• Valencia Test - Day Three

Sutil shoots to the top on first day back

Felipe Massa's morning lasted 12 laps before his Ferrari gave up © Getty Images

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• News:
• Massa session cut short by Ferrari fire
  
• News:
• Alonso on top in Valencia
  
• News:
• Vettel ends opening day on top
  

• Drivers:
• Fernando Alonso
• |
• Adrian Sutil

• Teams:
• Racing Point

It took Adrian Sutil no time at all to get back in the groove during his first day in the Force India cockpit this year, and he quickly set about clocking the fastest time of the three-day test so far.

In last year's car he put together a very solid lap with a 1:13.201, on a morning when the 2011 cars didn't register any laps under 1:14.5. Jenson Button made use of McLaren's 2010 car to set the second fastest lap with a 1:13.553 on his very first run on the new Pirelli tyres.

Without Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari cockpit the atmosphere at the circuit was much more subdued and the paddock itself was much quieter as the media presence dwindled. However, there was still important work to be done for the teams and the circuit rarely fell quiet all morning.

The only time the track was subjected to complete silence was 30 minutes into the session when Felipe Massa's Ferrari caused a red flag after his car caught fire, forcing Massa into spin heading into turn four. As soon as the car came to a halt the bodywork started to smoulder and a plume of white smoke was visible from the pit lane.

The frustration on Massa's face was clear to see. Ferrari is expecting to have the car up and running again by 15:00, but that will only leave Massa with two hours in the cockpit before his team packs up and heads to the next test in Jerez.

Meanwhile, Michael Schumacher set the fastest time in a 2011 car, with a best of 1:14.537 over 35 laps. He edged out Mark Webber in the Red Bull, who did a couple of short runs before lunch with the moveable rear wing clearly in use. Webber looked full of confidence in the new car, challenging the fast first corner with just a couple of downshifts on his first lap and responding to the car as it moved underneath him in the tighter section.

At the bottom of the standings and without a time was Jarno Trulli in the new Lotus. The car has not been fitted with a new power steering system but even so it was clear there were still some teething problems as he notched up 23 laps with very regular trips back to the pits.

The only other concern in the paddock is the Pirelli tyres, with several drivers reporting that degradation is still very high. Pirelli will hold a press conference at 15:00 when more information about their progress should be released.

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