Raikkonen Breaks Jerez Record

McLaren's Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen broke the Jerez circuit's record on the fifth day of testing at the Spanish track.

Raikkonen, who returned to work this week following the end of last season, posted a quickest time of 1:16.125 to lower the previous record, set by McLaren's test driver Pedro de la Rosa at the end of last year, by almost a tenth of a second after only 32 laps.

The Finn, at the wheel of the MP4-19, completed the least number of laps today, his progress being hampered by a massive engine failure in the morning. Spaniard Marc Gene was second fastest in the Williams FW25, while German Ralf Schumacher in the new FW26 finished more than four tenths of a second behind the test driver.

Pedro de la Rosa took over from Scot David Coulthard in the second McLaren, the Spanish driver completing 118 laps on his way to the fourth fastest time of the session.

After skipping Saturday's session, the Toyota team were back in action today with Australian Ryan Briscoe at the wheel of the TF103 car. The young test driver had a busy day, and despite going off the track in the morning, he covered a total of 103 laps.

The BAR-Honda team finished at the bottom of the times with Briton Jenson Button and his teammate Takuma Sato. The Brackley-based squad saw, for the third day running, how an Honda engine expired, as Sato came to a halt at the Angel Nieto corner.

Testing at Jerez will continue tomorrow.

Today's times:

Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time Laps 1. Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:16.125 32 2. Gene Williams-BMW (M) 1:16.341 63 3. R.Schumacher Williams-BMW (M) 1:16.769 86 4. de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (M) 1:17.240 118 5. Briscoe Toyota (M) 1:18.562 103 6. Button BAR-Honda (M) 1:18.575 39 7. Sato BAR-Honda (M) 1:19.866 35 All Timing Unofficial

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