Zoom Webber at the top of the timesheets on day three

Sebastian Vettel’s slick-shod time of 1:18.843s recorded yesterday remained unbeaten today in the third day of testing at Jerez as Mark Webber moved to the top of the timesheets for Red Bull Renault. The Australian put in 85 laps of the 4.482km Spanish test venue, his best lap of 1:19.176s coming on his 59th tour of the day.

Nelson Piquet set the second fastest time in his Renault, 0.158s slower than Webber while Kimi Raikkonen managed the third best time in his Ferrari another tenth of a second adrift.

Tonio Liuzzi, who successfully ran the seamless-shift gearbox yesterday in the Force India Ferrari, recorded the fourth fastest time today and was encouragingly less than four-tenths of a second off the ultimate pace.

Pedro de la Rosa was back in action for McLaren Mercedes again today and posted the fifth best time ahead of Sebastien Bourdais in the Toro Rosso Ferrari. Kazuki Nakajima was next up for Williams Toyota while Timo Glock returned to the track for the first time since his heavy crash in Sunday’s German Grand Prix with the eighth fastest time in the Toyota.

Rubens Barrichello and Nick Heidfeld brought up the rear of the timesheets for Honda and BMW Sauber respectively.

Testing continues for a fourth and final day tomorrow.

Jerez - 24/07/2008
1 . M. Webber - Red Bull Renault RB4 - 1:19.176 (+ 0.000 ) - 85 laps
2 . N. Piquet - Renault R28 - 1:19.334 (+ 0.158 ) - 95 laps
3 . K. Raikkonen - Ferrari F2008 - 1:19.434 (+ 0.258 ) - 84 laps
4 . V. Liuzzi - Force India Ferrari VJM01 - 1:19.544 (+ 0.368 ) - 86 laps
5 . P. de la Rosa - McLaren Mercedes MP4-23 - 1:19.850 (+ 0.674 ) - 39 laps
6 . S. Bourdais - Toro Rosso Ferrari STR3 - 1:20.029 (+ 0.853 ) - 77 laps
7 . K. Nakajima - Williams Toyota FW30 - 1:20.097 (+ 0.921 ) - 88 laps
8 . T. Glock - Toyota TF108 - 1:20.421 (+ 1.245 ) - 78 laps
9 . R. Barrichello - Honda RA108 - 1:20.614 (+ 1.438 ) - 68 laps
10 . N. Heidfeld - BMW Sauber F1.08 - 1:20.896 (+ 1.720 ) - 97 laps.

Earl ALEXANDER
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