks yet?
Rosberg sets a new personal best time as he continues this race sim in the Merc. Closes to within two tenths of Raikkonen's best.
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Another improvement for the 2007 world champion as he posts a 1m26.235s.
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Raikkonen goes to the top of the times with a 1m26.418s in the Ferrari.
Just a single-lap run for Alonso that time, and he is pushed back into the garage.

Raikkonen moves up to second with a 1m27.093s.
Raikkonen sets a new personal best on those mediums, staying third with a 1m28.125s.
To the delight of the gathering of fans on the opposite side of the track to the McLaren garage, Alonso heads back out.
Raikkonen is running on a set of mediums now he has re-appeared, while Rosberg is currently on hards for this race run.
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Nico Rosberg

Nico Rosberg


Rosberg goes faster still - this time it's a 1m26.457s as track conditions continue to improve.

Raikkonen returns to the action as well.
Massa re-appears in the Williams after a quiet morning so far for the Brazilian.
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A tiny improvement for Rosberg - he finds 0.040s on his 61st lap of the day.
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Rosberg improves again, now he's into the 1m26s with a 1m26.786s.
Breaking news
As we approach midday here at Jerez, here's a summary of the action so far:

* McLaren-Honda logs 31 laps with Alonso
* Rosberg fastest as track dries after damp start
* Lotus delayed by telemetry issue
* Nasr causes red flag with spin at Turn 9
* Only five laps for Red Bull and six for Williams so far
Rosberg is surely in race simulation mode here. After a first stint on inters, he's now settled into the low 1m27s on slicks.
Another improvement for Sainz moves him up to second, 0.8s adrift of Rosberg's best.
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Rosberg finds another four tenths, so he's down to a 1m27.073s. Sainz moves up to third with a 1m28.610s.
Nasr initially returned on to the track on a set of inters, but he's now joined Sainz in taking on mediums.

BEN ANDERSON tells us that when Raikkonen returned the Ferrari to the pits he pulled in behind a wall of screens before the car was turned around and pushed into the garage.
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Rosberg finds another two tenths to post a 1m27.4s, while Nasr is back in action for Sauber after spinning into the gravel earlier this morning.
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Sure enough, it all comes together for Rosberg, and he goes fastest with a 1m27.676s. That's still roughly seven seconds shy of Sebastian Vettel's fastest time of the test so far from day two.
Rosberg nailed the final sector on that lap, but he'd already given away too much time earlier on to beat Raikkonen's time. Let's see if he can pull it all together this time.
Rosberg sets overall best times in sectors one and two, but he crosses the line 0.082s down on Raikkonen's time.
The Mercedes and the Ferrari are the only cars on track at the moment, but their laptimes are showing the rest of the pitlane that the track is drying out nicely now.
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Raikkonen lowers the bar to a 1m28.137s, and seconds later Rosberg comes across the line 0.5s slower.
Rosberg re-emerged quickly after a live pitstop, and he's on hard Pirelli slicks now. The timing screen is lighting up...
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More progress for Raikkonen: a 1m29.228s puts him 3.8s clear of Rosberg's best on inters.
Rosberg and Alonso pit together after running in close proximity for so many laps there.
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Raikkonen improves to a 1m30.085s at the top of the times, while Alonso falls back from Rosberg by 0.8s on that lap as they continue to run just a few seconds apart on inters.
Raikkonen set new best sector times in sectors two and three, but Alonso's time still stands in sector one.

By: Glenn Freeman, Ben Anderson, Jonathan Noble, Edd Straw, AUTOSPORT staff

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