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Raikkonen reports back to work as Formula 1 champ

2007 Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari puts on protective gear during the practice session at the Jerez de la Frontera Circuit in Cadiz, Spain, on Tuesday. PHOTO: EPA

Finn Kimi Raikkonen reported back to work as Formula 1 world champion on Tuesday, testing for Ferrari for the first time since he won the title in October.

The man Raikkonen replaced -- seven-time champion Michael Schumacher -- was scheduled to test with the Italian team today and tomorrow.

Schumacher was fastest in winter testing at Barcelona last month in the 38-year-old German's first spin behind the wheel of a Ferrari since retiring last year.

Raikkonen, who bettered McLaren's British rookie Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso by a single point in Brazil, was fourth quickest on a cool and sunny day at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain.

Neither 22-year-old Hamilton nor double world champion Alonso, the Spaniard who has still to find a race seat for next season after his divorce from McLaren, were present although Hamilton was due to test yesterday.

Renault, still looking like Alonso's most likely destination, said in a statement that Brazilian Nelson Piquet junior would be in their car all week for the final test of the year.

Piquet is strongly tipped to take one of the Renault slots next season, with Italian Giancarlo Fisichella released to test with Force India.

Piquet was fifth fastest with BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld leading the timesheets in 1:19.042 and Honda's Jenson Button second.

The top two were trying out Bridgestone's 2009 development slick tires.

McLaren have yet to name a replacement for Alonso, with Spanish test driver Pedro la Rosa a possible option from within the team as is Briton Gary Paffett.

De la Rosa was third fastest, with Paffett seventh.

BMW, still to confirm their reserve driver for next season, tried out Estonian Marko Asmer and gave Spaniard Javier Villa his first taste of a grand prix car.

Asmer, 23-year-old champion in this year's British F3 series, was more than half a second quicker than his younger rival according to BMW's unofficial times.

BMW's former test driver Timo Glock made his debut for Toyota, with whom he will race next year, along with new Japanese reserve Kamui Kobayashi.

Williams gave 20-year-old German Nico Hulkenberg, a protege of Schumacher's manager Willi Weber, his Formula 1 test debut.
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