The rain in Spain fell mainly over the Circuit de Catalunya on the final day of
Formula 1's pre-Spanish Grand Prix group test in Barcelona this week, as a thunderstorm and heavy rain from the word ‘go' rendered meaningful running a challenge, to say the least.
Mark Webber ultimately wound up on top of the timesheets, the
Red Bull Racing ace more than a second-and-a-half clear of his closest competitor
Heikki Kovalainen in the McLaren-Mercedes. Belying his margin of superiority over his rivals, the Aussie did not run with
Bridgestone's 2009-spec slick tyres – used by
Felipe Massa to great effect earlier in the week – rather focussing on trying out new aerodynamic components on the RB4.
“Despite the weather shortening our programme today, this has been a good four-day test,” affirmed the Milton Keynes-based squad's chief test engineer Ian Morgan. “We were able to acquire plenty of data from various new aerodynamic components, and the results were positive. Some of these new developments will find their way onto the car for the Spanish Grand Prix.”
World championship leader
Kimi Raikkonen wound up third-fastest in the
Ferrari, just three hundredths shy of compatriot Kovalainen with 33 laps on the counter. The
Scuderia will now shake down its two cars for the Spanish Grand Prix back at its Fiorano test track on Wednesday, 23 April.
Robert Kubica in fourth also conducted a shortened programme on the final day, covering just 32 laps with a best time almost three seconds away from Webber's pace. When the track surface dried in the afternoon the Polish ace carried out set-up and aerodynamic work on BMW-Sauber's
F1.08, followed by some running on wet-weather tyres after the rain set in again. Between him and team-mate
Nick Heidfeld, the Munich and Hinwil-based concern completed 347 laps over the course of the four days, collecting valuable data using slick tyres according to the 2009 regulations.
