Cheste (22.01.2008).- A total of 38,000 supporters gathered at the Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo Circuit to witness the Formula 1 test sessions. Ten teams participated in the day of test sessions with Brazilian Ferrari F1 driver, Felipe Massa proving to be the fastest, while the spotlight was on the Spaniard, Fernando Alonso posting the sixth-fastest lap.

Felipe Massa (Ferrari) led the test session with a time of 1:12.182 minutes, followed by teammate Kimi Raikkonen who was just half a second behind. Both Massa and Raikkonen completed about 100 laps of the Circuit each of them at the controls of a F2008, the single-seater with which Ferrari aims to its extend its winning streak following the team and driver victories in 2007. The third-fastest driver was Nico Rosberg (Williams) with a time of 1:12.838 after 84 laps. Williams also took its FW30 single-seater to the track in Valencia for the first time. Indeed the FW30 appears to be a worthy competitor.

Fernando Alonso (Renault) ended the session in sixth position, more than a second slower than Felipe Massa. The Asturian driver did not manage to improve on yesterday's time, remaining 3 tenths of a second away. During the final minutes of the test session, the new R28 suffered its first breakdown on the final straight, thereby bringing the session to an end. The other Spaniard of the day, Pedro de la Rosa (McLaren) finished in fifth position, a bare second behind Massa, and over one tenth of a second faster than Alonso.

Officials pulled out four red flags on the day for incidents on the track. Two of those red flags were caused by Nick Heidfeld, one for each of two mechanical problems, while Massa's Ferrari and Wurz's Honda stalled on the track in the same way as Alonso's single-seater.

This Wednesday's session sees the inclusion of McLaren Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, another attraction to be added to the presence of the Ferrari drivers: Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen. Hamilton will take to the track at the Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo Circuit on Thursday. The test sessions continue tomorrow from 10am to 5pm with ten teams on the track.

Source: Valencia Street Circuit