Raikkonen fastest on final day of F1 testing
Raikkonen fastest on final day of F1 testing
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso was second, Bruno Senna of Williams was third, ahead of Force India's Nico Hulkenberg.

Barcelona: Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus geared up for Formula One's season-opening Australian Grand Prix with the best time of Sunday's final test session.

The 2007 champion, who is returning to F1 after a three-year absence, steered his former Renault car around the Catalunya Circuit in 1 minute, 22.030 seconds in the fastest time of both sets of preseason tests in Barcelona.

The Finnish driver completed 121 laps, the most for the day that saw good weather until a light shower just before the flag.

Raikkonen's strong run capped an almost perfect week for Lotus, which had the fastest lap on three of the four test days thanks to Romain Grosjean topping the grid on Thursday and Friday.

Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel was last in the field of 11 drivers due to a series of problems with his Red Bull car and only completed a session low 23 laps.

"This morning I had an issue, I went off track and broke the front wing and had to come in," Vettel said. "It took quite a while to get back out and then just before lunch we had a problem with the gearbox so it upset the whole day. After that there wasn't much we could constructively do."

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso had the second best lap at 0.220 seconds off the pace.

The Spanish driver focused his last turn at the wheel on different setups and tires before heading to Melbourne.

Bruno Senna of Williams was third, ahead of Force India's Nico Hulkenberg in fourth and Kamui Kobayashi of Sauber in fifth.

Lewis Hamilton guided his McLaren to the sixth quickest time in 115 laps while trying out its new aerodynamic upgrade before it sprung a small hydraulic leak near the end of the session.

Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher of Mercedes recorded the eighth best time.

"After four intensive days of testing this week, we are soon heading to Australia and it's really time for the season to start," Schumacher said. "The field is tighter than it has been, so we are looking forward to an exciting season."

The Australian GP is on March 18.

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