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.
PHOTO: EPA
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.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
RSS