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    LONDON, England -- Renault rookie Heikki Kovalainen topped the timesheets on the first full day of the final Formula One test session of the year on Wednesday. The Finn, who steps into the shoes of departed double world champion Fernando Alonso next season, lapped the Jerez circuit in southern Spain with a best time of one minute 19.46 seconds according to Renault's timings. Italian team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella was fifth while Ferrari test driver Luca Badoer was second in 1:19.903. Alonso, who joins McLaren next year, is not testing this week because he remains under contract to Renault until the end of the year. Although McLaren had sought the 25-year-old's early release, Renault team boss Flavio Briatore said that nobody from the Mercedes-powered team had got in touch. "I think McLaren got the wrong address," he said. "If they had wanted Alonso, they should talk to Renault and not journalists. "I don't think it's that important for the destiny of the world. I hope Fernando has a nice Christmas and a relaxing winter, because we are going to beat him in the spring." McLaren had Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa and Briton Gary Paffett testing for them. France's triple ChampCar champion Sebastien Bourdais was starting a three-day test with Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso and completed 80 laps. The 27-year-old was last on the timesheets, behind the same team's Italian driver Vitantonio Liuzzi. All teams except Spyker attended the test. |
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Kovalainen proved the quickest at the start of F1's final testing session at Jerez.
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