Autódromo do Estoril. © Creative Commons / Will Pittenger
Finnish racer Aaro Vainio topped the second and final day of the opening GP3 pre-season test at Estoril.
Driving for reigning champions Lotus (formerly Lotus-ART), Vainio’s best lap – 1:30.466 – came early in the morning running, allowing the Finn the benefit of a day-long advantage at the head of the field.
The Finn completed a respectable 58 laps throughout the day.
Marussia Manor’s Tio Ellinas came closest to dislodging Vainio with an afternoon effort just one-tenth shy of the top. The Cypriot clocked up 55 laps – a not too unreasonable total in what was a very busy day at the Portuguese circuit.
Antonio Felix da Costa was next up in the Carlin, falling just six hundredths shy of Ellinas. The Portuguese racer featured high on the time sheets in the morning, only to drop to 3rd as the afternoon ticked over.
Mitch Evans (MW Arden, 4th), Conor Daly (Lotus, 5th) and Tamas Pa’l Kiss (Atech CRS, 6th) all set times within half-a-second of Vainio; however for the second consecutive day, Pa’l Kiss lingered near the bottom of the lap count with only 49 tours logged.
Formula Abarth Italy champion Patric Niederhauser (7th) headed impressive 15-year-old Jenzer Motorsport teammate Matheo Tuscher (8th) by a mere five hundredths, while Daniel Abt (Lotus) and Marlon Stockinger (Status) rounded out the top ten.
After topping the time sheets on Tuesday with Trident, Nico Muller switched to Tech 1 Racing for the final day, falling to 17th overall.
The morning saw two red flags emerge, both courtesy of series rookie Vicky Piria. The 19-year-old twice beached her Trident machine in the gravel, bringing the session to a halt.
The next two-day test is scheduled for Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya in three weeks time.
Pos Driver Team Time Gaps Laps 1. Aaro Vainio Lotus 1m30.466s 58 2. Tio Ellinas Manor 1m30.573s + 0.107s 55 3. Antonio Felix da Costa Carlin 1m30.610s + 0.164s 67 4. Mitch Evans MW Arden 1m30.810s + 0.364s 63 5. Conor Daly Lotus 1m30.855s + 0.389s 71 6. Tamas Pal Kiss Atech CRS 1m30.936s + 0.470s 50 7. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer 1m30.985s + 0.519s 70 8. Matheo Tuscher Jenzer 1m31.036s + 0.570s 75 9. Daniel Abt Lotus 1m31.055s + 0.589s 76 10. Marlon Stockinger Status 1m31.298s + 0.832s 58 11. Robert Visoiu Jenzer 1m31.314s + 0.848s 64 12. Dmitry Suranovich Manor 1m31.382s + 0.916s 66 13. Matias Laine MW Arden 1m31.421s + 0.955s 49 14. Fabiano Machado Manor 1m31.491s + 1.025s 57 15. David Fumanelli MW Arden 1m31.527s + 1.061s 52 16. Miki Weckstrom Status 1m31.539s + 1.073s 53 17. Nico Muller Tech 1 1m31.570s + 1.104s 69 18. Will Buller Carlin 1m31.597s + 1.131s 77 19. Alex Brundle Carlin 1m32.001s + 1.135s 104 20. Yuki Shiraishi Trident 1m32.307s + 1.442s 84 21. Nil Montserrat Status 1m32.357s + 1.891s 56 22. Antonio Spavone Trident 1m32.446s + 1.980s 73 23. Ethan Ringel Atech CRS 1m32.466s + 2.000s 52 24. Robert Cregan Tech 1 1m32.594s + 2.128s 56 25. Vicky Piria Trident 1m32.932s + 2.468s 64
© Creative Commons / Will Pittenger
Nico Hulkenberg topped the second day of pre-season Formula 1 testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
Continuing on from yesterday’s programme that included tyre and balance evaluation, the German managed, setting his best of 1:22.608 on the 54th of 112 laps.
Having reported no problems with the Force India VJM05, Hulkenberg will hand the car over to teammate Paul di Resta for the rest of the week.
Sauber had a better day with Sergio Perez at the wheel of the C31, although the end of the afternoon was lost to an exhaust problem. The Mexican still managed to register 85 laps, while the team conducted tyre comparison runs and aero set-up stints.
Red Bull concentrated on full race simulation yesterday, with world champion Sebastian Vettel logging over a century of laps, despite a minor issue during the morning. The team also lost time during morning pit stop practices when several pieces of equipment refused to work in the cold temperatures.
Fernando Alonso clocked up 87 laps at the wheel of the Ferrari F2012, with the Italian team endeavouring to alleviate balance issues.
A drive shaft issue cost Daniel Ricciardo a severe amount of time in the Toro Rosso STR7. The Australian ran the majority of his 48 laps in the morning, prior to a stuttered afternoon programme.
In contrast to Ricciardo, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton clicked off 121 laps in the MP4-27. The former champion spent the cool morning gathering tyre balance data, in conjunction with minor changes in set-up and track temperature, before conducting race simulations in the afternoon.
Nico Rosberg set 82 laps in the Mercedes F1 W03, until an transmission oil leak curtailed running, while Williams’ young reserve pilot Valtteri Bottas completed general set-up and familiarisation work in the FW34.
Vitaly Petrov enjoyed a reasonable first day in the Caterham CT01, as the Russian acclimatised to his new found surroundings. Marussia’s Charles Pic continued to lap in last year’s MVR-02, while he readies himself for his debut season in Formula 1.
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Hulkenberg Force India 1m22.608s 112 2. Perez Sauber 1m22.648s +0.040 85 3. Vettel Red Bull 1m22.891s +0.283 104 4. Alonso Ferrari 1m23.180s +0.572 87 5. Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1m23.639s +1.031 48 6. Hamilton McLaren 1m23.806s +1.198 121 7. Rosberg Mercedes 1m24.555s +1.947 82 8. Bottas Williams 1m25.738s +3.130 117 9. Petrov Caterham 1m26.605s +3.997 69 10. Pic Marussia 1m27.343s +4.735 108
© Creative Commons / Will Pittenger
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel topped the opening day of the second pre-season F1 test at Barcelona.
The reigning world champion completed seventy-nine laps in the new-for-2012 RB8, set a quickest lap of 1:23.265 in the process.
The Red Bull crew gave up some time following lunch to complete some necessary set-up changes; however despite the loss of track time, the team appeared confident with several new development parts brought for the car.
Nico Hulkenberg completed tyre comparison work with both the medium and hard compound Pirelli’s, aerodynamic sweeps and several long runs in the Force India VJM05, registering ninety-seven laps in all. The German continued to build confidence during what was only his second day in the machine.
Lewis Hamilton broke a century of laps, with his McLaren team collecting data for new tyres on short runs, before moving onto longer stints in the afternoon.
Daniel Ricciardo logged seventy-six laps in the Toro Rosso STR7, until a technical issue ended the day an hour early for the Italian team.
Fernando Alonso toured the Circuit de Catalunya on seventy-five occasions as the Ferrari squad endeavour to solve some of the balance issues discovered at the Jerez test two weeks ago.
Mercedes enjoyed a smooth day in the new F1 W03 machine. Michael Schumacher completed fifty-one laps until a hydraulic issue sidelined the veteran.
Sauber were also hampered by some technical issues with their rear anti-roll bar, necessitating the removal of the gearbox, pinning Sergio Perez to sixty-six laps.
At Williams, Bruno Senna set ninety-seven amidst a detailed aero correlation test and set-up work, as the Grove team ran through the available tyre compounds.
It was a less fruitful day for Heikki Kovalainen in the Caterham CT01. The Finn suffered a rear track rod failure in the morning, leaving the Anglo-Malaysian team garage-bound until well into the afternoon.
Even that was better than the disaster suffered by Lotus. After registering just seven laps, the E20 was pulled for the rest of the week, with the team citing chassis problems.
There were no such issues for Charles Pic and the Marussia team, who set one hundred and twenty-one tours of the circuit. Pic was behind the wheel of the 2011 Virgin, as he conducted tyre tests while acclimatising to his new found environment.
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Vettel Red Bull 1m23.265s 79 2. Hulkenberg Force India 1m23.440s +0.175 97 3. Hamilton McLaren 1m23.590s +0.325 114 4. Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1m23.618s +0.353 76 5. Alonso Ferrari 1m24.100s +0.835 75 6. Schumacher Mercedes 1m24.150s +0.885 51 7. Perez Sauber 1m24.219s +0.954 66 8. Senna Williams 1m25.711s +2.446 97 9. Kovalainen Caterham 1m26.035s +2.770 31 10. Grosjean Lotus 1m26.809s +3.544 7 11. Pic Marussia 1m28.026s +4.761 121
Swiss racer Nico Muller topped the opening day of GP3 pre-season testing at Estoril.
The GP3 veteran set a quickest lap of 1:31.285 in his Trident machine to put him 0.015 seconds clear of Kiwi Mitch Evans.
In a relatively busy day, Muller completed fifty-two laps in his Renault-powered Dallara, setting the fastest pace in afternoon session, after Evans set the morning pace.
The 19-year-old left it late though – a last ditch run eventually tempted the top spot away from Evans with less than fifteen minutes remaining. With the beginning of the GP3 championship three months away, Muller has yet to formally announce his plans for 2012.
Although Evans displayed raw pace, the 17-year-old only managed twenty-three laps throughout the day – the lowest total bar Tamas Pa’l Kiss’ effort of twenty-one tours.
Antonio Felix da Costa (Carlin, 3rd), Aaro Vainio (Lotus, 4th) and Conor Daly (Lotus, 5th) all broke the forty lap barrier, while 6th place Matias Laine (MW Arden) registered thirty-one circuits.
In an impressive showing of competitiveness, the top six were all within a quarter-of-a-second of each other.
Tio Ellinas secured 7th in his Marussia Manor entry with a best of 1:31.640, followed closely by Pa’l Kiss (Atech CRS, 8th), David Fumanelli (MW Arden, 9th) and Matheo Tuscher (Jenzer Motorsport, 10th).
GP3’s first female racer, Vicky Piria, enjoyed a relatively busy day with her new Trident team. The 19-year-old ran thirty-six laps on her way to securing 22nd place on the timesheets.
There was a brief red flag in the morning when Fabiano Machado spun his Marussia Manor machine into the gravel trap.
British Formula 3 racer Will Buller brought another red flag in the afternoon – the County Down man spun into the gravel just after setting his quickest time of the day.
Pos Driver Team Time Gaps Laps 1. Nico Muller Trident 1m31.285s 52 2. Mitch Evans MW Arden 1m31.300s + 0.015s 23 3. Antonio Felix da Costa Carlin 1m31.361s + 0.076s 42 4. Aaro Vainio Lotus 1m31.461s + 0.176s 40 5. Conor Daly Lotus 1m31.487s + 0.202s 48 6. Matias Laine MW Arden 1m31.498s + 0.213s 31 7. Tio Ellinas Manor 1m31.640s + 0.355s 45 8. Tamas Pal Kiss Atech CRS 1m31.713s + 0.428s 21 9. David Fumanelli MW Arden 1m31.745s + 0.460s 42 10. Matheo Tuscher Jenzer 1m31.867s + 0.582s 54 11. Alexander Sims Status 1m31.941s + 0.656s 53 12. Robert Visoiu Jenzer 1m32.043s + 0.758s 56 13. Daniel Abt Lotus 1m32.089s + 0.804s 42 14. Fabiano Machado Manor 1m32.203s + 0.918s 74 15. Marlon Stockinger Status 1m32.240s + 0.955s 35 16. Miki Weckstrom Status 1m32.252s + 0.967s 35 17. Will Buller Carlin 1m32.677s + 1.392s 42 18. Dmitry Suranovich Manor 1m32.831s + 1.546s 49 19. Antonio Spavone Trident 1m32.849s + 1.564s 53 20. Patric Niederhauser Jenzer 1m32.977s + 1.692s 58 21. Alex Brundle Carlin 1m32.993s + 1.708s 40 22. Vicky Piria Trident 1m33.383s + 2.098s 36 23. Ethan Ringel Atech CRS 1m33.535s + 2.250s 50 24. Robert Cregan Tech 1 1m33.911s + 2.626s 43 25. Yuki Shiraishi Tech 1 1m35.125s + 3.840s 29
Mercedes F1 W03. © HOCH ZWEI
Mercedes Formula 1 team enjoyed a dual unveiling in Barcelona yesterday as they took the sheets off of the F1 W03 and their latest roadster, the SL63 AMG.
As with nearly all of the 2012 machines, the F1 W03 features a step-nose, although the Mercedes possesses a rather more “pointy” variation of the feature.
Having achieved a lower core weight than last year’s MGP W02, the Anglo-German team believe this new model to be better packaged and more efficient.
Despite failing to deliver fully in 2011, Mercedes Team Principal Ross Brawn hopes the new entry fulfils its potential.
“Notwithstanding the distinctive nose design, which is certainly an acquired taste, the F1 W03 is an elegant interpretation of the current regulations, and a clear step forward over its predecessor in terms of detail design and sophistication. Last year, we produced a very bold car and, although its more radical elements didn’t always deliver the results we had hoped for, the experience we gained has been invaluable to the design of the 2012 car.
The F1 W03 is also a more integrated package, which reflects the ever-strengthening ties between our technical teams in Brackley and Brixworth, and demonstrates that our Silver Arrows works team is taking the next step forward in terms of on-track performance.”
The F1 W03 ran some 354 km at a private test at the Circuit de Catalunya on Sunday, following on from a filming day at the Silverstone circuit last week.
If nothing else, Mercedes will want this car to lift them out of a lonely 4th in the Constructors’ Championship.
Mercedes F1 W03. © Mercedes-Benz
Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg with the Mercedes F1 W03. © © Mercedes-Benz
Drivers weren’t the only competitors signing on to the GP2 Series in recent weeks, as Italian race team “Venezuela GP Lazarus” have also thrown their hat into the ring for the next two seasons.
Founded in 2009 by Tancredi Pagiaro, Venezuela GP Lazarus will be replacing Super Nova Racing*, who announced their withdrawal from the GP2 series earlier this month**.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, no drivers have been announced as of yet.
Team Lazarus have previously competed in the Auto GP Series (formerly the Euroseries 3000 Championship), earning a best finish of 3rd overall in 2011. When speaking at the weekend, Pagiaro was reasonably delighted with the announcement:
“This Series is the most prestigious and competitive category after F1. I am proud that we have reached such an important agreement with the Venezuelan sponsors. With their help, we have been able to enter the prestigious GP2 Series. We know this will be a big challenge but we are ready for it and cannot wait to get started.”
This is not Pagiaro’s first foray into GP2. In 1997, the Italian formed “GP Racing” to compete in the Italian Formula 3 series. The following year, they débuted in the International Formula 3000 Series with Cyrille Sauvage and later added Italian Formula 3000 to their expanding roster.
Come the middle of the next decade, GP Racing had merged with former-F1 team boss Giancarlo Minardi to create “Minardi Team by GP Racing”, prior to merging further with Piquet Sports one year later.
Renamed “Minardi by Piquet Sports”, Pagiaro continued to manage the team, now piloted by Alexandre Negrao. However with Nelson Piquet Jr on his way to F1 with the Renault works team, Pagiaro reduced his interest in the project, eventually pulling out altogether in 2008, but not before hiring young Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado to drive.
Piquet Sports too reduced their influence and the team that had started out as GP Racing finally became Rapax, eventually helping Maldonado to the GP2 title in 2010.
* {note 1}
Backed by Nova – a chain of English language schools based in Japan – Super Nova Racing formed in 1991 from the ashes of David Sears Motorsport. Entering the International Formula 3000 Championship in 1994, the team did not need to wait long for success and earning their first Drivers’ and Teams’ titles the following year with Vincenzo Sospiri behind the wheel..
Super Nova scooped four more teams’ championship crowns in the next five years, with Juan-Pablo Montoya, Ricardo Zonta and Kenny Brack amongst the Super Nova alumni.
The team never won another Teams’ title, but did help Sebastien Bourdais and Mark Webber to 1st and 2nd respectively in later Formula 3000 seasons. Since entering GP2, Super Nova have largely struggled to recreate their prior form.
** {note 2}
Unfortunately for Super Nova, it all started to go rather wayward for the team in 2007, when Nova were declared bankrupt, resulting in intense legal drama’s.
Midway through the following year, Nozomu Sahashi – president of the Nova chain – was arrested and was found guilty of embezzlement. Upon conviction, Sahashi was sentenced to forty-two months in prison.
© Auto GP World Series.
Auto GP announced an expansion to its 2012 calendar on Friday, giving the feeder category world series status, allowing the series to be renamed the “Auto GP World Series.”
The series will act as a support to the World Touring Car Championship for the duration of the season, allowing for visits to Africa and the Americas.
Alongside the three remaining events at Monza, Valencia and Budapest, Auto GP World Series will take in visits to Estoril (Portugal) and Marrakech (Morocco), before ending the season in Curitiba (Brazil) and Sonoma (USA). Dropped from the calendar are the events at Brno, Donington, Oschersleben and Mugello.
It makes for a somewhat awkward schedule, with the opening five rounds taking place by early June. From there, the series is to be racing at Curitiba in mid-July, with the final round in the US running in late September. As with 2011, each round is to be shown on Eurosport TV with HD coverage of all events.
Series boss Enzo Coloni expressed delight with the expansion:
“When in 2010 we decided to create Auto GP, we knew (…) the package we were offering to teams and drivers had to be improved season after season. I’m happy that we managed to do that also for 2012, turning Auto GP in the only top notch one-make Series that will race in three different continents. We are very proud of that, and that’s why decided to change our name in Auto GP World Series.
“What the fans will read in our name is what we are, the only feeder series with a real intercontinental calendar. I’m sure that the fans will appreciate the unique racing weekend we are providing together”.
More worrying for the Auto GP World Series is the current driver count. Only twenty days remain until the opening round at Monza and thus far, only four drivers (Facundo Regalia, Sergey Sirotkin, Daniel de Jong and Giancarlo Serenelli) have signed up for the 2012 season.
There will be more signings in the coming weeks, but the series is running the risk of being painfully shy of competitors.
It was also revealed earlier this month that Kumho tyres are to be the exclusive tyre supplier for the Auto GP World Series for the next season at least.
As with the likes of Formula 1 (etc), the South Korean tyre company will be supplying all competitors with a mixture of “soft” and “hard” compound tyres for use throughout a race weekend. Steve Thompson of Kumho Tyres Europe explained further:
“The new tyres provided our designers with a number of challenges. Firstly, they have to deal with the considerable power, speed and downforce created by these cars. Secondly, we were required to produce one compound that gave consistent performance throughout and one that initially performed better but also degraded faster – thereby providing the teams with a suitably demanding test of strategy and tyre management.
“The first challenge was meat and drink to our designers, owing to the inherent characteristics of our tyres. The second request was a harder nut to crack!”.
2012 Auto GP World Series calendar 10-11 March Monza, Italy 31 March-1 April Valencia, Spain 14-15 April Marrakech, Morocco 5-6 May Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary 2-3 June Estoril, Portugal 21-22 July Curitiba, Brazil 22-23 September Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, USA
Following on from last week’s Q&A with Michael Lewis, the American released an on board video some laps in the Ferrari F60 at the Vallelunga circuit just outside Rome.
Lewis, who finished as runner-up in the 2011 Italian Formula 3 Championship, was awarded the Ferrari F1 test as a prize for finishing as top rookie in the feeder series.
Taking place on November 15th 2011, the test saw Lewis complete 48 laps in the F60 in his half-day session. It also marked the first time since September 1982 that an American had driven a Ferrari Formula 1 car in any official capacity since Mario Andretti last stepped into the 126C2 at the Caesars Palace Grand Prix.
The opening round of the 2012 Formula 3 Euro Series takes place at the Hockenheimring in Germany over the course of April 27th and 29th. All nine rounds of the series will be running as support to the DTM Championship.
For more information, Michael’s website can be found here and to discover Michael on Twitter, follow him @michaellewis949.
G.M. Suvorin won the first Russian Grand Prix in a Benz 1913.
On Friday, it was revealed that Vitaly Petrov will replace Jarno Trulli at Caterham F1 Team (formerly Lotus) with immediate effect.
Petrov who spent the previous two seasons with Renault (now Lotus) will partner Heikki Kovalainen as the Hingham-based squad aim for their first points in Formula 1 since emerging in 2010.
The Russian registered thirteen points finishes since making his debut in 2010 and while Petrov showed occasional bouts of speed, he was often criticised for his inconsistent performances.
Petrov’s first run in the CT01 will come at testing in Barcelona on Tuesday, after having a seat fitting on Friday.
The change, so late in the pre-season, does seem somewhat harsh on Trulli, but with rumours of the switch hanging around the team for some time, it did not come as much of a surprise.
Although hampered on occasion by faltering hydraulic systems (especially in 2010), Trulli has repeatedly been second best to Kovalainen in their time together.
There were occasions last year when Trulli gave the impression of a driver who was simply making up the numbers, signalled primarily by a lack of interest when appearing on screen. It means the opening Grand Prix at Melbourne will be the first without an Italian competitor since the 1996 German Grand Prix*.
In the Caterham release, Trulli said:
“I want to take this chance to thank Tony, Kamarudin, SM Nasarudin, Riad, Mike and everyone in the team for the two seasons we had together. From zero we built up and established a solid F1 team.
“I’m really proud to have been part of it. I understand the decision the team has made and I want to wish to the whole team the very best of luck for the season ahead.”
Caterham F1 Team Principal Tony Fernandes also got several words in:
“I also want to take this opportunity to thank Jarno for the absolutely pivotal role he played in the formation and progression of our team since he joined us in December 2009. Jarno knew that when he joined us it would be a very different environment to where he had been before, and when we gave him the package he wanted he absolutely shone.”
So far, so good…
“With that in mind it was not an easy decision to bring Vitaly in to replace Jarno, but it was one we made to ensure that we give fresh impetus across the whole team and with a realistic eye on the global economic market.”
And there it is. If one thing was clear on Friday – judging by fan reactions at least – there was disappointment with the realisation that Petrov is most likely bringing a hell of a lot of money to Caterham than talent. A bit harsh, considering Petrov is a decent little racer, just not fantastic.
Not only that, the Russian market may soon become a crucial one for Caterham Cars as well. Indeed, Russia remains an important market for Formula 1 in general, especially with the nation’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix** due to run in 2014.
While many parts of the country are still relatively (see also very) poor, it is a growing economic power in the region, although it is probably best not to ask where the money comes from. There are a growing number of young Russian drivers populating various feeder categories; however few appear to be genuine Formula 1 prospects, bar Red Bull junior driver Daniil Kvyat.
Other notables include Mikhail Aleshin, who won the 2010 Formula Renault 3.5 Series, but fell by the wayside early in his 2011 GP2 campaign due to lack of budget. Marussia Motors development driver Ivan Lukashevich will be spending his third year in GP3 this season, although he has yet to score a point.
In another move that should shock absolutely no one, Mike Gascoyne has been announced as the Chief Technical Officer at Caterham Group.
When Tony Fernandes bought Caterham Cars last April, announcing a pair territorial headquarters in the months following (China and India), alongside Caterham-related projects that to run in Asia, it was a matter of time before the entrepreneur began to spread the love.
Gascoyne new position will see him taking responsibility for Caterham Group’s motorsport initiatives, reporting to CEO Riad Asmat.
His new role with the Caterham Group will have Gascoyne overseeing Caterham Cars, Composites and the recently launched Technology and Innovation departments alongside Mark Edwards, Phil Hall and Ansar Ali respectively.
The Englishman seemed reasonably happy with his new position in the company:
“This is a very proud moment for me. My new role will now give me the chance to help drive value across the whole group through the creation and delivery of new projects in all the sectors we are already working in, and opening up new opportunities for each of the Group’s companies to embrace.
“I am looking forward to working even more closely with Mark Edwards at Caterham Technology & Innovation, Phil Hall at Caterham Composites and Ansar Ali at Caterham Cars. This is a big challenge but one I am extremely excited about and I want to thank our shareholders for this opportunity.”
Mark Smith replaces Gascoyne as Technical Director with the Caterham F1 Team with immediate effect, leading the squad’s technical division day-to-day and will also be appearing at more races throughout the year.
* {note 1}
Technically, Italy’s Giovanni Lavaggi entered the German Grand Prix for Minardi having temporarily weighed Giancarlo Fisichella down with a pile of cash; however the journeyman racer – famously known as “Johnny Carwash” – failed to qualify inside the 107% rule.
Setting a time some 1.9 seconds slower than teammate Pedro Lamy, Lavaggi fell 0.2 seconds outside of the qualifying mark and was not allowed to start.
** {note 2}
This is not to be confused with the two previous Russian Grand Prix events, which took place in St Petersburg in 1913 and ’14. Russian-native G.M. Suvorin won the inaugural race in a Benz 29, while Germany’s Willy Scholl claimed the follow up eleven months later behind the wheel of a Benz 55.
Initially the First World War brought a halt to motorsport in the country, although the beginnings of the Russian Revolution in the early months of 1917 and the ensuing political mess that was the USSR would suffocate any hopes for a race for over sixty-five years.
Attempts to reinstate a Grand Prix in the USSR in the early 1980s led to nothing; however there was enough interest behind the eastern block to see the Hungarian Grand Prix come to fruition in the summer of 1986***.
*** {note 2b}
That is painfully brief version of what happened. Kind of.
Lewis (centre) with Prema Powerteam's Angelo Rosin (left) and Rene Rosin (right). © MJLRacing.com
Europe has generally been a difficult port of call for US-bred talent since the days of the Andretti’s and Eddie Cheever, with only Scott Speed breaking into Formula 1 in recent years.
From Alexander Rossi to Conor Daly to Josef Newgarden, there has been a small rise in the number of American drivers who have competed on the Formula 1 ladder since Speed’s exit in the middle of the last decade.
Now California’s Michael Lewis is busy ensuring his name features high on that list of emerging talent.
On the back of a successful year in the Italian Formula 3 Championship (he finished 2nd overall and was the highest rookie), Lewis will spend 2012 competing in the Formula 3 Euro Series with Prema Powerteam. His teammates will be recent Macau Grand Prix winner Daniel Juncadella and Formula 3 rookie Sven Müller.
With testing due to start next month, I decided to check in to find out more about the chap.
The Motorsport Archive: It’s very unlikely that many drivers on the European ladder scene can say they started in 1/4 Midgets in California. Could you describe those early days?
Michael Lewis: It has been a great progression thus far. From the little oval tracks in Southern California to driving for Scuderia Ferrari F1 car in Southern Italy, it definitely has been a pretty good ride. Basically, I have always been around the sport of racing, as my father publishes a racing magazine and owns a racing team that races on ovals in the US.
I never really thought about driving until one day a friend of my father, Mike Reed, asked me to try a 1/4 midget. To prepare for this “major” test, my father and I took an old go-kart out in a parking lot near my house in Southern California and began testing for my 1/4 midget debut. From that day in 2002, I wanted to be a racing driver.
Since then, it has been a progression into road racing. After winning and proving myself in 1/4 Midgets (2003-2005) I then jumped into go-karting. My father felt that go-karting was the best tool to really learn how to race. In the decision making process I was fine with that, as I just wanted to race.
Looking back, it was a good decision. Even though road racing was out of our initial scope of things, the mentality to accept and try new things and push to expand our knowledge was a theme that still is very much a part of my lifestyle.I then raced from the middle of 2005 through 2008 in go-karts. I raced domestically in the US, mainly on the west coast, and internationally in Italian Open Masters, WSK, the European championships, ROK, and Rotax events.
From Kimball Williams who helped get me started in Karting, to Mike Manning who provided winning chassis/engine tuning (together we won the IKF TAG Region 7 championship & the $2,000 to win TAG Pro Race at California Speedway among other events), and to Dino Chiesa & everyone at Chiesa Corse who taught me not only about driving, but all the mentality that revolves around driving (when I was competing in Europe); everything happened for a reason.TMA: From that period in ¼ Midgets and Karts, could you describe how you adapted to the European single-seater racing you compete in now.
ML: From the end of 2008 until the current date, I began my career in cars. I was quite fast in go-karts and could have returned to Europe to contest another season and improve on all that I had learnt from the past three years of karting. Instead we decided to test in Formula BMW cars and in USAC Ford Focus Midget cars.
Ovals and Road racing were both involved. I focussed heavily on the Formula BMW Americas championship in 2009 (driving for Antonio Ferrari’s Eurointernational team), and whenever I wasn’t racing in FBMW (Formula BMW), I was driving the Ford Focus midgets (for Kevin Gerhardt’s Western Speed Racing team).
In my first year of FBMW Americas, I was crowned Rookie champion (P4 overall) and highlights included a 2nd classified finish at Miller Motorsports park and a 2nd classified FBMW Asia event at the Singapore F1 Grand Prix. I also won numerous main events, heat races, trophy dashes, and pole positions in the Ford Focus midgets.For 2010, I drove in Formula BMW Europe (again with Antonio Ferrari’s Eurointernational team) because I had earned a scholarship from my Rookie Championship title in 2009 from BMW. We chose the European championship over the Asian FBMW championship because of my long history of racing go-karts in Europe. For me, 2010 was a pivotal year in my racing career, and it largely set up my success in 2011.
2010 started off great, as I drove many races in Formula BMW Asia in preparation for the European championship. I scored three 2nd classified finishes and one 3rd classified finish. Also the first couple of events went pretty well in Europe.TMA: The past couple of seasons have been important to your career. What happened?
ML: Then I started performing quite horribly. At the time, I could not find the reason for my driving problems. This string of bad racing turned around immediately once I met Giacomo Ricci, who is now a great friend, in a random/chance encounter. Giacomo is an Italian Racing Driver who has competed in GP2 for many seasons.
Basically, once we started working together, he gave me even more mentality tools and driving tips than I already had in my repertoire. This boost in information revamped my driving, and I was able to finish off the final two races (Spa & Monza) of the 2010 FMBW Europe season really well. I qualified P3 in the rain at Spa, and was P1 in practice at Monza.
Then I jumped to Italian Formula 3 for 2011, as I knew many of the tracks in that championship from racing/testing in Formula BMW Europe. Also, because I have had a long history of racing karts and FBMW with Italian teams.From the end of 2010 until now, I have had a new mentality on my racing and my life in general. The collaboration with Giacomo Ricci and my new team (Angelo & René Rosin’s Prema Powerteam), we have produced an incredible result in my first year of Formula 3.
TMA: Your 2011 season was something of a breakthrough year in the Italian F3 Championship, with three wins and the runner-up spot in the series. How would you assess your performance during the season?
ML: Three “race one” victories, two pole positions, two fastest laps, six total podiums, a Rookie championship title, P2 in the overall title, and an official test drive in the Scuderia Ferrari Formula One F60 Chassis; it was an awesome year.
I was just focussed on my driving, nothing else mattered. And I enjoyed my driving. While in qually, practice, or in the race, I was extremely focussed, but I was having fun. Always. Enjoying what you do is vital for a successful result. A big “thank you” to Angelo and René Rosin at Prema Powerteam for providing great equipment and support all season long.TMA: Finishing as the top-rookie in the Italian F3 series earned you a test in the Ferrari F60 last November. That must have been a truly special occasion. What are your memories of that day?
ML: The Rookie Championship title and F1 test were truly special and I feel extremely proud of those results. However, I did not enjoy those two things until much after the Italian F3 season ended.
The reason being the following: I was P2 in the overall championship going into the last race weekend at my home track Monza, Italy. To win the overall drivers championship, I had to do the “Perfect weekend” (Pole Position, Race 1 fastest lap, Race 1 victory, Race 2 fastest lap, and Race 2 victory). Fresh off my Race 1 victory in Mugello, I was up for the challenge. I did all of those “Perfect weekend” things, except the Race 2 victory. I even secured the Rookie title, Ferrari F1 test, and P2 overall after I won Race 1 on Saturday.Honestly, I really didn’t care about those things because I wanted to bring home the overall drivers championship for Prema Powerteam. After starting P8 in Race 2 (invert top 8 grid from qually) I passed everyone and I was P1 with two laps remaining. On the penultimate lap, in the La Roggia chicane, I received heavy damage to my rear-right suspension from a kerb causing me to eventually fly off in Lesmo 2. Basically, this mistake caused myself and Prema Powerteam to lose the overall championship after more than a year’s worth of work.
My team really supported me after that extremely tough loss and I had thought of all of the possibilities of how I could have avoided taking damage to my rear-right suspension (my braking style at that moment in the race, mentality of pushing with the provided margin over P2, etc.).
Basically, until the day I had my official seat fitting with Scuderia Ferrari F1 and drove their F1 car, I was not as proud as I am currently. What made me change my mentality was to look at the 99% of good in my Italian F3 season against the 1% bad. Prema Powerteam and I truly accomplished something incredible, with most wins of any driver, etc.TMA: In November, you were also selected to be part of the FIA Institute Young Drive Academy – what has been your experience of the programme so far?
ML: It was very nice to be selected, as the only participant from the United States of America. The FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy has been a great experience. They organize workshops, about one week in length, to teach & make us apply mental and physical programs all with the goal of increasing awareness about safety in motorsport.
The staff, which includes Alex Wurz, Robert Reid and many others, really provide a great atmosphere to learn and develop ourselves into elite racing athletes. Also, at the end of the season I will be an accredited road safety instructor, so I can further instil safety in the minds of everyone (racing or non racing).TMA: Looking now to this year, you’re moving from Italian F3 to the F3 Euro Series, although staying with Prema Powerteam. What stand-out challenges do you foresee at this point in time?
ML: This year it will be harder to win races, set pole positions, etc. The competition is extremely high in F3 Euro Series, and I am training quite hard physically and mentally to drive to the best of my ability.
There are a few personal mentality aspects to my driving on which I must work, and also I must tweak my driving style a bit.TMA: Have you had an opportunity yet to test the new Dallara F312 chassis, either on track or in a simulator?
ML: I have not driven the F312 yet, in the flesh nor on a simulator. A shakedown of the car is soon arriving. I have sat in the car and my general feel on the car is quite positive.
TMA: With Prema Powerteam, you are part of a very strong squad, with a pair of capable teammates in Daniel Juncadella and Sven Müller. How confident are you that you can deliver results that may not only bring you the Euro Series title, but also help Prema Powerteam retain the Teams’ Championship?
ML: I feel strong that I can deliver results. I will push hard to obtain the highest result in the drivers’ championship for Prema Powerteam and also the Teams’ championship.
My teammates are quite fast and this is a good thing. We can then push each other to keep getting faster and faster as a team. The mentality is that we are all working together, not just random individual work.
And most of all, to enjoy racing and have fun.
The opening round of the 2012 Formula 3 Euro Series takes place at the Hockenheimring in Germany over the course of April 27th and 29th. All nine rounds of the series will be running as support to the DTM Championship.
My thanks to Michael Lewis for taking part in this Q&A. For more information, Michael’s website can be found here and to discover Michael on Twitter, follow him @michaellewis949.
Rising star Kevin Magnussen received an early season boost from the McLaren Formula 1 team yesterday, when it was announced the 19-year-old is to take on additional challenges within the Woking squad’s Young driver Programme.
This year will see the Dane introduced to further preparatory work for the former world champions, including stints in McLaren’s F1 simulator under the supervision of Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey.
Magnussen will also avail of engineering support sessions, before progressing to the MP4-27’s development programme. There will also be an opportunity for Magnussen to drive McLaren’s 2012 charger at the season ending Young Driver test.
Alongside his McLaren duties, Magnussen will be competing in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, although he will remain with Carlin Motorsport.
Magnussen joined McLaren’s Young Driver Programme in 2010 while in the German Formula 3 Series, before moving to the British Formula 3 Championship last year, where he finished runner-up to Felipe Nasr.
Kevin will be following in the footsteps of his father Jan, who was test driver for McLaren in the mid-90s, eventually competing in his sole Formula 1 event for the team at the 1995 Pacific Grand Prix.
Nick Cassidy became the latest champion of the Toyota Racing Series at Manfeild Autocourse yesterday.
Driving for Giles Motorsport, the Auckland native took five wins and 914 points on his way to the title, finishing ahead of Dutchman Hannes van Asseldonk (three wins, 738 points) and fellow Kiwi, Damon Leitch (one win, 633 points).
Cassidy becomes the sixth different champion in eight seasons of the competition, deposing Mitch Evans who claimed the series in both 2010 and 2011.
The 17-year-old finished the campaign by winning the New Zealand Grand Prix at the circuit based in Feilding, situated on the country’s northern island.
Van Asseldonk faced an uphill battle coming into the weekend, his retirement from the Sunday morning Sprint Race ensured Cassidy secured the title with one race to spare.
Cassidy later took the prestigious New Zealand Grand Prix, when initial race leader, Evans, fell out with engine difficulties. It marks an impressive start to the year for Cassidy, who is thought to be actively seeking opportunities in Europe.
It was disappointment Josh Hill who finished 4th in the standings with one victory (629 points). The Englishman held 3rd in the series going into the last day; however retirement from the main event saw Hill drop behind Leitch in the final reckoning. Fellow Briton Jordan King claimed 5th (591 points), also with a single race win.
Lucas Auer – nephew of former Grand Prix racer Gerhard Berger – was the top rookie, taking 6th overall (589 points) following two podiums amidst a run of eight consecutive top six finishes.
Circuito de Jerez. © Creative Commons / Will Pittenger
Fernando Alonso set the fastest time at Jerez today, on the final day of the opening pre-season Formula 1 test.
The Spaniard set a quickest time of 1:18.877; however Alonso only managed to complete 39 laps in the process.
It was a day of data collecting for the Scuderia, as the aim to shore up rumoured balance issues with the F2012 chassis. Alonso’s fast time was set during a low fuel run early in the day.
At Toro Rosso, Jean-Eric Verge clocked up 80 laps in the STR7, with the Italian squad running through various set-up configurations.
Sebastian Vettel managed 50 laps in the Red Bull RB8 after losing the morning due to an engine related electrical failure. The reigning world champion had completed only two installation laps when the problem occurred, leaving the German sidelined until after lunch.
McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton spent a portion of the day gathering data on the aerodynamic package, before moving onto set-up work, concentrating on suspension variables and basic set-up work.
Romain Grosjean’s day suffered a partial interruption when a water leak stopped his Lotus E20 machine. The GP2 champion still completed 95 laps of the Spanish circuit, running systems and temperature checks, while also gathering data for post-test performance evaluation. Grosjean started the day completing several short stints, before moving on to long runs in the afternoon.
Kamui Kobayashi completed 76 laps in his Sauber C31, despite enduring a stoppage due to a hydraulic leak. The team completed tyre evaluation as well as back-to-back aerodynamic comparisons.
Nico Hulkenberg got his first run in the Force India VJM05 today, running tyre comparisons and aerodynamic configurations.
At Williams, Bruno Senna enjoyed a race simulation and several shorter runs, as the Grove squad finished up their first test with the FW34. Senna logged 125 laps throughout the day.
Jarno Trulli got his first taste of the Caterham CT01 today, setting 117 laps as the team worked on finding a usable balance.
For the nuts and bolts of things, look to Joe Saward, Kate Walker, ManipeF1 and, of course, Autosport. For the more techy minded, there are always Racecar Engineering and Craig Scarborough.
2012 Formula 1 Pre-Season Test (Jerez, Day Two, February 10th) Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Alonso Ferrari 1m18.877s 39 2. Vergne Toro Rosso 1m19.597s +0.720 80 3. Vettel Red Bull 1m19.606s +0.729 50 4. Hamilton McLaren 1m19.640s +0.763 86 5. Grosjean Lotus 1m19.729s +0.852 95 6. Kobayashi Sauber 1m19.834s +0.957 76 7. Hulkenberg Force India 1m19.977s +1.100 90 8. Senna Williams 1m20.132s +1.255 125 9. Trulli Caterham 1m22.198s +3.321 117
Circuito de Jerez. © Creative Commons / Will Pittenger
Nico Rosberg took his Mercedes GP machine to the top of the timings on day three of Formula 1’s first pre-season test in Jerez.
Following 118 laps of the Spanish circuit, the German pilot registered a best of 1:17.613, although this was achieved with the team’s 2011 car.
As with Schumacher yesterday, Rosberg spent much of the day evaluating the new Pirelli’s on various fuel loads, as well as testing several 2012-spec development parts.
Today marked Mercedes final testing in Jerez – they will not now be seen until the next session in Barcelona on February 21st.
Romain Grosjean stepped into the Lotus E20 today, enjoying several trouble-free runs that allowed the GP2 Champion to register 117 tours of the course, although he did cause a late red flag when the team allowed the E20 run dry of fuel. As with the previous two days, the team evaluated the aerodynamic package, while also gaining much data.
Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel stepped into the Red Bull RB8 for the first time today, logging 96 laps by the day’s end. Vettel completed two long runs in the afternoon, after a morning reacquainting himself with an F1 car.
McLaren had Lewis Hamilton at the wheel of the MP4-27 today. The 2008 world champion suffered from a few minor niggles, but nothing that seems to outwardly worry the team.
Jean-Eric Vergne completed numerous short stints to set 79 laps in the Toro Rosso STR7. The Frenchman’s programme included an acclimatisation run, leading to data collection runs for differing aerodynamic configurations.
Sergio Perez endured a shortened day at the wheel of his Sauber C31. The Mexican logged 48 laps prior to lunch, as the team tested different ride height and damper modes. However the afternoon was lost when the gearbox oil filter required a time consuming change.
Fernando Alonso got his first taste of the F2012 today, completing 67 laps as the Scuderia continued to gather data concerning the new car’s aerodynamic behaviour. Ninety minutes were lost later in the day when a hydraulic failure sidelined the team.
At Williams, Bruno Senna continued the systems check programme begun by Pastor Maldonado earlier this week. The Brazilian managed 125 tours in the FW34; in effort to garner much needed pre-season mileage.
Giedo van der Garde assumed the controls of the Caterham today, setting 74 laps – part of which was re-acclimatisation. The team continued to work on their new KERS unit, while also carrying out evaluation on the DRS module.
Unfortunately, Force India had a brief and frustrating day, an off for Jules Bianchi on the third lap damaged the rear end of the VJM05. Although the section was repaired, the team were short of a brake component, rendering their day done early. It also sidelined Nico Hulkenberg who was meant to run in the afternoon.
For the nuts and bolts of things, look to Joe Saward, Kate Walker, ManipeF1 and, of course, Autosport. For the more techy minded, there are always Racecar Engineering and Craig Scarborough.
2012 Formula 1 Pre-Season Test (Jerez, Day Two, February 9th) Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Rosberg Mercedes 1m17.613s 118 2. Grosjean Lotus 1m18.419s +0.806 117 3. Vettel Red Bull 1m19.297s +1.684 96 4. Hamilton McLaren 1m19.464s +1.851 80 5. Vergne Toro Rosso 1m19.734s +2.121 79 6. Perez Sauber 1m19.770s +2.157 48 7. Alonso Ferrari 1m20.412s +2.799 67 8. Senna Williams 1m21.293s +3.680 125 9. Van der Garde Caterham 1m23.324s +5.711 74
Force India reserve Jules Bianchi is to join Tech 1 Racing for the upcoming Formula Renault 3.5 campaign.
The French racer has spent the past two years competing in GP2, finishing 3rd in the series on both occasions, taking one win in the process.
Bianchi will be taking part in nine Friday morning sessions during the Formula 1 season, rendering his participation in the GP2 series a virtually impossible prospect.
However due to the relative lack of clashes with Grand Prix weekends over the course of its season, Formula Renault 3.5 is a rather more viable option for ‘Friday drivers’. The 22-year-old was keen not to overstate how crucial this year could be.
“I am very happy to be driving for Tech 1 Racing in the 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 Series. This year is very important for my career and, as a young driver, it’s crucial to have the opportunity to race in such a competitive environment.
“I will do my best to help the team to achieve its goals this season. I also would like to thank Scuderia Ferrari and Sahara Force India F1 for allowing me to do so.”
Bianchi will partner the highly rated Estonian Kevin Korjus at Tech 1 – with both gunning for the series title, the French team may be in for a tense year. It is arguable that Bianchi, already 22 years old, will be under greater pressure to perform, especially when considering the extra experience the Frenchman possesses.
Korjus, 19, finished 6th in last season’s Formula Renault 3.5 campaign, after taking three wins from eighteen races.
Tech 1 Racing’s owner, Simon Abadie, has been keen to welcome Bianchi to the operation.
“The whole Tech 1 Racing team is delighted to welcome Jules Bianchi for the coming season. He will be a key player in the battle to achieve our objectives – the teams’ and drivers’ titles.
“With Jules Bianchi and Kevin Korjus we have two drivers capable of fighting for victory. Jules’s experience will help us develop the car. It’s not the first time we’ve worked with a driver who’s part of an F1 team.
“Jules will help us take advantage of all his know-how to fine-tune the new Formula Renault 3.5 single-seater. His arrival is very positive for Tech 1 Racing and also for the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in general. In exchange we want to help him cross the final hurdle and make it into Formula 1.”
Winner of the 2009 Formula 3 Euro Series, Bianchi is part of the Ferrari Driver Academy that also produced Sauber driver Sergio Perez.
Other members of the Ferrari Driver Academy include Raffaele Marciello (Toyota Racing Series), Brandon Maïsano (Italian Formula 3) and Canadian Karting ace Lance Stroll.
Circuito de Jerez. © Creative Commons / Will Pittenger
Mercedes veteran Michael Schumacher assumed the quickest time on the second day of pre-season F1 testing in Jerez.
The seven-time world champion set his fastest lap of 1:18.561 some 32 laps into his Wednesday running, eventually completing 132 tours throughout the day, falling just shy of two Grand Prix distances.
Mercedes spent the morning comparing Pirelli’s new-for-2012 soft and hard compound tyres, before focussing on tyre-related set-up programs later in the day.
Although times in testing are generally thought to be rather irrelevant, Mercedes’ may be considered even moreso, as the team continue to work with the 2011 car until the next test at Barcelona.
Teammate Nico Rosberg is to be at the wheel of the MGP W02 tomorrow.
Red Bull’s Mark Webber was the fastest of the 2012-spec machines, with the Australian completing 97 laps in the RB8. Beyond several minor niggles – to be expected in a new car – Webber had few problems, allowing him to focus on tyre evaluations.
Daniel Ricciardo clocked up exactly 100 laps during what was another good day for Toro Rosso team. The STR7 ran smoothly throughout, showcasing none of the issues that capped their session on Tuesday. Débutante Jean-Eric Vergne will take over the Toro Rosso from tomorrow.
Force India had both Jules Bianchi and Paul di Resta on track today, completing 46 and 69 laps respectively. As well as learning about the VJM05, Bianchi spent time completing system checks and set-up evaluation work.
Di Resta continued those programmes in the afternoon; however his hopes for a clean run were dashed as the afternoon aged due to winds making the VJM05 a tricky prospect.
Lotus pilot Kimi Raikkonen enjoyed 117 laps at Jerez today, despite damaging the floor slightly on a kerb. When he stayed completely on circuit, the Finn tested three compounds, although lessons were limited in Southern Spain’s cool conditions.
Felipe Massa concentrated on collecting data, as the Ferrari team continue to assess the balance (poor or otherwise) of the F2012. The Brazilian logged 95 laps and will hand over to Fernando Alonso for the final two days.
McLaren, on the other hand, spent the session collecting information on their new chassis, while also focussing on various changes made to the car during the day – particularly regarding brakes and general set-up. The Woking squad also examined software changes, as they work to understand the balance and stability of the MP4-27 in low and high-speed situations.
Sergio Perez ran 68 laps of the Sauber C31. The Swiss squad arrived at the circuit with some new aerodynamic parts, all of which were added before the start of the afternoon. Unfortunately a fuel system failure curtailed the team’s running late in the day.
Williams fared rather better with Pastor Maldonado. The Venezuelan managed 97 laps behind the wheel of the FW34 with the Grove squad continued evaluations on their new Renault engine. Maldonado also completed several systems checks (including KERS), wile also conducting some aerodynamic and mechanical set-up tests.
Heikki Kovalainen managed a very impressive 139 laps in the Caterham CT01, clocking up time with each of the available tyre compounds, while also using KERS for the first time. In addition, the Finn caught up on some of the workload missed following the starter shaft problem yesterday.
Pedro de la Rosa managed a respectable 64 tours of Jerez in his HRT F111 machine, as the Spaniard finished the team’s testing schedule for the week. They continued yesterday’s programme of tyre testing, running through each tyre compound during the day. HRT hope to be in Barcelona with their 2012 car. It topped off a busy day for HRT, who announced today their new headquarters will be in Madrid, after their potential move to Valencia fell through.
For the nuts and bolts of things, look to Joe Saward, Kate Walker, ManipeF1 and, of course, Autosport. For the more techy minded, there are always Racecar Engineering and Craig Scarborough.
2012 Formula 1 Pre-Season Test (Jerez, Day Two, February 8th) Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m18.561s 132 2. Mark Webber Red Bull 1m19.184s + 0.623 97 3. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1m19.587s + 1.026 100 4. Jules Bianchi Force India 1m20.221s + 1.660 46 5. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus 1m20.239s + 1.678 117 6. Paul di Resta Force India 1m20.272s + 1.711 69 7. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m20.454s + 1.893 95 8. Jenson Button McLaren 1m20.688s + 2.127 85 9. Sergio Perez Sauber 1m20.711s + 2.150 68 10. Pastor Maldonado Williams 1m21.197s + 2.636 97 11. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham 1m21.518s + 2.957 139 12. Pedro de la Rosa HRT 1m22.128s + 3.567 64
Circuito de Jerez. © Creative Commons / Will Pittenger
Former world champion, Kimi Raikkonen topped the first day of pre-season testing at Jerez yesterday.
In his first official session since returning to Formula 1, the Finn completed 73 laps, topping the time sheets with a best of 1:19.670 in his Renault-powered Lotus.
It proved to be a useful day for Raikkonen, whose day was briefly interrupted by a KERS battery change in the afternoon.
The 2007 World Champion spent the first day completing various system checks and data correlation, while the team evaluated the initial aerodynamic package of the E20.
It was a similar story at Force India, with Paul di Resta notching up 101 laps amidst set-up work and systems checks. Jules Bianchi takes to the wheel of the VJM05 today.
Both Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher ran last year’s Mercedes GP W02 in effort to learn more about the 2012 Pirelli tyres, completing 98 laps between them.
Whereas Mercedes enjoyed an uninterrupted day of testing, Red Bull were less fortunate. A delayed shipment of parts meant Mark Webber missed the morning; however due to the cool temperatures of the early session, the loss was not significant.
Daniel Ricciardo managed 57 laps in the STR7, before the Toro Rosso stopped with reported oil pressure failure, bringing out the first red flag of the day.
Kamui Kobayashi caused another stoppage shortly afterward, when his Sauber C31 halted on track. Irrespective, the Japanese pilot made much progress testing basic systems, clocking 106 laps come the chequered flag. Teammate Sergio Perez takes the next two days, with Kobayashi returning to the C31 on Friday.
After some short stints in the morning, McLaren’s Jenson Button completed several longer runs in the afternoon as the Woking squad attempt to understand the new Pirelli’s.
A day of data acquisition awaited Ferrari’s Felipe Massa yesterday – the Brazilian ran 69 laps with no issues.
Heikki Kovalainen’s opening day with the new Caterham CT-01 was brief when the starter shaft failed at the halfway point of the day, stalling the Finn on 28 laps.
It was even less mileage completed by Pastor Maldonado in the Williams. The Venezuelan registered 25 laps testing the team’s new engine installation and aerodynamic configuration. Teething issues finished the day early for the Grove team.
Pedro de la Rosa ran in last year’s F111 for Hispania, completed 44 laps for the Spanish squad, who are using the Jerez test to bed in a new technical team. Much of the day was used testing the new Pirelli’s and bringing the team up to speed.
Although there are those will look to the times and make judgements, it must be remembered that testing is just that – testing, rendering the laptimes somewhat irrelevant.
For the nuts and bolts of things, look to Joe Saward, Kate Walker, ManipeF1 and, of course, Autosport. For the more techy minded, there are always Racecar Engineering and Craig Scarborough.
2012 Formula 1 Pre-Season Test (Jerez, Day One, February 7th) Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus 1m19.670s 73 2. Paul di Resta Force India 1m19.772s + 0.102 101 3. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m20.219s + 0.549 56 4. Mark Webber Red Bull 1m20.496s + 0.826 53 5. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1m20.694s + 1.024 57 6. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m20.794s + 1.124 41 7. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber 1m21.353s + 1.683 106 8. Jenson Button McLaren 1m21.530s + 1.860 60 9. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m22.815s + 3.145 69 10. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham 1m23.178s + 3.508 28 11. Pastor Maldonado Williams 1m23.371s + 3.701 25 12. Pedro de la Rosa HRT 1m23.676s + 4.006 44
TheMotorsportArchive.com 