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LONDON - McLaren's Formula One championship leader Lewis Hamilton got over his British Grand Prix disappointment by setting the fastest time on the first day of testing at Spa.
The 22-year-old British rookie did 83 laps of the revamped Belgian circuit with a best time of one minute 46.613 seconds, four tenths quicker than Poland's Robert Kubica in a BMW Sauber.
Both Hamilton, who finished third at Silverstone on Sunday after starting on pole position in front of his home crowd, and Kubica were driving the circuit in a Formula One car for the first time.
Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa, whose Finnish team mate Kimi Raikkonen has won the last two races in France and Britain, was third quickest in 1:47.469.
All 11 Formula One teams are testing over the next three days at Spa-Francorchamps, which hosts the Belgian Grand Prix in September after being off the calendar last year.
The circuit has been revised with a new final chicane and changes to the pit entry and start-finish straight as well as a revamped paddock.
- REUTERS
