---
title: "Alonso Trails Fastest Man Kimi Raikkonen on Final Day of F1 Testing"
description: "Ferrari tops the timesheets one last time ahead of the season's opening race in Melbourne, Australia."
date: "2018-03-09"
modified: "2018-03-09"
authors:
  - name: "Jerry Perez"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19116/alonso-trails-fastest-man-kimi-raikkonen-on-final-day-of-f1-testing"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Fernando Alonso"
  - "Formula 1"
  - "Kimi Räikkönen"
  - "racing"
  - "Racing News"
  - "Sebastian Vettel"
---

# Alonso Trails Fastest Man Kimi Raikkonen on Final Day of F1 Testing

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/03/1520592604520.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

One day after Scuderia Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel crushed the [Formula 1](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19096/formula-1-aero-rakes-explained>) lap record of the Circuit de Catalunya, the second scarlet driver, [Kimi Raikkonen](<https://www.thedrive.com/start-finish/17875/ferraris-kimi-raikkonen-goes-ice-karting-in-the-swiss-alps>), topped the timesheets on the final day of testing ahead of the season's first Grand Prix.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day, or the entire pre-season, is the fact that Fernando Alonso managed to clock in the second-fastest lap of the day, and the third-fastest of eight days of pre-season testing with a time of 1:17.784. Such reward didn't come at a low price, of course, as the Spaniard suffered from mechanical troubles just five laps into his day. Thankfully, McLaren-Renault's mechanics had some practice after the [fifth breakdown of the week](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/18784/alonsos-mclaren-renault-makes-it-6-laps-into-the-pre-season-test>) and got Alonso back on track quickly.

![message-editor%2F1520619827429-1520590107307.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1520619827429-1520590107307.jpg>)
*Formula 1*

![message-editor%2F1520619842313-1520584727911.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1520619842313-1520584727911.jpg>)
*Formula 1*

Another Spaniard that suffered from bad luck was [Carlos Sainz](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/18735/heres-how-the-2018-formula-1-liveries-shouldve-looked>) who was forced to retire due to gearbox problems. [Haas](<https://www.thedrive.com/accelerator/19055/formula-1-drivers-test-new-standing-restart-system-in-spain>) and Toro Rosso continued to impress with their reliability and pace, while Force India's Esteban Ocon logged in the second-highest amount of laps at 165, just 26 shy of Haas’ Romain Grosjean.

The Formula 1 fraternity now must pack their bags and head back home to prepare for the season opener in Australia on Sunday, March 25.

## Author
Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/drive_jerry/>)