Testing times in Jerez, they really are…
Todays test in Jerez involved all of the current F1 teams along with the first new team to show it’s colours – Virgin Racing. With last weeks test throwing up some surprises we’d expect this weeks one to be even more exciting.
The test didn’t disappoint – apart from the weather – there’s not that much comparison to do between the times as all the cars would have been trying out different setups and tyres to see where the wet/inter cut off is but seeing a Mercedes with Nico Rosberg firmly at the top might be a little ominous. Fernando Alonso would have been disappointed not to be faster and Sauber with Kamui Kobayashi stayed just below the Ferrari it’s just that time that meant fifth place.
McLaren and Jenson Button still don’t seem to be able to get it together with the sixth fastest time but Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso) and Nico Hulkenberg (Williams) would have been happy with their 2nd and 3rd places.
Renault and Red Bull are unlikely to have easy nights though as they sit at the bottom of the pile in terms of last years teams, particularly Red Bull given where they were last year and what they are expecting from this season. Coupled with the fact that Mark Webber’s Red Bull broke down on the circuit with an oil leak and there will be some late nights in that motorhome, I guess they could do with a caffeinated energy drink to help them keep focused, something like Relentless perhaps.
It was also a difficult start for Virgin who were a full 18 seconds, yes you read that correctly 18 seconds off the pace. That is terrible news for them, I know that Timo Glock only completed 5 laps but he should still have been quicker than that, serious work ahead for them. It’s such a shame to see them that far off as I was really hoping that the new teams would be right on it snapping at the heels of the lower rung of established teams – it seems that might not be the case. It could also be a very bad car in the wet and in the dry it’ll fly but it doesn’t look great.
The times in full are:
1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes GP, 1:20.927, 57 Laps
2. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 1:21.031, 84 Laps
3. Nico Hulkenberg, Williams, 1:22.243, 118 Laps
4. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, 1:22.895, 88 Laps
5. Kamui Kobayashi, BMW Sauber, 1:23.287, 55 Laps
6. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1:24.947, 68 Laps
7. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Force India, 1:24.968, 71 Laps
8. Vitaly Petrov, Renault, 1:25.440, 27 Laps
9. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:26.502, 50 Laps
10. Timo Glock, Virgin, 1:38.734, 5 Laps
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