Vettel tops F1 testing times but Raikonnen mark remains

Sebastian Vettel posted the fastest time on the fourth and final day of pre-season testing in Barcelona on Friday, but still couldn't match Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikonnen.

The German four-time world champion clocked 1min 22.852sec to lead the time sheets with Mercedes reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton down in fifth.

Spain's Carlos Sainz Jr was second-quickest in a Ferrari-powered Toro Rosso, clocking 1:23.134.

But Finn Raikonnen, the 2007 world champion, managed the fastest time this week when scorching around the Circuit de Catalunya in 1:22.765 on Thursday, although that was on ultra-soft tyres compared to Vettel's super-softs.

Hamilton, a three-time world champion, and teammate Nico Rosberg shared duties on Friday but stuck to the slower medium compound tyres.

Rosberg was the slowest driver on the day, over two seconds behind the time set by Hamilton.

Although taking all times this week into consideration, Rosberg finished third behind the Ferrari pair while Hamilton could manage only ninth fastest.

On Friday, even Manor's rookie Rio Haryanto from Indonesia beat Rosberg with a time of 1:25.899.

The first race of the 2016 season is in Melbourne on March 20.

Times

Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 1:22.852 (142 laps), Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/Toro Rosso) 1:23.134 (133), Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams-Mercedes) 1:23.644 (129), Sergio Perez (MEX/Force India) 1:23.721 (60), Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:24.133 (69), Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull) 1:24.427 (123), Jenson Button (GBR/McLaren) 1:24.714 (121), Jolyon Palmer (GBR/Renault) 1:24.859 (90), Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber) 1:25.031 (132), Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas) 1:25.255 (66), Esteban Gutierrez (MEX/Haas-Ferrari) 1:25.422 (25), Rio Haryanto (INA/Manor-Mercedes) 1:25.899 (58), Nico Rosberg (GER/Mercedes) 1:26.140 (70)
Source :AFP