Barcelona Test : Barrichello quickest

Despite cold temperatures at the opening of the session, the teams resumed work on their new cars this morning.

It didn’t start too well for Spaniard Fernando Alonso whose car stopped on track at Turn 4 with merely thirty minutes gone. “Fernando stopped on track due to an electric problem. Anyway the issue has been solved”, said Ferrari on Twitter, adding that tyres and set-up changes were the main objectives of today’s programme.

Alonso got back on track shortly after 10am and immediately set the pace. He was demoted to 2nd 45 minutes later by Williams’ Rubens Barrichello.

The session was briefly interrupted at 11.15am because of a detached piece of kerbing at Turn 2.

At noon – with one hour left before the customary lunch break – Barrichello was still leading the way. Paul di Resta was 2nd fastest for Force India. Alonso, Alguersuari and Vettel completed the top five.

Italian Tonio Liuzzi got to grips with the HRT this morning and completed 24 laps. He set the ninth fastest time, six seconds down on Barrichello’s pace. Sauber’s Kobayashi was tenth fastest, having run with a lot of fuel on board.

Jenson Button completed a handful of laps at the wheel of the MP4-26 as the McLaren team concentrated on aero-mapping this morning. The British driver had to drive at constant speed down the straight with the moveable rear wing closed.

Heikki Kovalainen was on duty for Team Lotus this morning but will hand the wheel over to Ricardo Teixeira this afternoon.

Fastest lap times at 12:00 :