Nick Heidfeld secured the top spot in Jerez on day three as he looks to impress the Renault team in the hope of securing the seat for the 2011 season.
The German set his quickest lap in the late afternoon, a 1:20.361, to go second fastest over the three days, finishing just above Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.
Michael Schumacher rounded off the top three with Lewis Hamilton just behind. The Brit completed the least laps of anyone after spending much of the morning and afternoon in the garage.
Kamui Kobayashi finished fifth. The Japanese driver caused two red flags during the session, both mechanical issues.
Test times from day three (Jerez):
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Yr | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01. | N. Heidfeld | Renault | 2011 | 1:20.361 | 86 |
| 02. | F. Alonso | Ferrari | 2011 | 1:20.493 | 131 |
| 03. | M. Schumacher | Mercedes | 2011 | 1:21.054 | 114 |
| 04. | L. Hamilton | McLaren | 2011 | 1:21.099 | 36 |
| 05. | K. Kobayashi | Sauber | 2011 | 1:21.242 | 84 |
| 06. | S. Vettel | Red Bull | 2011 | 1:21.574 | 98 |
| 07. | S. Buemi | Toro Rosso | 2011 | 1:21.681 | 92 |
| 08. | H. Kovalainen | Team Lotus | 2011 | 1:21.711 | 61 |
| 09. | R. Barrichello | Williams | 2011 | 1:22.227 | 99 |
| 10. | P. di Resta | Force India | 2011 | 1:22.945 | 64 |
| 11. | J. d’Ambrosio | Virgin | 2011 | 1:25.471 | 72 |
