Nico Rosberg topped the times again in yesterday’s final free practice for today’s Spanish Grand Prix.
The 29-year-old German, without a win this season and 27 points behind Mercedes teammate and defending world champion Lewis Hamilton in the race for the title, clocked a best time of 1 minute, 26.021 seconds.
That left him one-10th of a second ahead of nearest rival four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari, and 0.2 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who spun at turn three in the closing stages of an otherwise uneventful and routine session.
Hamilton, who had done only one earlier installation lap, ran wide across the run off area. He spun, but avoided hitting the barriers and then had to reverse before rejoining the session.
Finn Valtteri Bottas of Williams was fourth ahead of compatriot Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari, while Australian Daniel Ricciardo bounced back to a semblance of his form for Red Bull by taking sixth spot.
Ricciardo spent most of Friday’s practice sessions in the team pits garage as a Renault power unit was installed in his car, the fourth this year.
Brazilian Felipe Massa was seventh in the second Williams ahead of Dutch teenager Max Verstappen in a Toro Rosso, Russian Daniil Kvyat in the second Red Bull and Spaniard Carlos Sainz in the second Toro Rosso car.
Briton Jenson Button, the 2009 champion, was 11th in his McLaren Honda, three places ahead of teammate and two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who took part despite the discomfort of struggling with an eye infection.
As they were on Friday, the conditions were hot and dry.
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