Testing continues at Bahrain and Jerez today with eight teams putting more miles on their 2009 cars.
Among the many things to keep an eye on today is the planned return of Mark Webber to the cockpit, 82 days after breaking a leg in a cycling accident. He was seen limping during the Red Bull RB5’s launch on Monday, so can he really be up to driving already?
Who’s testing where
Bahrain International Circuit – Ferrari, Toyota and BMW
Jerez, Spain – McLaren, Red Bull, Renault, Williams and Toro Rosso (Toro Rosso are still running their 2008 car)
The drivers in action today are expected to be the same as those running yesterday: Sebastien Buemi, Heikki Kovalainen, Nico Hulkenberg, Nelson Piquet Jnr, Felipe Massa, Timo Glock and Robert Kubica. Mark Webber is expected to take over from Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull.
Sites for testing times
These are some of the sites we used to follow lap times yesterday:
http://f1today.nl/
http://www.sportlifepress.com/index.php?option=com_moderatedchat&chatid=8
http://www.msfree.gr/4675/2009-02-10/Live-dokimes-F1:-10-febrouariou
If you’ve got images or video to share you can upload them to the F1 Fanatic drop.io.
Are Red Bull really off to a flier with their RB5? Why did Renault do so little running yesterday? And how do the times at the two different circuits compare? Follow today’s F1 testing below.
2009 F1 testing
- 2009 F1 testing: February 10th (Update: video and pictures added)
- 2009 F1 testing notes: January 24th
- 2009 F1 testing notes: January 23rd (Update: Pictures added)
- 2009 F1 testing notes: January 22nd (Update: new video and pictures added)
- 2009 F1 testing notes: January 21st (Update: video and pictures added)
- 2009 F1 testing notes: January 20th (pictures and video)
- 2009 F1 testing notes: January 19th (pictures)
Images (C) Ferrari spa
Kovy
11th February 2009, 6:10
Oh, so it was Piquet driving the R29 yesterday. That explains the ridiculous spin.
mani
11th February 2009, 6:32
Was it just the weather that interrupted Renault’s session yesterday? with the same weather, if other teams teams could manage more laps, then why not Renault?
And Keith, I suppose it is RB5 you’re referring and not RB9 in your article!
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
11th February 2009, 8:55
Sorry, forgot it isn’t 2013 yet… fixed.
StrFerrari4Ever
11th February 2009, 8:07
yeah mani i was goin to point out the same thing RB5 Keith RB5 :)
Mad
11th February 2009, 8:24
Just found out from AFCA :
In Bahrain, among other things, Ferrari will re-introduce the anvil wing, the exhaust pipe solution is to look somewhat like that of McLaren and the frontwing has been strengthened with there now also being ballast in it in order to have as much weight at the front as possible. Especially the last adjustment is something to be closely looked at with the current front wings obviously being very close to the ground and Ferrari already having had some problems in this area.
It seems that at High speed corners the front wing is deflecting more than expected and touching the ground.
I can’t see any visible upgrades on F60 though
mani
11th February 2009, 8:47
Ferrari was running almost the same machine (with no upgrades) they used in previous test at Mugello, with minor front wing corrections yesterday. The intention was to read the basic behavior of the car and the tyres in the dry weather before adding any further updates to the details.
Hopefully, we might see few new things in today’s testing. Apparently there was also a minor electronic problem in the F60 yesterday, that prevented Ferrari from running KERS throughout the day.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
11th February 2009, 8:54
Very interesting, thanks Mad!
deadman
11th February 2009, 8:43
Is F60 still illegal point to regulation?
mani
11th February 2009, 9:11
Looks like, test session at Bahrain was suspended temporarily due to heavy winds!
mani
11th February 2009, 9:13
Times from Bahrain as of now
1. F. Massa Ferrari F60 1:33.639 16
2. R. Kubica BMW Sauber F1.09 1:34.586 +0.947 12
3. T. Glock Toyota TF109 1:34.902 +1.263 13
mani
11th February 2009, 9:25
As per gpupdate.net, it is end of the day for the guys at Bahrain
http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/02/11/sandstorm-hinders-f1-test-in-bahrain/
mattclinch
11th February 2009, 9:33
sandstorms!! and after everyone though they’d have nice sunny days and clear testing..
mani
11th February 2009, 9:53
Webber has beaten time set by Vettel yesterday at Jerez, seems he has really recovered from the problems :) but long runs should say the final words!
Anyways today’s best as of now is from McLaren, 1m21.324s. Times as of now,
1. S. Buemi Toro Rosso STR3 1:19.157 27
2. H. Kovalainen McLaren MP4-22 1:21.324 +2.167 18
3. M. Webber Red Bull Racing RB5 1:22.106 +2.949 16
4. K. Nakajima Williams FW31 1:22.827 +3.670 18
Striay/iceman
11th February 2009, 10:14
yes Mani but you hav to take into account that Vettel had a wet track most of the day yesterday if not all day!
mani
11th February 2009, 10:49
yeah, now the track has good rubber laid on it too! still, I was expecting Webber to struggle little more with his foot :) considering his times, he is well competitive in short runs! He suppressed Heikki as well, that partially indicates the RB5’s form now… they’re competing with McLaren in pace, if they’re reliable then they are gonna make a big leap this year!
1. S. Buemi Toro Rosso STR3 1:18.703 44
2. M. Webber Red Bull Racing RB5 1:21.321 +2.618 24
3. H. Kovalainen McLaren MP4-24 1:21.324 +2.621 23
4. N. Piquet Jr. Renault R29 1:22.826 +4.123 9
5. K. Nakajima Williams FW31 1:22.827 +4.124 18
sumedh
11th February 2009, 10:32
RedBull already beating their engine suppliers; wonder what Alonso has to say about that.
What I don’t understand is STR-Ferrari’s continued testing of the 2008 car. Does it serve any tangible purpose?
Or is it to test future upgrades for the 2009 cars ( assuming the car is almost same for redBull and ToroRosso ); yesterday they were testing some new “steering mechanism”.. Red Bull could be the dark horse for 2009 ! ! !Fingers crossed for that
Filipe
11th February 2009, 20:01
I think they are more worried to give Buemi more laps in a F1 car. He drove very little as a test driver last year.
ukk
11th February 2009, 11:37
wouldn’t be so quick to say who’s where.
Just yesterday the Williams was thrashing the Renault, today Nelsinho is ahead. It really depends on who’s testing what.
Adrian
11th February 2009, 12:22
From pics on f1.gpupdate.net it looks like Williams are testing a new nose… this one’s higher than the launch version and actually looks almost like something Ferrari would have run up ’til recently…
Ace
11th February 2009, 12:39
I’m afraid I have to agree with ukk. As much as I’d like Red Bull to be contenders, I’m not getting too excited just yet.
It’s nice to believe. :)
EddieIrvine
11th February 2009, 15:44
I like the idea for a winning car by the thechnical guru big Adrian Newey but It’s just an energy drink…it can’t be a contender…it doesn’t fit
PJA
11th February 2009, 13:36
I find it quite amusing that testing had to be stopped at Bahrain due to the weather, when recently Toyota said they didn’t understand why every team hadn’t decided to go there for this test because good weather was almost guaranteed.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
11th February 2009, 15:27
Doubly unlucky for Toyota – they are the only team at Bahrain that were also at the rain-interrupted Portimao test!
Filipe
11th February 2009, 19:58
Not only Toyota was also at Portimao but they got car problems in the one day with some dry track time.
EddieIrvine
11th February 2009, 15:39
http://www.msfree.gr/4688/2009-02-11/Live-dokimes-F1:%3Cbr-%3E11-febrouariou this is todays link for testing times, it changes for every testing day…sorry for the delay, tommorow I will post it early in the morning
Becken Lima - F1around.com
11th February 2009, 19:26
I Love the pictures. A very strange mood with a mix of sepia and colour tones. Seems like those old pictures taken 100 years ago. With these ultra high technological machines, it turns in an even strangest atmosphere…
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
11th February 2009, 20:00
Press release from Toro Rosso:
JEREZ TEST – DAY 2 11 February 2009
Jerez de la Frontera – 4.423 kms
Sebastien Buemi
Chassis: STR3- 04
Best time: 1:17.591
Laps: 143
A long weekend in Jerez
Wednesday in Jerez turned into a race weekend for Scuderia Toro Rosso as the team went through a simulation programme of a Grand Prix qualifying session and a race, including refueling and safety car procedures. It was useful practice for the team and a new experience for our new driver. Other work included an evaluation of the rear suspension and testing of three Bridgestone tyre types super-soft, soft and medium.
“This has been a useful couple of days for me, running in wet and dry conditions,” said Buemi at the end of the day. “Even though we are still in the ’08 car, I have learned a lot in terms of how we operate over a race weekend, as we simulated a qualifying session and the race. It was good preparation and now, all we need is our new car.”
Tomorrow, recently re-confirmed race driver Sebastien Bourdais takes over driving duties.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
11th February 2009, 20:01
Amended press release from Red Bull (an earlier version said they’d done 63 laps, not 83):
JEREZ TEST – Day Two
Driver: Mark Webber
Car: RB5 – 01
Laps: 83
Best time: 1:21.321
Circuit length: 4.423
Fastest lap: S. Buemi – 1:17.591
Sebastian Vettel was left twiddling his thumbs today. On standby, in case Mark Webber decided not to overwork his injured leg, the German had nothing to do as our Aussie driver comfortably reeled off 83 laps. This was Mark’s first taste of the new car and his first day on track since last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
“There were a lot of questions going into today and I answered them,” said Mark at the end of the day. “From my point of view, it all went better than expected and to do over a race distance on my first day back in the cockpit, with several weeks to go to Melbourne is a good thing.”
It was also a good day on the technical front as RB5 ran 100% reliably, with the team working through every point on the job list. With the programme running to plan, the team was able to move on from a basic assessment of the new car, to working on aerodynamics and general set-up.
Seb returns to the cockpit tomorrow.
Damon
16th February 2009, 10:32
Can early assumptions be made about what cars are or are not fast in comparison to others?
Jasper
16th February 2009, 12:54
Probably too early to say for sure what the early pecking order is, but when you put together an overall list of the fastest times at the two tests last week, it makes for some interesting reading…
Testing times from Bahrain (Overall)
1. RAIKKONEN Ferrari 1m33.350s
2. TRULLI Toyota 1m33.429s
3. GLOCK Toyota 1m33.501s
4. MASSA Ferrari 1m33.615s
5. KLIEN BMW 1m33.666s
3. KUBICA BMW 1m33.702s
Testing times from Jerez (Overall)
1. BOURDAIS Toro Rosso 1m17.472s (2008 car)
2. BUEMI Toro Rosso 1m17.591s (2008 car)
3. HAMILTON McLaren 1m19.632s (2008 Rear wing)
4. ALONSO Renault 1m19.846s
5. VETTEL Red Bull 1m20.738s
6. KOVALAINEN McLaren 1m20.799s (2008 Rear wing)
7. NAKAJIMA Williams 1m20.898s
8. ROSBERG Williams 1m21.217s
9. WEBBER Red Bull 1m21.313s
10. PIQUET Renault 1m21.908s
11. HULKENBERG Williams 1m22.443s
Obviously you have to take into account the fuel loads and weather conditions on the individual days, but just by looking at the fastest times. You can conclude that at Bahrain how closely matched the pace is of the Ferrari, Toyota and BMW.
In Jerez you have to bear in mind that obviously Toro Rosso was running a 2008 car for both drivers and also that Mclaren’s 2009 car had an advantage by running with a 2008 rear wing. Makes you wonder why they are running with a 2008 rear wing at this stage? On the first day of the Jerez test they ran the ’09 rear wing and the car was slower than the Williams and Red Bull? So that means that of the fully-fledged ’09 cars Alonso’s Renault was 0.892 faster than Vettel’s Red Bull. Which is something of surprise considering that Renault seemed to be struggling to get any speed out of their car!
What does everyone else think?
roser
16th February 2009, 15:24
@Jasper: ALO was also heavier than HAM
f1dv
21st February 2009, 3:31
After Glock recorded the fastest lap in Tuesday 12/02/09 now Ferrari with Felipe Massa do the same, replacing Glock in the fastest position. Felipe Massa to test in Bahrain with a hit. After the origin of Brazil’s fastest drivers to be successful in the testing day Thursday (12/2/2009)
BEPPE
21st February 2009, 18:28
there’s no pictures…:-(…