Official Pre-season Testing Thread

[aussief1 4]

Nine teams set for Jerez test.

Formula 1's first group test of the year will get underway on Monday, with nine of the eleven teams due to continue their preparations for the 2008 FIAF1World Championship.

McLarenconducted a 'closed test' at Jerez last week, running from Wednesday to Friday, following the launch of the new MP4-23 at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart on January 7.

"Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen and Pedro de la Rosa were all present for the test, which ran two MP4-23 chassis without any major issues and saw the new car cover over 1,999 kilometres," confirmed a statement from the Woking-based outfit on its official website.

"The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes engineering team will now spend the weekend analysing and working with the intelligence gathered from the three day session as the pre-season development programme continues."

McLaren will resume running with de la Rosa working alongside Gary Paffett, who will be taking the wheel of the MP4-23 for the first time.

In addition, Ferrariwill also be in action, with Kimi Raikkonenand Felipe Massaboth down to run for all-three days.

Toyota, Williams and Toro Rosso - like McLaren and Ferrari - plan to run two-cars with Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock kicking off proceedings in the TF108, while Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima will drive for Williams on day 1 and Sebastian Vettel and Sebastien Bourdais will be on track for STR.

Red BullRacing look set to run just one car on days 1 and 2, with David Coulthard getting out first, while Mark Webberwill drive on Tuesday. Both will test on Wednesday, when the Milton Keynes-based outfit will officially unveil the new RB4.

Super Aguri will utilise James Rossiter and Anthony Davidson, while Force India F1 have yet to confirm who will test.

Renaultwill test for four days, with Nelson Piquet Jr kicking off the work for the Regie before Fernando Alonsotests on days 2 and 3 and Alavro Parente on day 4.

BMWSauber will not be in action, as the Swiss-based outfit will officially launch its new car - the F1.08 - in Munich on Monday, with a roll-out the next day at Valencia. It is thought that Hondawon't start test either, although both teams should be at the second group test, which commences the following week at Valencia on Tuesday, January 22.

Source: http://www.totalf1.com/fullstory/view/2411...for_Jerez_test/

[maure 1]

Anyone has any idea if there will be an online TV feed for Jerez?

[Sato 0]

I don't think there is one... Not that I recall in past years, anyway.

[goferrarigo 0]

Anyone has any idea if there will be an online TV feed for Jerez?

Not online feed. Some website does put up the live times though...

[elgo 1]

1st day.................

1' Raikkonen Ferrari 1'19"845 59

2. Massa Ferrari 1'20"123 43

3. De la Rosa McLaren 1'20"548 54

4. Vettel Toro Rosso 1'20"732 40

5. Kovalainen McLaren 1'20"936 49

6. Bourdais Toro Rosso 1'20"997 47

7. Rosberg Williams 1'21"143 47

8. Trulli Toyota 1'21"344 86

9. Piquet Renault 1'21"595 41

10. Coulthard Red Bull 1'21"745 51

11' Liuzzi Force India 1'23"035 44

12. Nakajima Williams 1'23"134 42

13. Glock Toyota 1'24"351 58

14. Rossiter Super Aguri 1'34"852

[David Adams 0]

I've seen a few different sources of those times that conflict.

One put the Red Bull of Coulthard fastest, with Boudrais 4th, sandwiching the 2 Ferrari's.

Put simply, these times are nothing to look at yet, most likely just system checks, hardware evaluations and setup work for the season.

Maybe in another month we will see what cars might work well.

Good thing so far, the reliability of most seems to have been great, I think there was only 1 car which suffered with yhydraulic issues?

[elgo 1]

I'm only sure about Kimi being 1st,Massa 2nd and DLR and Kova 3rd and 5th.The rest I cannot assure.

But anyways,you're right,these times are meaningless.It's just some way of spending our time.

[aussief1 4]

Interesting testing livery for Williams. Williams are celebrating their 30th year in the sport, 500 GP's which the team will reach in Turkey and 50,000th racing laps.

Apparently it's the first of 6 livery's that the team will run over the Jan / Feb tests. Something to keep the interest even higher in pre-season testing.

Photo Source: GPUpdate.net

[goferrarigo 0]

Interesting testing livery for Williams. Williams are celebrating their 30th year in the sport, 500 GP's which the team will reach in Turkey and 50,000th racing laps.

Apparently it's the first of 6 livery's that the team will run over the Jan / Feb tests. Something to keep the interest even higher in pre-season testing.

Photo Source: GPUpdate.net

Their offical car launch is next week right??

[aussief1 4]

Their offical car launch is next week right??

Williams aren't having a launch as such (Saving a few pound in the process). They will wheel the FW30 out in testing when it's ready. No word of when that will be exactly though.

[Rainmaster 7]

I want to see what Alonso does with the Renault.

[The Rumble Strip 0]

[AleHop 0]

Jerez tests day 2

.1. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Renault 1:19.503 70

.2. Pedro de la Rosa (ESP) McLaren-Mercedes 1:19.650 111

.3. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 1:19.708 90

.4. Nico Rosberg (GER) Williams-Toyota 1:19.756 81

.5. Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari 1:19.772 85

.6. Heikki Kovalainen (FIN) McLaren-Mercedes 1:19.780 130

.7. Sebastian Vettel (ALE) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:20.305 86

.8. Sebastien Bourdais (FRA) Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:20.346 76

.9. Mark Webber (AUS) Red Bull-Renault 1:20.392 80

10. Kazuki Nakajima (JAP) Williams-Toyota 1:20.526 66

11. Timo Glock (ALE) Toyota 1:20.598 109

12. Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Force India-Ferrari 1:20.764 76

13. Kamui Kobayashi (JAP) Toyota 1:22.060 55

[Rainmaster 7]

Thanks AleHop, good start by Alonso, even if it is just testing.

[The Rumble Strip 0]

[Sato 0]

I've seen a lot of conflicting times for day 2, I have no idea which is right

[aussief1 4]

I've seen a lot of conflicting times for day 2, I have no idea which is right

Maybe some sites are publishing times from lunch then publishing the times after the days testing is complete

[bathurst1000 0]

who cares about testing times they mean nothing (broken record), all we need to know is if they had any reliability problems

[Sato 0]

Maybe some sites are publishing times from lunch then publishing the times after the days testing is complete

Yeah I think you're right, they all seem to have Alonso as top now... At least the places I've looked today.

[mikathegreat2 2]

Torro Rosso seem to be doin quite well! Vettel 4th place! I guess that 4th place finish at Shanghai meant the world to him & STR, Bourdais not far behind in 6th.

[Rainmaster 7]

Maybe some sites are publishing times from lunch then publishing the times after the days testing is complete

Yeah thats basically it, but the good sites don't do that.

who cares about testing times they mean nothing (broken record), all we need to know is if they had any reliability problems

Yeah that is a significant thing to look for.

[elgo 1]

1.Glock.Toyota 1'19"77996

2.Hamilton.McLaren 1'20"09973

3.Alonso.Renault 1'20"36349

4.Bourdais.Toro Rosso 1'20"40761

5.Massa.Ferrari 1'20"50085

6.Kovalainen.McLaren 1'20"53579

7.Kobayas##.toyota 1'20"57753

8.Raikkonen.Ferrari 1'20"64688

9.Nakajima.Williams 1'20"75857

10.Sutil.Force India 1'21"70571

11.Webber.Red Bull 1'22"27553

12.Coulthard.Red Bull 1'22"58154

13.Hulkenberg.Williams 1'24"02365

14.Vettel.Toro Rosso 1'24"87350

Day trois.

[mikathegreat2 2]

Bourdais' 4 time ChampCar world champion winning experience has payed off as well as Glock's DTM experience or whatever he did before F1!

[maure 1]

Nice response from McLaren, putting Hamilton up there beyond Alonso... stirring the pot. Nice, nice.

Pity that a Toyota had to spoil the demonstration by showing what we all know... the times are meaningless.

Amussing though that there have been no comments this time around about Hamilton "running on fumes" in order to get that extra inch.

[Grabthaw the Hammerslayer 4]

Pity that a Toyota had to spoil the demonstration by showing what we all know... the times are meaningless.

As you rightly say based on past experiences, testing times bear little relationship to race competitiveness.