Jerez Testing: Day 4 – Kimi Fastest – KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN SPACE

Kimi Raikkonen topped the final day of Formula 1’s first pre-season test of 2013 at Jerez.

The Finn set the best time of the day on a short run with the soft tyre during the afternoon running, which was extended by 30 minutes to make up for a delay caused by track repairs around lunchtime.

Raikkonen had attacked the run from the moment he left the pits, choosing to force a way past the Caterham of Charles Pic on his out lap rather than back off to get clear track.

After the short, but clearly committed run, the 2007 world champion switched back to longer runs.

TODAY'S TIMES

Pos  Driver                 Team            Time                 Laps              
 1.  Kimi Raikkonen         Lotus           1m18.148s              83
 2.  Jules Bianchi          Force India     1m18.175s  + 0.027
 3.  Sebastian Vettel       Red Bull        1m18.565s  + 0.417
 4.  Esteban Gutierrez      Sauber          1m18.669s  + 0.521
 5.  Jean-Eric Vergne       Toro Rosso      1m18.760s  + 0.612
 6.  Lewis Hamilton         Mercedes        1m18.905s  + 0.757
 7.  Sergio Perez           McLaren         1m18.944s  + 0.796
 8.  Valtteri Bottas        Williams        1m19.851s  + 1.703
 9.  Pedro de la Rosa       Ferrari         1m20.316s  + 2.168
10.  Charles Pic            Caterham        1m21.105s  + 2.957
11.  Luiz Razia             Marussia        1m21.226s  + 3.078
12.  Paul di Resta          Force India     1m23.435s  + 5.287

Morning times:

Pos  Driver              Team            Time                Laps
 1.  Sebastian Vettel    Red Bull        1m18.565s             56
 2.  Esteban Gutierrez   Sauber          1m18.669s  + 0.104    52
 3.  Lewis Hamilton      Mercedes        1m18.905s  + 0.340    59
 4.  Kimi Raikkonen      Lotus           1m18.915s  + 0.350    30
 5.  Sergio Perez        McLaren         1m18.944s  + 0.379    43
 6.  Jean-Eric Vergne    Toro Rosso      1m19.331s  + 0.766    37
 7.  Vlatteri Bottas     Williams        1m20.426s  + 1.861    39
 8.  Jules Bianchi       Force India     1m20.585s  + 2.020    34
 9.  Charles Pic         Caterham        1m21.919s  + 3.354    41
10.  Luiz Razia          Marussia        1m25.796s  + 7.231    32

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This weeks’ unofficial aggregate test times from Jerez:
1. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 1:17.879, 227 laps
2. Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, 1:18.148, 123 laps
3. Jules Bianchi, Force India, 1:18.175, 56 laps
4. Romain Grosjean, Lotus, 1:18.218, 149 laps
5. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 1:18.565, 198 laps
6. Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber, 1:18.669, 252 laps
7. Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso, 1:18.760, 177 laps
8. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:18.766, 162 laps
9. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1:18.861, 120 laps
10. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:18.905, 160 laps
11. Sergio Perez, McLaren, 1:18.944, 179 laps
12. Paul di Resta, Force India, 1:19.003, 240 laps
13. Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso, 1:19.134, 153 laps
14. James Rossiter, Force India, 1:19.303, 61 laps
15. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:19.338, 174 laps
16. Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, 1:19.502, 178 laps
17. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1:19.851, 178 laps *
18. Pedro de la Rosa, Ferrari, 1:20.316, 51 laps
19. Pastor Maldonado, Williams, 1:20.693, 155 laps*
20. Charles Pic, Caterham, 1:21.105, 166 laps
21. Luiz Razia, Marussia, 1:21.226, 113 laps
22. Max Chilton, Marussia, 1:21.269, 107 laps
23. Giedo van der Garde, Caterham, 1:21.311, 152 laps

Raikkonen says feeling with car improving

“Yesterday was OK, we did more or less what we planned and we tried different things with the seat and the driving position. Today we improved the situation, the car feels good. We are pretty happy with how the handling is and how things are running. For sure there are things we have to improve but that is normal. It is only the first test. For us it is more important to have a good feeling and know what we have done and learn from those. It’s early days but it’s a good car and I think we have a good baseline like last year to work on. It’s difficult to compare [to last year’s car] as it is a different place and different tyres, but we are pretty happy with how the handling is and how things are running.”

Kimi calm about Lotus gains

Kimi Raikkonen: We try to do better and hopefully we manage to do it. Everybody is aiming to do better they did the previous years. Even if you win the championship you try and improve things and I cannot promise that we will manage to do that, but hopefully that is our aim and hopefully we can do that. It is more easy because I know the team, and I know the people, and they know me. But it doesn’t mean we will suddenly be better and do better. There are an awful lot of things that can work in your favour or go against you. In theory it should be more easy. But I don’t count on it that we are suddenly going to start to turn it around and start to be something different to how we finished last year. Time will tell. It is definitely more easy to come here and be here than it was a year ago because I know the team.”