Accessibility links You are here: The world champion’s best lap of 1:19.632, set with his McLaren fitted with a 2008 rear wing, was just
over two tenths of a second clear of Fernando Alonso in the Renault. With different teams employing different set-ups, not much can usefully be read into the lap times, but McLaren appeared well pleased with their week’s work. “While the opening day was briefly marred by a midday rainshower, the remainder of the programme was carried out under clear blue skies and warm sunshine, allowing the team to put some serious mileage on the new car,” said McLaren in a statement likely to grate with those teams who went to Bahrain and saw two days of practice wiped out by sandstorms. “The majority of the four days was spent finessing the new car’s balance and set-up on slick tyres while also putting background miles on the KERS device &ndash which proved largely trouble-free during all four days. “The team carried out the majority of its running using a hybrid-spec 2008 rear wing in order to more effectively simulate expected downforce loads and will bring a raft of new components to next month’s test, back in Jerez [March 1-4].”
Alonso had finished slowest on Thursday but after a number changes the Spaniard said he was pleased with the way his car is starting to drive.