Raikkonen Back on Top at Valencia - Morning Session

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen was more than a whole second faster than the closest of his rivals in the morning session of the second day of testing at the Valencia circuit in Spain.

The Finn, who had finished as third fastest on Tuesday, today began to acclimatise to the HANS device, which will be compulsory next year. Raikkonen lapped more than 1.5 seconds quicker than yesterday and finished more than a second ahead of Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, who had topped the times on the first day with the Williams.

Italian Giorgio Pantano continued to show his speed in the Williams, posting the fourth quickest time ahead of the team's test driver Marc Gene despite spinning and stalling his car during the session, which was red-flagged while his car was towed back to the pits.

Sergey Zlobin continued driving the 2001-spec Minardi PS01, finishing more than seven seconds behind Raikkonen, and the Russian was joined by Italian Matteo Bobbi, who replaced Frenchman Franck Montagny at the wheel of the second Minardi, finishing at the bottom of the times.

Testing at Valencia will resume in the afternoon.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time Laps 1. Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:12.004 37 2. Montoya Williams-BMW (M) 1:13.098 31 3. Wurz McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:13.365 19 4. Pantano Williams-BMW (M) 1:13.899 22 5. Gene Williams-BMW (M) 1:14.148 48 6. Heidfeld Sauber-Petronas (B) 1:14.495 26 7. Trulli Renault (M) 1:14.741 18 8. Zlobin Minardi-European (M) 1:19.750 30 9. Bobbi Minardi-European (M) 1:23.008 9 All Timing Unofficial

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