Pre-2007 Season Testing

Ed · Post by Ed » Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:04 pm

Final day of testing at Jerez saw Heikki Kovalainen set the fastest time of the day with a 1:19.183 ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella (1:20.478) and Takuma Sato (1:20.688)

Kovalainen had a trouble free day while Fisichella had gearbox software problems that prevented him from running until the afternoon.

At Valencia, the BMW Sauber team concluded their test with Kubica setting the fastest time with a 1:12.099 in the F1.07 while Timo Glock set a time of 1:13.005 in the F1.06B

Ed · Post by Ed » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:49 am

Ferrari commenced testing at Vallelunga with Massa and Raikkonen.

Ferrari initially planned to test at Mugello but decided to move to Vallelunga due to the weather.

Massa ran the F2007 and covered 74 laps with a best time of 1:14.493 while Raikkonen ran the 248F1 and covered 39 laps with a best time of 1:15.226. These times are 'wet' times as a quick time in the dry is under a minute.

Weather was overcast and windy with occasional rain.

The team continues testing tomorrow.

At Valencia, McLaren commence testing on Wednesday. The team will test in private for the 1st two days.

Ed · Post by Ed » Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:31 am

The Ferrari team continued to test at Vallelunga on Wednesday but bad weather affected the running. Massa covered 31 laps in the F2007 with a best time of 1:18.767 while Raikkonen covered 20 laps in the 248 F1 with a best time of 1:22.299.

At Valencia, McLaren commenced their test with Alonso, de la Rosa and Hamilton. Alonso set the fastest time with a 1:12.387 and covered 67 laps. de la Rosa was second fastest with a 1:12.718 and covered 41 laps while Hamilton was 3rd with a best time of 1:13.023 and covered 69 laps.

It isn't clear whether the team were testing 2 MP4/22 or an MP4/22 and a MP4/21.

Honda and Red Bull are getting ready to test their new cars prior to their launch.

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:33 am

Hambone has written off his 1st McLaren.
Button did not finish one lap

Ed · Post by Ed » Fri Jan 26, 2007 6:20 am

Thankfully Hamilton escaped unhurt but the MP4/22 was badly damaged!

Alonso will continue to test on Friday!

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 6:23 am

I hear the tub was a write-off

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 3:30 pm

I hate it when that happens...

BTW Ed

Sorry... could not resist...

Ed · Post by Ed » Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:26 pm

As McLaren are testing privately it is hard to tell what actually happened and the team haven't said much apart from the fact that the car couldn't be repaired in Valencia and Hamilton will not be testing on Friday!

The times released by McLaren were pretty encouraging though, Alonso covered 76 laps with a best time of 1:11.698 while Hamilton covered 33 laps with a best time of 1:12.596.

At Vallelunga, the Ferrari test continued to be hampered by bad weather. Massa covered 86 laps with a best time of 1:13.029 while Raikkonen managed just 43 laps with a best time of 1:13.587.
As indicated earlier, the team decided to extend their test at Vallelunga an extra day hoping that weather conditions would improve and they can complete their intended test program.

As Julian mentioned earlier, Button didn't complete a lap in the new Honda RA107. Barrichello fared better as he shookdown the new contender a day earlier and did a number of laps.

Ed · Post by Ed » Sat Jan 27, 2007 6:56 pm

Final day of testing for Ferrari at Vallelunga saw Felipe Massa cover just 9 laps in the F2007. He went off in the morning damaging the car and when the car was fixed in the afternoon, he only managed a few more laps before a techincal problem ended his running.
Raikkonen covered 52 laps in the 248F1 and set a fastest time of 1:19.758.

Ferrari move to Valencia for a multi-team test from the 30th of January with Raikkonen and Badoer.

At Valencia, McLaren decided not to test on Friday due to heavy rain. The team will remain in Valencia and will test from the 30th of January with Hamilton and de la Rosa.

Honda have completed their first 3 day test with the new car. After the initial problems that Jenson had on Thursday, he managed to complete 86 laps on Friday with a best time of 1:21.60.

The team will also be in Valencia next week.

The Red Bull Racing team was also at the Catalunya track presenting the RB3 with Coulthard and Webber. Coulthard shookdown the new car on Wednesday and Mark Webber covered a number of laps on Friday. No times were available from Red Bull Racing. The team will also be present in Valencia next week.

Please note that the Barcelona track has been modified with a chicane at the Europcar corner and therefore cannot compare times with last season!

Snowy · Post by **Snowy** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:01 am

These are the times from testing in Valencia as posted on McLaren's official web site:

Driver Constructor Time Laps
Fernando Alonso Team McLaren Mercedes 1m12.563 102
Kimi Raikkonen Team McLaren Mercedes 1m13.529 47

Nelson Piquet Jr Renault 1m13.549 33
Franck Montangy Toyota 1m13.672 31
Sebastian Vettel BMW Sauber 1m13.684 87
Jarno Trulli Toyota 1m13.734 66
Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1m13.848 54
Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1m13.866 33
Rubens Barrichello Honda Racing 1m14.026 40
Kazuki Nakagima WilliamsF1 1m14.520 73
James Rossiter Honda Racing 1m14.644 52
Takuma Sato Super Aguri 1m15.673 35
Mark Webber Williams F1 1m16.815 31
Luca Badoer Scuderia Ferrari 1m17.135 46

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:08 am

No cause for alarm yet.

jacfan · Post by **jacfan** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:47 am

Snowy wrote:These are the times from testing in Valencia as posted on McLaren's official web site:

Driver Constructor Time Laps
Fernando Alonso Team McLaren Mercedes 1m12.563 102
Kimi Raikkonen Team McLaren Mercedes 1m13.529 47
Nelson Piquet Jr Renault 1m13.549 33
Franck Montangy Toyota 1m13.672 31
Sebastian Vettel BMW Sauber 1m13.684 87
Jarno Trulli Toyota 1m13.734 66
Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1m13.848 54
Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1m13.866 33
Rubens Barrichello Honda Racing 1m14.026 40
Kazuki Nakagima WilliamsF1 1m14.520 73
James Rossiter Honda Racing 1m14.644 52
Takuma Sato Super Aguri 1m15.673 35
Mark Webber Williams F1 1m16.815 31
Luca Badoer Scuderia Ferrari 1m17.135 46

Why is Mark Webber testing the Williams?

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 1:52 pm

They wanted nothing but the best.

JayVee · Post by **JayVee** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:25 pm

I doubt that the gap is that big.

But it is looking good for Alonso

and he's done the most laps!

Ed · Post by Ed » Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:53 pm

Thanks Snowy for the times you posted.

Here are the times according to the Valencia circuit

1. Fernando Alonso McLaren 1.12.563 85 laps
2. Nelson Piquet Jr Renault 1.13.549 27 laps
3. Frank Montagny Toyota 1.13.672 33 laps
4. Sebastien Vettel BMW Sauber 1.13.683 75 laps
5. Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1.13.691 45 laps
7. Jarno Trulli Toyota 1.13.735 50 laps
8. Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 1.13.848 49 laps
9. Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1.13.867 34 laps
10. Rubens Barrichello Honda 1.14.025 29 laps
11. Kazuki Nakayima Williams 1.14.520 51 laps
12. James Rositter Honda 1.14.643 37 laps
13. Takuma Sato Super Aguri 1.15.674 27 laps
14. Mark Webber Red Bull 1.15.726 27 laps
15. Luca Badoer Ferrari 1.16.334 35 laps

The track was wet in the morning drying out in the afternoon. Several teams elected to go out only in the afternoon.

There were 10 red flags with Williams test driver Nakayima causing 3 of them due to going off in the wet! There were off track excursions by Montagny, Badoer and Webber.
Badoer also had mechanical problems in the afternoon. Alonso and Vettel also stopped on the track.

The weather is expected to be dry on the second day and the times should be more meaningful.

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