Jerez test report – Day 1

Today’s report from Formula One teams & drivers in Spain.

Today was the first test day for the future Mercedes team in Formula 1.

The test at Jerez in southern Spain, the only one between the end of the 2009 season on 1 November and February 2010, will last until Thursday 3 December.

This week’s test is specifically for young drivers with Britain’s Mike Conway, 26, and Marcus Ericsson, 19, from Sweden driving for Mercedes.
Mike drove in the American Indy Racing League (IRL) this year and was the 2006 British Formula 3 Champion with a Dallara Mercedes. Marcus won the 2009 Japanese Formula 3 Championship.

Mike and Marcus will drive the Brawn-Mercedes BGP-001 car which achieved eight Grand Prix wins as well as the Drivers’ (with Jenson Button) and the Constructors’ titles for the team this year.

Please find today’s test report attached. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Young Driver Days in Jerez.

Programme:

Alexander Rossi and the BMW Sauber F1 Team both enjoyed a smooth test day in Jerez with ideal track conditions. In the morning the 18-year-old from Nevada City, California (USA), focused on familiarising himself with the track and the car. After each stint the driver and engineers exchanged information and talked about their respective impressions.

In the afternoon the team made several changes to the car’s set-up – both aero and mechanical – in order to give Alexander the opportunity to evaluate the changes and get a better feeling for the car. The team was very happy with Alexander’s feedback and how he coped physically with driving an Formula One car. Also the team decided not to send him out with an extra low fuel load.

Alexander Rossi said: “I very much enjoyed this day. It is impressive what the car does, how predictable and precise its reactions are, and how high the overall grip level is. But I have to admit I am also a little bit disappointed because being a racing driver you always want to be the fastest! I think in the afternoon we didn’t manage to find the perfect balance. Physically I have to say it was as demanding as I expected it would be. The power steering is a great help compared to GP2, but the g forces obviously are higher.”

What comes next:
Tomorrow, Wednesday, it will be 18 year old Mexican Esteban Gutierrez who will be enjoying his first taste of driving a Formula One car.

December 1st – 3rd 2009
Day one – Tuesday
Weather conditions: sunny and dry
Temperature Air: 4 – 19 °C, Track: 8 – 25 °C
Number of drivers participating: 12 from 9 teams
Fastest lap overall: Andy Soucek (Williams) 1:19.158 min
Circuit length: 4.428 km
Alexander Rossi (US)
Chassis / engine: BMW Sauber F1.09-07 / BMW 86/9
Test kilometres today: 363 (82 laps)
Fastest lap: 1:20.227 min

 source: bmw-sauber.com

Driver Gary Paffett/Oliver Turvey
Location Circuito de Jerez
Track length 4.423km
Weather Very cold in the morning, gradually warming up throughout the day.
Maximum track temp 32.2°C; maximum ambient temp 18.8°C
Laps completed 54/27 (Gary/Oliver)
Kilometres covered 358km (239/119)
Best laptime
1m19.426s at 14:57pm 

Programme

The morning’s running was limited due to the low temperatures, so the team focused on a series of data-logging runs. As track temperatures rose, Gary kicked off the meat of the day’s programme, conducting a number of aero configuration evaluations before focusing on tyres, and how they will perform in 2010 with higher fuel-loads.

In the middle of the afternoon, Gary ended his running and the team switched the MP4-24 over to McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver prize-winner Oliver Turvey. This afternoon’s run was primarily an acclimatisation for the 22-year-old, who will be able to spend the next day learning from his initial run before he undertakes a longer stint on Thursday.

For tomorrow, Gary will return to the cockpit as the team starts a more in-depth analysis of fuel-load and how it is expected to affect car behaviour in 2010.

Driver for day two
Gary
Duration of test
Three days (December 1-3) 

*no official times available 

source: www.mclaren.com

The Renault F1 Team returned to action this week for the first of three days of young driver testing in Jerez in the south of Spain. Belgian driver, Bertrand Baguette, began the team’s programme with a full day in the car as his prize for winning the World Series by Renault 3.5 category earlier this season.

The programme today focussed mainly on evaluating Bertrand, but the team also tried some new development items in preparation for 2010. The 23-year-old covered 105 laps behind the wheel of the R29 as he completed a trouble-free first day in an F1 car.

For tomorrow morning young Chinese driver, Ho-Pin Tung, will take over driving duties before handing the R29 over to the team’s third driver, Lucas di Grassi, for the afternoon.

Bertrand Baguette: “This was my first time in an F1 car and I really enjoyed it. There’s a huge difference between the F1 car and a World Series car, especially the efficiency of the brakes, which is incredible, and the speed you can carry through the quick corners. Also, it’s a completely different world and I’ve been getting used to working with five or six engineers instead of just one. We started the day with a long run so that I could get used to the car and then we started the technical programme as I worked on improving the set-up of the car. It was an amazing experience for me and I hope to do this again in the future.”

Alan Permane, Chief Race Engineer: “It was a good day for Bertrand and he quickly got used to the car and the systems. To begin with we spent a bit of time adjusting the set-up to make him more comfortable in the car, but he suffered a bit with understeer throughout the day. However, he was very focussed, sensible and didn’t make any mistakes as he steadily improved his lap times. He reacted well to the changes we made to the car and worked well with the engineers by giving good feedback. Overall it has been a positive day for us and of course for Bertrand who had his first experience of driving an F1 car.”

source: renaultf1.com

Force India young driver test starts in Jerez

Jerez test report – day one of three

Paul di Resta and JR Hildebrand both got their first taste of the Force India Formula One Team’s 2009 challenger, the VJM02, at the Circuit de Jerez in southern Spain.

Twenty-one year-old Indy Lights champion JR Hildebrand took to the 4.337km track in the morning to complete baseline runs and circuit familiarisation to prepare for the coming two days. The young American completed 49 laps with a best time of 1min 20.537, the fifth quickest time of the morning. As track conditions improved overall times dropped and his lap was eventually the 10th quickest of the day.

Scot Paul di Resta took over the VJM02 after the midday lunchbreak and similarly worked through a programme to get fully comfortable in the car. With weather clear and good mechanical reliability, the 23-year-old from West Lothian was able to complete 46 laps with a fastest time of 1min 19.369, the second quickest lap of the day.

Paul will continue in the car tomorrow morning before JR takes over in the afternoon.

JR Hildebrand

I was really impressed with the ability of the car. It is different in every way to what I’m used to, both in terms of the outright speed, but also in terms of the characteristics of the car and how it behaves, brakes and drives through corners. Having raced on ovals I’m used to a high top speed, so that wasn’t too much of a shock, but the amount of load it runs and how much speed you can carry through the corner took some getting used to.

The track was clearly improving throughout the morning, so based on the program we were running, in terms of relative pace we were doing pretty well. I felt I was getting there and was starting to get the most out of the car, particularly towards the end of the morning. I think we still had some free time in the car. I lost my best lap by using a bit too much of the road and on my last run I just flat spotted the tyres straight out of the pits, which made a drastic difference in how good the car was and I really couldn’t get the ultimate laptime from it. It was a little bit frustrating from the standpoint of losing the last two runs, but we were fifth quickest when my day was effectively done so I was pretty happy with my first outing.

Paul di Resta

Today was very constructive and we achieved what we wanted to achieve, which was to get familiar with the car and build up to speed slowly to fully prepare for the rest of the test. We tried a few different things, worked on a few set-up items and certainly went forward. That was the main goal, just building up on my side, learning more and moving forward together with the team. The VJM02 is certainly impressive and although I am still learning, I felt I could get to grips with it fairly quickly.

I’ve driven the McLaren twice before and this experience has helped me today, but for sure there’s a lot of difference between the last time and today. It’s obviously a new circuit and the car is built to the new regulations with slick tyres and less downforce but it behaved as I expected and we didn’t have any issues at all.

We were quite fortunate in that we got a lot of time and there weren’t many stoppages. I wasn’t trying to go for a time as such, just to get the most out of the car and myself to set up for the coming two days. In the end I could set a good time, but this wasn’t the overall goal for today. The team will have a different approach tomorrow and we will be testing some 2010 development parts but the aim will be to get as much track time as possible and see how it goes. I’m looking forward to getting back in there and working with the team again.

A full Q&A with JR is available on http://media.forceindiaf1.com. A Q&A with Paul will follow tomorrow.

Dominic Harlow, chief race engineer

Today’s programme allowed both drivers for this test some time to familiarise themselves with the car and team, and complete what amounted to a baseline for the rest of the week. Both of them did a very solid job, and allowed us to carry out background tests that will feed into our 2010 development. These included some aerodynamic measurements and fuel system modifications as well as a large number of smaller items. We are satisfied with having achieved our objectives today and look forward to continuing this work tomorrow.

Testing data

Driver: JR Hildebrand (am) / Paul di Resta (pm)

Track: Circuito de Jerez, Spain

Best lap time: JR: 1min 20.537 / Paul: 1min 19.369

Laps completed: Total 95 (JR 49 / Paul 46)

Kilometres completed: 412km (JR 212.5km / Paul 199.5km)

Air temperature: High of 17C

Track temperature: High of 24C

Weather: Sunny in the morning, overcast in the afternoon but cold throughout

source: forceindiaf1.com

Driver: Daniel Ricciardo
Car: RB5-02
Time: 1:19.534
Laps: 113
Circuit length: 4.423 km
Fastest Lap: Andy Soucek (Williams) 1:19.158

Several teams are at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit for what has been designated a ‘young driver test’, a measure introduced as a result of the ban on in-season testing. Red Bull Racing is fielding this year’s British Formula 3 Champion and Red Bull Junior Driver, Daniel Ricciardo.

Although the Australian suffered a spin early on in today’s testing, he was soon back on track and ended the day with the fourth fastest time. “I don’t think I stopped smiling all day,” he said after the session was over.

“Working with the team was great and they let me go at my own pace until I built up some confidence. After that, we began working on things that will be useful for next season. This was the first time I’ve ever driven a Formula One car round corners, having previously only done a straight line test and I have to say, it’s got more grip than anything else I’ve ever driven.”

The team was impressed with Daniel’s first drive and, as he seems to have survived the physical demands of a day in the cockpit of a Formula One car, he should be back in action tomorrow, when the testing continues.

source: redbullracing.com

Circuit: Jerez de la Frontera – 4.423 kms Driver: Brendon Hartley Chassis: STR4 – 03 Best time: 1:21.325, 69 laps

It is “kindergarten week” at the Jerez circuit in Southern Spain as several Formula 1 teams are taking part in a three day session specifically aimed at young drivers. The criterion for taking part in the test is that a driver should not have driven in more than three Formula 1 Grands Prix.

Today, Brendon Hartley was at the wheel of the STR4. His programme did not get off to the best of starts, as he spun at the fast right hander, following the chicane, having just switched to different aero settings on the car. The damage was repaired in time for the New Zealander to get back on track by the end of the morning. His programme had three main elements: aero measurement testing in view of 2010, running the car with ballast to simulate the weight of next year’s cars on full tanks, as refueling is banned, and carrying out some brake testing.

“Apart from going off the track early on, I was generally happy with the way the day went, as I had not driven an F1 car for a while, so now I’m looking forward to making the best of Thursday when I get another run.”

Tomorrow, the STR4 will be entrusted to Mirko Bortolotti.

source: tororosso.com