The Emperor

Wet conditions greeted the nine teams this morning in Valencia and it was not until later in the day that the circuit had dried sufficiently to allow a switch from intermediate to normal dry-weather grooved Bridgestone rubber.

Fernando Alonso set the pace in his McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 with a best lap of 1:12.538s, almost a full second clear of his old rival Kimi Raikkonen, who was having his first test in the new Ferrari F2007.

Over at Renault, running a rather vivid green rear rain light on the new R27, Nelson Piquet set the third fastest time with regular racer Giancarlo Fisichella a few tenths slower and seventh fastest overall.

Franck Montagny was on track in his Toyota, setting the fourth fastest time ahead of Toyota regular Jarno Trulli and the BMW Sauber of Nick Heidfeld.

Rubens Barrichello was eighth fastest in the new Honda ahead of Sebastian Vettel who lost some time in the new F1.07 as his engine failed. Kazuki Nakajima was tenth fastest in the interim Williams Toyota, despite stopping on track with mechanical problems, while James Rossiter was 11th best in the interim Honda.

Takuma Sato conducted Super Aguri Honda's running today with Giedo van der Garde on hand but not running the interim RA106. Sato was 12th fastest.

Sporting a plain white unpainted crash helmet, Mark Webber went off track in the new Renault-powered RB3 while Luca Badoer who was one of many to find the conditions more than a little slippery as he went off track and into the gravel in the 248 F1 and ended the day slowest of the 14 runners.

Testing in Valencia continues on Wednesday and Thursday.

Valencia* - 30/01/2007
1 . F. Alonso - McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 - 1:12.538 (+ 0.000 ) - 96 laps
2 . K. Raikkonen - Ferrari F2007 - 1:13.533 (+ 0.995 ) - 48 laps
3 . N. Piquet - Renault R27 - 1:13.550 (+ 1.012 ) - 31 laps
4 . F. Montagny - Toyota TF107 - 1:13.672 (+ 1.134 ) - 38 laps
5 . J. Trulli - Toyota TF107 - 1:13.722 (+ 1.184 ) - 54 laps
6 . N. Heidfeld - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:13.863 (+ 1.325 ) - 56 laps
7 . G. Fisichella - Renault R27 - 1:13.871 (+ 1.333 ) - 37 laps
8 . R. Barrichello - Honda RA107 - 1:14.018 (+ 1.480 ) - 35 laps
9 . S. Vettel - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:14.047 (+ 1.509 ) - 81 laps
10 . K. Nakajima - Williams Toyota FW28 B - 1:14.527 (+ 1.989 ) - 79 laps
11 . J. Rossiter - Honda RA106 - 1:14.638 (+ 2.100 ) - 43 laps
12 . T. Sato - Super Aguri Honda RA106 - 1:15.684 (+ 3.146 ) - 31 laps
13 . M. Webber - Red Bull Renault RB3 - 1:15.729 (+ 3.191 ) - 32 laps
14 . L. Badoer - Ferrari 248 F1 - 1:16.388 (+ 3.850 ) - 48 laps

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The Artist

LIke often before MB are on top on testing..but i want to see this in real races to

Imhotep Evil

Don't worry, Alonso will learn it the hard way that a Merc. engine won't take 3 years to blow like a Renault one.

The Emperor

Again!

Fernando Alonso's impressive pace continued today behind the wheel of the McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 as the Spaniard lapped less than a tenth off his best lap recorded yesterday.

Valencia* - 31/01/2007
1 . F. Alonso - McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 - 1:12.582 (+ 0.000 ) - 86 laps
2 . G. Fisichella - Renault R27 - 1:12.737 (+ 0.155 ) - 37 laps
3 . H. Kovalainen - Renault R27 - 1:12.770 (+ 0.188 ) - 43 laps
4 . K. Raikkonen - Ferrari F2007 - 1:12.860 (+ 0.278 ) - 51 laps
5 . N. Heidfeld - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:13.012 (+ 0.430 ) - 50 laps
6 . J. Trulli - Toyota TF107 - 1:13.297 (+ 0.715 ) - 47 laps
7 . R. Kubica - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:13.310 (+ 0.728 ) - 42 laps
8 . F. Massa - Ferrari 248 F1 - 1:13.574 (+ 0.992 ) - 48 laps
9 . R. Barrichello - Honda RA107 - 1:13.690 (+ 1.108 ) - 72 laps

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Imhotep Evil

Irelevant.
Good to see the Renaults up there tough. The BMWs could have done better tough.

The Emperor

Would be relevant if Renaults were on top, huh? Please...

Imhotep Evil

If the Renaults and/or BMWs would be on top it would be nice but hardly relevant.

Ferrari didn't do so well last year in testing but they've got a good season in 2006.

Besides I never was a McLaren or Ferrari fan. When Renault left F1 at the end of 1997 I could barely bring myself to watch F1. It was the entrance of BMW that resparked my interes, and then I was equally delighted to hear Renault re-entering F1.

Mr. Mercedes

Where's Hamilton?

NarutoRamen

Do you guys see where kimi is at right now? he is right below the mclaren and the renault cars. I honestly think that ferrari isn't pushing so hard. For everyday that Alonso jumps a 1sec on time sheets, kimi is doing the same yet he is lapping way less than most of the cars out there.

Day 1: Alonso 96 laps, Kimi 48 laps
Day 2: Alonso 86 laps, kimi 51 laps
Day 3: Alonso 95 laps, kimi 66 laps

But today Ralf was quickest.
Name. Time. Laps
1. R. Schumacher 01:11.297 60
2. G. Fisichella 01:11.621 121
3. H. Kovalainen 01:11.643 108
4. F. Alonso 01:11.710 95
5. N. Heidfeld 01:11.989 99
6. K. Räikkönen 01:12.360 66
7. P. de la Rosa 01:12.361 69
8. F. Massa 01:12.418 98
9. R. Kubica 01:12.857 20
10. J. Button 01:12.976 77

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Imhotep Evil

No surprise, Kimi was never a working driver like Schumacher and Alonso.
Also Schumacher is there and will continue to do a lot of the hard work, like always, only that this time Kimi will be the one driving.

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