Perez and Bianchi battle for future Ferrari seat

Sauber rookie, Sergio Perez tested for Ferrari yesterday at the team's Fiorano track in the so called duel with current Ferrari reserve driver Jules Bianchi. Both drivers piloted a 2009 Ferrari F60 as per testing restrictions. In going straight to the lap times, Perez did 46 laps with a best time of 1:00.650, but Bianchi was four tenths quicker clocking 70 laps with a best of 1:00.213. Admittedly the testing times in and of themselves do not matter as the drivers can be on different programs, using different fuel loads or different compound tires. Moreover, what was consistency level of a particular stint. 

Ferrari had some nice things to say about Perez's performance which should be expected even if he was terrible: "Sergio proved to be aggressive and quick right from the start and was able to adapt to the car in a very short space of time," said Ferrari Driver Academy chief Luca Baldisserri. "He is very mature for his age, displaying an understanding that goes beyond the time he has spent driving single seaters."

However, Bianchi is certainly going to put up a fight to remain in the mix for a future F1 race seat. He was pleased with his performance and looks forward to the young drivers test in November where he will drive contemporary cars with DRS and KERS. Nevertheless, Bianchi can set the world on fire but he does not get that second seat. Ferrari are simply paving the way for Perez to be the number two in 2013. Ferrari team principal, Stefano Domenicali is on record about his ideal line-up being an experienced driver (Alonso) paired with a talented young driver. Well, Perez is talented, he is young plus he has F1 experience not only with the cars but with work levels. Bianchi will have to look elsewhere for a F1 seat. With the likely return of Romain Grosjean to a race seat, Bianchi's ability to play "F1 needs a French driver" card will be reduced. This week Grosjean tested a two year old Renault in preparation for Singapore GP and official reserve driver duties.

Short of having a Mexican Grand Prix back on the calendar, but with the US Grand Prix on the horizon in the American southwest what kind of marketing opportunity would it be to have a talented Mexican driver with the most iconic motorsport brand/manufacturer in the cockpit? Clearly, Perez has the goods, but drivers need not only to go fast, they need to have money or be very marketable. More opportunities rest with Perez in my opinion than with Bianchi on that side of the equation. Perez is slated to be with Sauber in 2012 when USGP rolls around and I think that is going to produce a lot buzz. Imagine the buzz in 2013 when he comes with Ferrari and follows in the steps of the iconic "Hermanos Rodriguez". It may pave the way for a future return of a Mexican Grand Prix, something currently be worked on by Carlos Slim Domit, son of THE Carlos Slim. The same Carlos Slim that sponsors Sauber via Telmex for which Perez drivers for.  

F1 Young Driver Test, an American prospect

Alexander Rossi

The Young Driver Test will take place at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit beginning on November 15 and last four days. This test is generally where up and coming drivers get a chance to sample F1 machinery and teams get to evaluate the speed and how these young drivers work. Last year's test had current F1 rookies Pastor Maldonado, Sergio Perez, Jerome d'Ambrosio, Paul di Resta and Daniel Ricciardo participating and it must be said that these guys have performed well this season.

Now, this is where I will engage in some nationality bias. I will be very interested to see Alexander Rossi in this test and shocked if he does not get the chance. Rossi, 19, from the good ol' US of A, is currently competing the World Series by Renault and is in 4th place in the standings with a chance at the title. Rossi has tested F1 machinery back in 2009 with BMW-Sauber as an award for winning the 2008 Formula BMW World Championship and was to be a part of the failed disaster that was USF1. He is in the Team Lotus driver development program and has been in a Lotus T128 in a demonstration run. I really like his potential and unlike ex-F1 driver, Scott Speed who was under the white hot lights as the "Great American Hope" with the Red Bull Driver search and driver development program, Rossi seems to be going under the radar gaining experience in relative quiet.

The fact that he is affiliated with Team Lotus is also a bonus in my opinion because I believe Team Principal, Tony Fernandes is a first rate businessman and has definitely made decisions and partnerships that says he wants to run a first rate F1 operation. Also, there is more than likely seats to be available in the coming near future as the team continues to grow up.

In regards to some other drivers, Sam Bird is in line to get another look by Mercedes GP and Ferrari need to really look closely at Jules Bianchi. He is going up against current Sauber driver Sergio Perez in September in a "testing duel" but I am of the opinion Perez is definitely in the seat at Ferrari for 2013. So they need to see what Bianchi is all about. Nevertheless, there should be some interesting performances to watch and it will be interesting to see who's profile raises.

A Return to In-Season Testing is close

I love testing in Formula One. In it's most elemental form it is just practice, but given the level of technology and connections teams have to aerospace companies it is akin to NASA doing research and development projects. I guess only complete nerds would get satisfaction of looking at test times, test programs, analyzing test photos looking for new components on the car. When F1 became more standardized with restriction on designs, engine development being frozen and continuation of a single tire supplier, they also saw the need to put mileage restrictions for on-track testing in an effort for reduce cost.

In 2009, there was an in-season testing ban put into effect. Gone were the days of teams doing 40,000 miles of testing. Since then teams are only allowed to test before and after the season during designated test sessions(6 tests in 2010 and 5 in 2011). In response, teams moved more aggressively to highly advanced simulators to supplement the development work they do with computational fluid dynamics (CFD), wind tunnels and shaker rigs. The teams seem pretty content with the current arrangement as it did reduce cost and freed up resources. Teams no longer have designated test squads and working conditions are more reasonable relatively speaking.

However, there are side effects of no in season testing. Young drivers have no way of building up F1 experience other than simulator work, reserve drivers young and old could not stay sharp and teams could properly evaluate drivers. Luca Badoer in 2009 subbing for an injured Felipe Massa gave embarrassing performances not in line with his ability, but he hadn't been in the racecar in 10 months. It was the same for Michael Schumacher when he could not test current machinery to see if he could be Massa's substitute. In 2011, drivers like Bruno Senna, Jules Bianchi, Esteban Gutierrez and Nico Hulkenberg deserve a good evaluation.

This year there seems to be a real effort and possibility that in-season testing returns to F1 as FIA president, Jean Todt and Pirelli are very much in favor of the idea. Todt thinks the ban has been a failure and silly that teams can not run during the season and for the side effects mentioned above. Pirelli are keen to have it return because they are feeling the tire development squeeze in that they only gain data and experiment at the Grand Prix and essentially use a 2 year old ex-Toyota F1 chassis to carry out further development work.

Proposals on the table are a good compromise for allowing young drivers to gain experience and teams in general to get data to improve their cars; and it is safe to say that Pirelli will take any opportunity to run current cars. The proposal that appears to be most workable for teams is the idea of a single three-day test that will take place after the "fly-away" races, late April/early May 2012. But if the FIA and teams can not agree on the terms for 2012, Todt is on record saying that he will push through a provision for in-season testing for 2013 regardless, but clearly is looking for consensus.

In any case, it certainly will be nice for F1 nerds everywhere to pullout their spreadsheets, go to their live timing websites and chronicle test programs during the season.

2010 Race and Pre-Season Testing Schedule

Excluding the young driver test that occurred in the beginning of December, below is the schedule of testing in preparation for the 2010 season as well as the 2010 race schedule. However, be aware that teams can also arrange private test days within the agreed FIA rules.

Pre-Season Testing
February 1-3rd: Valencia
February 10-13th: Jerez
February 17-20th: Jerez
February 25-28th: Barcelona


Race Schedule
1 March 12-14th: Bahrain Grand Prix, Bahrain International Circuit
2 March 26-28th: Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park, Melbourne

3 April 2nd-4th: Malaysian Grand Prix, Sepang International Circuit
4 April 16-18th: Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai International Circuit

5 May 7-9th: Spanish Grand Prix, Circuit de Catalunya
6 May 13-16th: Monaco Grand Prix, Monte-Carlo
7 May 28-30th: Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul Park

8 June 11-13th: Canadian Grand Prix, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal
9 June 25-27th: European Grand Prix, Valencia Street Circuit

10 July 9-11th: British Grand Prix, Silverstone
11 July 23-25th: German Grand Prix, Hockenheimring
12 July 30th-August 1st: Hungarian Grand Prix, Hungaroring

13 August 27-29th: Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps

14 September 10-12th: Italian Grand Prix, Monza
15 September 24-26th: Singapore Grand Prix, Singapore

16 October 8-10th: Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka
17 October 22-24th: Korean Grand Prix, Jeonnam*

18 November 5-7th: Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
19 November 12-14th: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Island

* pending circuit completion

2009 Pre-Season Testing: Teams at Jerez & Algarve

Team were active in Portugal and Spain as Formula One made its official testing debut at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal, where Ferrari and McLaren kicked off their final test of the year and Red Bull, BMW and Williams continued their work at Jerez. McLaren's Gary Paffett and Ferrari's Felipe Massa were on hand at Algarve was Paffett was the fast man with a 1:31.788 and Sebastien Buemi continued to be the man at Jerez once again topping the timesheets with a 1:17.704. This time he was at the wheel of a Red Bull chassis instead of the Toro Rosso chassis he had been using.

Jerez Test Times

1. Buemi 1.17.704
2. Heidfeld 1.19.223
3. Hartley 1.19.586
4. Klien 1.19.655
5. Hulkenberg 1.20.704

Algarve Test Times

1. Paffett 1.31.788
2. Massa 1.32.926

2009 Pre-Season Testing: Jerez Summary

Toro Rosso hopeful Sebastien Buemi ended the 3 day Jerez on top once again and the swept the top spot for all 3 days as he looks to secure a ride for 2009. Below is test summary for the participant teams.

McLaren- On day 1, McLaren test driver Gary Paffett set the third quickest time as he focused on KERS development. Pedro de la Rosa concentrated on set-up evaluation. On Day 2, Pedro de la Rosa was fourth quickest as he worked for the first time with a 2009 front wing fitted to the heavily revised MP4-23A car. The KERS equipped car is the MP4-23K. He was joined by Finn Heikki Kovalainen, who drove a MP4-23K. On Day 3, Kovalainen switched to the MP4-23A and spent the final day successfully running through tire work and aero mapping. Pedro stepped back into the MP4-23K but mileage was limited by a number of small issues with the device.

Ferrari- On day 1, Kimi Raikkonen returned to the cockpit for the first time since his demonstration run at the World Finals at Mugello last month to set the fifth quickest time. He worked on set-up and long distance evaluation of the Ferrari engine. He continued work On Day 2 investigating various set-ups on the F2008, fitted with slick tires and reduced aerodynamic downforce, as well as experimenting with a few new components aimed at next season, all this while continuing with an engine endurance program. Felipe Massa was also on hand and completed 27 laps. Third and final day of testing saw both Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa on track continuing to work on finding the best set-up for the F2008, fitted with slick tires and new development components aimed at next season. Kimi also carried on with the endurance testing of the engine.

BMW-Sauber- Nick Heidfeld focused on set-up work with the suspension, as well as aerodynamic development progress for BMW Sauber on Day 1. Klien worked on KERS development. On Day 2, Robert Kubica joined testing duties and drove the car fitted with KERS for the first time. Nick Heidfeld concentrated on development work on the F1.08B-03 fitted with the conventional engine. He worked on the set-up of the car, collecting more data on the slick tires as well as the revised bodywork. On Day 3, the team continued its development work in preparation for next season. Robert Kubica and Christian Klien who replaced Heidfeld for the day worked on the mechanical set-up of the F1.08B. Both drivers also did tire evaluations for the different compounds.

Renault- On day 1, Nelson Piquet was at the wheel and continued its evaluation of the slick tires while simulating a 2009 car set-up. The team was also able to put some mileage on the engine in preparation for the three race engine rule for 2009. On Day 2, Fernando Alonso put some work in and continued with the team's program and add further miles to the car. Fernando also sampled slick tires with a car set up to best simulate 2009 settings. On Day 3, the team got through a trouble-free technical program in which Fernando Alonso concentrated on further familiarizing himself to the 2009 slick Bridgestone tires as the team evaluated some suspension
set-up options and added further mileage to various components.

Scuderia Toro Roso- Scuderia Toro Rosso continued its preparation for the 2009 season where it ran two cars and three drivers over the three day session. Both cars went out on track in the same configuration as at the previous Barcelona test, with downforce levels replicating those expected from the new aero rules for next year. Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastien Buemi concentrated on set-up work, with Buemi additionally assessing various aero options. On Day 2, all 3 prospective STR drivers, Bourdais, Buemi and Super Aguri refugee Takuma Sato were on hand which shaped up to be a STR speed show with all 3 drivers claiming the top 3 slots. On Day 3, it was only Buemi and Sato on hand and they were tasked with finding a good set-up on the 2009 slick tires. In addition, Buemi did some work on the braking system.

Williams- Williams F1 was at Jerez a day earlier then the other teams and they ran Dani Clos in the FW30B interim car. The team concentrated on development work of the KERS and general chassis set-up work. Kazuki Nakajima was on duty the following day ('Day 1' for the other teams) and he continued set-up work on the interim FW30B chassis. Nico Rosberg was on hand on 'Day 2' continuing 2009 development and car set-up. The FW30B modified chassis covered 540 kilometres without encountering any problems. 'Day 3' saw Williams continue its work on set-up changes, slick tires and understanding the new aerodynamic rules with Nico Rosberg.

1. Buemi 1:17.258
2. Sato 1:17.520
3. Kovalainen 1:18.049
4. Raikkonen 1:18.782
5. Massa 1:19.050
6. Alonso 1:19.319
7. Rosberg 1:19.388
8. de la Rosa 1:19.499
9. Kubica 1:19.559
10. Klien 1:19.738

2009 Pre-Season Testing: Buemi still on top

Sebastien Buemi continued to top the time sheets at Jerez. The Swiss driver was over half a second clear of Takuma Sato in a Scuderia Toro Roso car. Both drivers were clear of STR incumbant, Sebastien Bourdais. who was 3rd. All 3 drivers were in STR cars and are fighting for 2 race seats within the team.

1.  Buemi         1:18.073 
2.  Sato          1:18.601  
3.  Bourdais      1:18.673  
4.  De la Rosa    1:19.032  
5.  Raikkonen     1:19.334  
6.  Kovalainen    1:19.631  
7.  Alonso        1:19.907 
8.  Rosberg       1:20.309 
9.  Heidfeld      1:20.365  
10. Massa         1:20.490  
11. Kubica        1:20.954

2009 Pre-Season Testing: Buemi leads on Day 1 at Jerez

Six teams kicked off the 2nd round of pre-season testing at Jerez. Scuderia Toro Rosso's Sebastian Buemi was the fastest man on track. Full test summary will be available at the end of the Jerez test.

1. Sebastien Buemi 1:18.742
2. Sebastien Bourdais 1:19.288
3. Gary Paffett 1:20.134
4. Pedro de la Rosa 1:20.164
5. Kimi Raikkonen 1:20.261
6. Nick Heidfeld 1:20.678
7. Kazuki Nakajima 1:21.338
8. Nelson Piquet 1:21.547
9. Christian Klien 1:22.098

Rossi ends guest tests and proves fast once again

Today 8 time motorcycle champion Valentino Rossi concluded two tests he had with Ferrari. On Thursday Rossi had a lot to say about his testing. "I can't wait to try the F2008 to see how much F1 cars have changed compared to my previous tests," Rossi was quoted as saying by Autosprint. "In 2005 I went quick: compared with equal conditions, I ran within 1.2 seconds of Michael Schumacher's lap times. Let's say that I'll be very happy if this time I can limit the gap down to one second."

In testing at Mugello, Rossi covered a total about 200 miles during the first day of the test, setting a fastest time of 1:22.550. 2007 F1 champion Kimi Raikkonen's best time was a 1:21.070 set in September of this year. One can just to do the math and see that he was only about 1.5 seconds off the pace. However Rossi let the world know "I have nothing to prove, neither to myself nor to others. I only had a big curiosity to know. Well, I'm more and more convinced that with a bit of time I could have become a good F1 driver. It only remains to be seen how good, whether good enough to win or not. So I have no regrets, never had them: I did the right thing with staying in MotoGP, where I win and I hope to carry on winning for a long time."

Day 2 of his testing was struck by rain. Rossi completed just a handful of dry laps today before the rain arrived which hampered his efforts to compete with Raikkonen's fast time. When he tried to run in wet conditions with wet weather tires, he spun. Nevertheless, Rossi completed 56 laps with a best time of 1:24.04 in the dry and 1:33.56 in the wet. Still, not bad for the master on 2 wheels.

2009 Pre-Season Testing: Barcelona Summary

Teams were at the Circuit de Cataluyna this week in prepartion for the 2009 season. Today was the last day of the 3 day test where Sebastian Vettel was on top of the timesheets once again. Also, we did see some interesting car developments even as this is the first test such as the new aero package and some team running with their KERS system. Below is a team by team summary of the 3 days of testing and quickest times set from the test where a total of 23 drivers took part. Absent from this round of testing was Toyota.

Ferrari- Luca Badoer and Marc Gene were on hand using two F2008: a standard version and a version with modified aerodynamics to simulate the downforce that cars will use in 2009. Badoer started reliability testing for the engine and gearbox in the modified car and added weights to simulate a KERS install, which was only partially on the car on Day 1. Gene used an unmodified F2008 and worked on car set ups. Both drivers used slick tires. On Day 2, both drivers continued the reliability and set up work they started on Day 1. Day 3 saw Badoer go solo and continue long reliability runs on the engine. Badoer also got to sample the power adjustable front wing.

McLaren- McLaren's testers Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett were on track on Day 1 and De la Rosa began testing with the KERS system onboard; this car was designated MP4-23K. Both cars were equipped with slick tires and an aero package that simulated 2009 downforce levels. On Day 2, De la Rosa was drafted to drive the Force India VJM01 while Paffett went solo and continued work in the MP4-23K. However, he suffered an oil leak and McLaren switched him over to the other McLaren to do aerodynamic and tire evaluations. On Day 3, Pafett was again the lone driver on duty as he continued development work on the KERS as well as aerodynamics and tires.

BMW- BMW Sauber carried out testing with two F1.08B interim cars with Robert Kubica and Christian Klien. The cars were fitted with some bodywork complying to the 2009 regulations. Also, Klien’s car was fitted with a KERS system. Both drivers tried different mechanical and aerodynamic solutions as well as sampling the 2009 slick tires. Nick Heidfeld took over testing duties from Klien on Day 2 and along with Kubica, they focused on reliability and tires. On Day 3, Klien was back in action in place of Kubica and worked alongside Heidfeld. Klien worked on the set up for the KERS system while Heidfeld worked on mechanical and aerodynamic set up and got to try out the power adjustable front wing. His car was not equipped with KERS.

Renault- Nelson Piquet and Giedo van der Garde were on hand for testing duties. The team were focused on '2009 type' car set ups and evaluated the new slick tires. van der Garde managed to crash out but was able to return after some repairs. On Day 2, van der Garde completed his work and they team was pleased with his performance and feedback. They continued to focus of tire evaluations, set-up and R&D work. On Day 3, Nelson Piquet continued the solo theme as he finished slick tire evaluation and R&D work with a R28 with simulated 2009 settings.

Red Bull- 5 times WRC champion Sebastien Loeb was the lone Red Bull Racing driver on hand on Day 1. He was getting his first test with other F1 drivers in the RB4 and did well finishing less than 1.5 seconds off the pace. This test was a thank you for winning another WRC title. However, he did do some actual work evaluating the 2009 slick tires. On Day 2, new Red Bull Racing driver Sebastian Vettel took over testing duties and wasted no time in setting the top time. The team's focus again was collecting tire data. On Day 3, Vettel continued his work and quick pace as he continued to do tire work with simulated 2009 downforce levels.

Toro Rosso- The team's focus on Day 1 was to assess the new slick tires and various mechanical set ups. It also was an opportunity to evaluate potential drivers. Prospective driver, Takuma Sato accounted well for himself by setting the quickest time overall on Day 1 but not far behind was Sebastien Buemi who set the 2nd fastest time. On Day 2, Sato turned the reigns over to Sebastien Bourdais after again setting a strong time (2nd overall). Bourdais continued work on collecting data on the tires. On Day 3, both Sebastien's were on track and as yesterday were among the leaders on the timesheets. The duo continued to focus on tires trying various car set-ups.

Honda- The Japanese squad was very busy. Test driver Alex Wurz kicked off the main test program evaluating various aerodynamic components and 2009 downforce levels and running the slick tires. Honda evaluated two young Brazilian drivers, Bruno Senna and Lucas Di Grassi. On Day 2, Jenson Button took over for Wurz while Di Grassi completed his full day test program. Button focused on tire evaluations via set-up and car balance changes. Di Grassi worked on car balance and car set-up finishing .5 seconds off Button's pace. On Day 3, Button continued his work while Bruno Senna was back to complete his full day test program. He managed to finish only .3 seconds off of Button time and was .6 quicker than Di Grassi.

Williams- Williams came with one car and driver, Nico Hulkenberg, who ran the interim FW30. He concentrated on slick tires work and the 2009 rear wing. On Day 2, Nico Rosberg took over testing duties and focused on set-up and tire development work setting the 7th fastest time of the day. The team continued with some 2009 aero components. On Day 3, Hulkenberg was back behind the wheel continuing to work on development. He set the 10th fastest time out of 13 drivers on track today.

Force India- Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi were present on Day 1 of testing simulating 2009 downforce levels. The team worked on car set up and weight distribution. On Day 2, as mentioned above, McLaren tester Pedro De la Rosa was at the wheel taking advantage of the new McLaren/Force India technical partnership along side Sutil. They set the 16th and 9th fastest times respectively. On Day 3, De la Rosa continued his work, while Giancarlo Fisichella took over duties from Sutil. The pair of veteran drivers were at the bottom of the timesheets.

Fastest test times (3 day totals):

1. Vettel- 1:19.295

2. Bourdais- 1:19.839

3. Sato- 1:20.017

4. Buemi- 1:20.154

5. Paffett- 1:21.140

6. Wurz- 1:21.198

7. Button- 1:21.387

8. De la Rosa- 1:21.417

9. Kubica- 1:21.521

10. Rosberg- 1:21.525

11. Klien- 1:21.534

12. Heidfeld- 1:21.592

13. Senna- 1:21.676

14. Badoer- 1:22.038

15. Sutil- 1:22.073

16. Piquet Jr.- 1:22.148

17. Di Grassi- 1:22.283

18. Hulkenberg- 1:22.410

19. Loeb- 1:22.503

20. Gene- 1:22.772

21. Fisichella- 1:23.068

22. van der Garde- 1:23.250

23. Luizzi- 1:23.794

2009 Pre-Season Testing: Vettel tops Day 2

Sebastian Vettel topped the times on the second day of testing at Barcelona. At the wheel of the Red Bull RB4, he was 0.266s faster than yesterday's fastest driver Takuma Sato. Sato is in the timesheet followed by the other two Toro Rosso drivers. Pedro De La Rosa who debuted at Force India was slowest, despite completing 81 laps.

1. S. Vettel- 1:19.751
2. T. Sato- 1:20.017
3. S. Bourdais- 1:20.034
4. S. Buemi- 1:20.223
5. G. Paffett- 1:21.340
6. R. Kubica- 1:21.521
7. N. Rosberg- 1:21.525
8. J. Button- 1:21.770
9. A. Sutil- 1:22.073
10. L. Di Grassi- 1:22.283
11. N. Piquet Jr.- 1:22.348
12. L. Badoer- 1:22.425
13. M. Gene- 1:22.772
14. N. Heidfeld- 1:23.080
15. van der Garde- 1:23.250
16. P. de la Rosa- 1:23.499

F1 Technical

Full test summary to follow after final day of testing.

2009 Pre-Season Testing: Sato, Loeb & BMW headline

Today Formula One kicked off its pre-season testing for 2009. All teams were present except for Toyota. On this first day of testing there were 3 items that caught the eye of many. After very limited running in 2008, former Super Aguri driver Takuma Sato topped the timesheets in his 2nd test for Toro Rosso in a bid to secure a race drive. He set a time of 1:20.763 seconds. Sebastien Loeb demonstrated the speed and skill that we all knew existed as he finished only 1.2 seconds slower that Sato's top time in his first F1 test with other drivers. Loeb's time was 1:22.003; good enough for 8th. Also, BMW came to this test with a full 2009 spec aero package on a modified F1.08 as well as having the car fitted with 2009 spec slick tires and BMW's KERS system. Fastest BMW time was set by Robert Kubica (1:22.341). There will be a full test summary after the Barcelona 3 day test is complete.

photo by LAT via Autosport.com

F1 tests for racing legends

5-times World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb and 6-times MotoGP Valentino Rossi will get tests in Formula One equipment this month. It was confirmed earlier in November that Loeb will test for Red Bull Racing at Barecelona while Rossi will test with Ferrari at Mugello.

Both Loeb and Rossi have tested F1 machinery before, Loeb with Renault and Rossi with Ferrari. However for Loeb it will be the first time he will test a F1 car with other F1 caliber drivers while Rossi has experience with that. Nevertheless, it is not Loeb's first experience outside of the WRC. The Frenchman has experience in sportscars and has driven at the 24 Hours of LeMans several times with a best finish of 2nd overall in 2006.

For the uninitiated, Loeb and Rossi are legends and arguably the best drivers/riders in the history in their respective racing disciplines. Each man has rewritten the record books. Loeb has won 5 consecutive World Rally Championships (WRC) and is career leader in WRC wins with 46. Once only considered a tarmac (or asphalt) specialist, he quickly proved he was versatile and can succeed on different road surfaces.

Rossi, nicknamed "The Doctor", holds 8 Motorcycle World Championships in total most recently in 2008. He is closing in on the record for race wins before he is even 30 years old. He is a racing natural and has proved quick in anything he has ever driven or ridden...including some "one-off" drives in the WRC. Rossi has had several tests with Ferrari from 2004 through 2006 in preparation for a potential switch to Formula One from the world of motorcycles which gave many people chills (including myself) at the prospects of seeing the Italian add his professional yet unique flare and showmanship to the F1 grid. In his last test in 2006, he was only 1.8 seconds slower than Fernando Alonso which continued to add fuel to the fire that was a potential Rossi switch to F1.

It is always a pleasure to see these tests and watch drivers from different series and disciplines test their worth in F1 equipment. This latest go-around will be no different.

Loeb in a Renault
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7ER2Ipq67Q

Rossi in a Ferrari
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xm5sGVL9DI

Formula One Testing: Jerez Summary

Teams went back to the test track this week in Jerez, Spain, deep within the sherry producing region of Spain.

On Day 1 (Tuesday), BMW-Sauber, Williams and Honda began the final testing session of the season with Renault, Toyota, McLaren, Toro Rosso, Red Bull expected to join on Day 2. Ferrari chose to test privately at Mugello and Fiorano starting Wednesday and Force India chose not to test. Notable events were that Williams and Honda tested their KERS system. For Williams it was their first test of the system. BMW-Sauber's Marko Asmer was quickest with a 1:20.189 lap.

On Day 2, the 8 teams scheduled were on track and again BMW-Sauber topped the sheets this time with official test driver Christian Klien. He focused on aerodynamic developments that will be used during the rest of the season. His time was 1:19.537. McLaren tested their KERS system for the first time with test driver Gary Paffett. Paffett did a check of the system, and tried some new aerodynamic developments. Williams tested their new 2009-specification rear end with Kazuki Nakajima at the wheel. Sebastian Vettel was at the wheel of a Red Bull-Renault getting more familiar with the team he will be racing for next year. The team focused on car setup and data acquisition.

On Day 3, Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time again at the wheel of a Red Bull-Renault. BMW-Sauber with Nick Heidfeld at the wheel set the 2nd fastest time, while working on the mechanical and aerodynamic set-up. It rained during the test, so they also worked on wet weather set-ups. Renault had Lucas Di Grassi testing various updates to the car and he set the 3rd fastest time of the day. McLaren continued their KERS development with long time tester, Pedro De la Rosa. Takuma Sato made his return to Formula One with Toro Rosso in which he worked on set-up to get a feel for the car and some aerodynamic tests which according to the team produced positive results.

On the final day of testing, McLaren-Mercedes tester, Pedro De la Rosa went quickest with a lap of 1:18.992. The focus of the program was to continue with KERS testing and some aerodynamic work. Honda and Williams continued their development work with the KERS. Renault's Lucas DiGrassi continued to work on aerodynamics and car set-up. Toyota had a productive day of testing with Timo Glock behind the wheel. Glock did aerodynamic comparisons in preparation for the races in Singapore and Japan as well as testing brakes and other systems.

As mentioned previously, Ferrari chose to test at Mugello and Fiorano. On Day 1, tester Luca Badoer worked on developing aerodynamic solutions for final 4 races. He also did some work on car set-up. Day 2 saw Raikkonen (Mugello) and Massa (Fiorano) in action where Raikkonen continued with the aerodynamic work. Felipe Massa carried out the shakedown of the cars the team will use at the Singapore Grand Prix. Day 3 saw Massa move to Mugello to complete the test program.

Takuma Sato to test for Toro Rosso

Former Honda and Super Aguri driver, Takuma Sato is to return to Formula One with Scuderia Toro Rosso (STR) later this month in a test to show off his skills in an attempt to secure a drive for 2009. It will be Sato's first time in a F1 car since his former team, Super Aguri failed to secure enough money to continue in the championship and called it quits earlier this season. Although he has been pushing to get back into F1, Sato's manager, Andrew Gilbert-Scott, has admitted that Toro Rosso is the first to show some real interest.

Sato, a native of Japan, will be a welcomed re-addition to the grid in my opinion. Takuma, who had a reputation of being quick and a demon at race starts, but very erratic, benefited greatly from his experience in the now defunct Super Aguri team. He had the room and backing to develop in a team that was not expected to be at the front as opposed to his time at BAR-Honda. By the end of Super Aguri's run, he had become a more consistent driver, albeit one that still took some risks. He is a driver not short on confidence in his own abilities and can provide a huge marketing opportunity to Red Bull in Japan; Sato is basically a deity in his home country. Moreover, he has a wealth of experience having raced 91 Grand Prix. It is something that Sebastien Buemi, the other driver Toro Rosso is looking at, does not have. However, Buemi's advantage is that he is already in the Red Bull family as a development driver.

If Toro Rosso does not sabotage 4 times ChampCar Champion Sebastien Bourdais after one season, the pairing of Sato and Bourdais would be a formidable one. However, to pay both Sato and Bourdais would the spoiler in such a pairing.

Nevertheless, we will see how Sato performs in the test while shaking off some F1 rust.

Formula One Testing: Monza Summary

In Formula One, teams conduct tests throughout the season. These tests are done to try out new parts and work on their reliability, experiment with the car's set up, confirm aerodynamic modifications that have been done on the computer and in the windtunnel and sometimes evaluate prospective drivers. This week, F1 teams were in Monza, Italy for 3 days to conduct work for the final push in the 2008 season.

There was something worth noting before testing began. Renault planned to conduct tire experiments. Ever since Nelson Piquet showed good pace and finished 2nd in Germany after a period behind the safety car, the team has believed that a slow few laps when tires first run has improved their consistency over longer distances. Fernando Alonso thought testing this was necessary to isolate and see if running a few slow laps improves the performance of the Bridgestone tire with the Renault R28 chassis.

Honda Team Principal Ross Brawn believes, "it's just putting them through a gentle duty cycle to make the tire more resilient for the race. So I guess that's why they are doing it. We can see the benefit of it, but it's balancing everything else you want to achieve. Possibly it depends on your car or the tires that are available." This "scrubbing in" of the tires, is actually something teams have done for a long time in NASCAR.

On the first day of actual Monza testing, Ferrari driver, Felipe Massa set the fastest time on the historic high speed circuit in which he worked on developing the aerodynamic package for the Italian Grand Prix, concentrating on the car’s set-up. BMW-Sauber driver, Nick Heidfeld, in his BMW F1.08, tested mechanical set-ups as well as suspension, aerodynamic work and gearbox ratios. Renault worked on the aero package as well as tire evaluation.

On day 2 of testing, BMW-Sauber driver, Nick Heidfeld set the fastest time of the 3 day test as he worked on the car's set-up. Renault worked on brakes and car set-up and balance. McLaren, with Hekki Kovalainen at the wheel continued worked on Monza-spec aerodynamic package and tire evaluations. In addition to doing aerodynamic work, Red Bull's Mark Webber worked on car set-up and suspension comparsion tests.

On the final day of testing, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time of day followed by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. Renault's Fernando Alonso worked on car set-up and some suspension work with the goal of improving the car's behavior through the chicanes. BMW-Sauber's Robert Kubica worked on aerodynamic and mechanical set-up for the F1.08. Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella completed a positive test with a surprising 3rd quickest time after a massive 114 laps.

Teams now make their preparations for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.