Grosjean sets best time in testing

France's Romain Grosjean, in a Lotus, set the fastest time in Formula One testing at the Catalunya circuit on Friday, making the most of dry afternoon conditions, in marked contrast to the wet surface of the morning session. Grosjean's time of 1min 22.716sec was half a second faster than McLaren driver Jenson Button's best of the morning. Button, the 2009 world champion, had clocked 1min 25.936sec before improving to 1min 23.181sec in the afternoon. The four-day testing session ends on Sunday ahead of the start of the 2013 season in Melbourne on March 17. Leading times 1. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Lotus-Renault) 1min 22.716sec (85 laps), 2. Jenson Button (GBR/McLaren-Mercedes) 1:23.181 (70), 3. Pastor Maldonado (VEN/Williams-Renault) 1:23.628 (72), 4. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Red Bull-Renault) 1:23.743 (63), 5. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Sauber-Ferrari) 1:23.744 (77), 6. Adrian Sutil (GER/Force India-Mercedes) 1:24.215 (62), 7. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Toro Rosso-Ferrari) 1:25.483 (59), 8. Max Chilton (GBR/Marussia-Cosworth) 1:25.598 (73), 9. Giedo van der Garde (NED/Caterham-Renault) 1:26.316 (48), 10. Nico Rosberg (GER/Mercedes) 1:26.655 (117), 11. Fernando Alonso (ESP/Ferrari) 1:27.878 (100) From AFP