Timo Glock proved that he’s not just a wet-weather specialist after topping the unofficial Jerez timesheets for the second day running – and this time Ferrari was on the track.
On a cool, dull day the Toyota race driver put in a fastest lap of 1:19.814 seconds, coming close to equalling the fastest lap of the test series so far set by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel on the first day.
Behind him was Felipe Massa, returning after Tuesday’s enforced rain break to test tyre compounds, setup and reliability, putting in a fastest lap of 1:20.238 in the process.
Third was Fernando Alonso, showing his class by lifting a car that spent two days at the back of the field in the hands of Nelson A Piquet to third in the unofficial standings and a fastest lap of 1:20.296.
Fourth was Heikki Kovalainen, who once again managed to bring damp weather with him, although not perhaps in the quantities experienced yesterday.
He put in a fastest time of 1:20.535, taking advantage of the morning’s damp conditions to evaluate wet and intermediate tyres and airing the team’s much-anticipated 2009-spec wings for the first time in the afternoon.
The team said of the test: “Overnight rain meant the day started on a damp track, allowing the team to continue the wet-tyre evaluation programme it had begun yesterday. Heikki made good progress understanding Bridgestone’s intermediate tyre before the drying track prompted a switch in focus for the afternoon.
“The MP4-24 was subsequently fitted with a 2009 front and rear wing package – for the first time in dry conditions – and Heikki carried out a series of set-up evaluation runs until the end of the day.”
Lewis Hamilton is due to take over testing duties from tomorrow.
Behind McLaren was Force India’s Adrian Sutil, in fifth place overall with a time of 1:20.621, and followed in sixth place by Red Bull’s Mark Webber on 1:21.021.
BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica was a surprise seventh, a few hundredths of a second behind Webber, with a time of 1:21.069. Nico Rosberg was at the back of the field on 1:21.412, Williams’ worst showing of the week so far.
Test times day three
- Timo Glock, Toyota: 1:19.814 (141 laps)
- Felipe Massa, Ferrari: 1:20.238 (134 laps)
- Fernando Alonso, Renault: 1:20.296 (152 laps)
- Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren: 1:20.535 0.239 (85 laps)
- Adrian Sutil, Force India: 1:20.621 (63 laps)
- Mark Webber, Red Bull: 1:21.021 (98 laps)
- Robert Kubica, BMW Sauber: 1:21.069 (98 laps)
- Nico Rosberg, Williams: 1:21.412 (125 laps)