Alonso goes even faster 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