Barcelona – Day 3 – Final Round: Anarchy!

Jarno Trulli set the fastest time on the last day of 2008 pre-season testing today in Spain. On this third day of the week in Barcelona, the Italian, in a qualifying simulation with the Toyota TF108, also set the record for the Circuit de Catalunya. He was ahead of David Coulthard (Red Bull), who was second in a leaderboard reminiscent of anarchy.

The Toyota team has experienced very different testing sessions since the beginning of the year. Today, with the TF108, the team finally places both its drivers in the top 10, although the hierarchy is completely different from previous days.

Trulli, who is the only one to break the one minute twenty-one barrier, thus setting a new circuit record, is suspected of having achieved his time under a qualifying setup in a very short stint. This is also the case for David Coulthard in the RB4, who returned to the track today and is 4 tenths behind the Toyota.

On the virtual podium, we find Nico Rosberg with the Williams FW30. The team has made good progress over the winter and seems ready to finally fight for big points. Nakajima, his teammate, is 8th. The Japanese driver was one of the most active on track with 124 laps.

Heikki Kovalainen set the 4th fastest time of the day in the first car of a top team; McLaren. Webber confirms the good form of Red Bull, he is 5th with the second RB4 and ahead of both Renault drivers.

Piquet has taken the advantage and it’s a first, over the double world champion Fernando Alonso. The French team did a lot of laps today with more than 220 laps on the counter.

Kimi Räikkönen, the reigning world champion, places the first Ferrari only in 9th position. He is ahead of the runner-up, Lewis Hamilton, who was responsible for one of the seven red flags waved today.

Timo Glock, 11th in the other Toyota, caused two alone, including one for going off the track where the German ended his race in the tire wall. His teammate also had to stop at the side of the track in the morning.

Fisichella confirms with Force India by placing in 12th position and ahead of Felipe Massa’s Ferrari, mainly focused on a race simulation.

Kubica is the first BMW driver in a disappointing 14th place. A bit like Renault yesterday, the German team experienced some issues. Today with the gearbox. Heidfeld ranks 17th and is ahead of the two Honda drivers.

The Japanese team tested new aerodynamic elements and should wait for its private tests in Jerez next week to test the RA108 in pure performance. In the meantime, Wurz and Button are four seconds behind Trulli.

Barcelona Private Testing – Day 3 – 27/02/2008