Video from Monday 30th April:
Tuesday 1st May: Raikkonen fastest on wet second day
Barcelona Test Day 2 videoreport (from Italian tv) >
http://www.mediafire.com/?8mjmlmntnby
Today’s times:
Pos Driver Make Time Laps
1. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1:30.280 54
2. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:31.752 39
3. Kovalainen Renault (B) 1:32.149 53
4. Heidfeld BMW Sauber (B) 1:32.175 17
5. Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1:32.580 45
6. Barrichello Honda (B) 1:32.911 44
7. Trulli Toyota (B) 1:32.943 21
8. Sato Super Aguri-Honda (B) 1:33.238 40
9. Liuzzi Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:33.323 38
10. Sutil Spyker-Ferrari (B) 1:35.488 11
11. Speed Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:39.560 7
12. Alonso McLaren-Mercedes (B) 2:04.818 1
Kimi’s car had to return to the pits via a truck as he spun into the gravel due to the wet weather. There was no major damage to the car, but the Finn seemed keen on not
getting too wet by running to a marshal’s hut after getting out of the
car and waiting there until rescue crews arrived to retrieve his
stricken car.
Following his dominant debut win for Ferrari in Australia, Kimi Raikkonen slipped from the headlines in Malaysia and Bahrain.
But he still shares the championship lead with the McLaren duo, and
on the opening day of this week’s Barcelona test, the Finn reasserted
himself with a dominant fastest time.
After Raikkonen’s running was cut short by a minor brush with the Turn 3 barriers during today’s wet session, autosport.com sat down with the Finn to hear his thoughts on progress so far.
Q: How has the test gone for you?
Kimi Raikkonen: Unfortunately the weather today was
difficult but yesterday was a good day. For me we did what we were
supposed to do and we found something which we like much more than
before, so I am pretty happy with what we did yesterday. We learnt a
lot. You never know what others are doing but for the race we are more
confident. The car feels very good here. Wait and see what happens.
Q: What do you think of the improved package that Ferrari have introduced at this test?
KR: Yes, it was good. I found a better set-up for
myself and the car seemed to be handling the way I wanted now. I think
we are in a much stronger position now.
Q: This test is very important with the Spanish Grand Prix just a week away, isn’t it?
KR: Yes, but in one and a half week the circuit can
change a lot, so will the conditions, so we need to wait and see. We
have all got good set-ups now, and the car seems to be very strong.It
will be nice to see the same in the race weekend
Q: Do you feel the championship begins afresh in Europe?
KR: It started three races ago but the points are
very close and nothing has (been) lost so far, so it is important to
have good races now. So we have a good package now and I have got a
better set-up now – much happier than the first three races. I think it
is good.
Q: Are you particularly aiming to beat your teammate Felipe Massa?
KR: You have to beat everybody but of course you and your teammate have the same package, you have to make sure you beat that.
Q: You beat Massa’s track record, was that down to the new package?
KR: The aero package is better for sure but I found
a better set-up for myself, the car is better for me and the changes
they have done improved the car, that is the main thing.
Q: What is your forecast for the race?
KR: I don’t know, it is too early to say. So many
things can happen in one and a half weeks. I am sure we have a good
package for the race here.
Q: Are Ferrari ahead of McLaren again now?
KR: I don’t know, if you tell me how much fuel they run, then I can
tell you! I think we improved a lot since the last race, and we
understand the car more, that is the main thing. Sure we want to win
the race, see what we can do, but I am now much happier going into the
race than the last couple of races, because we found something which
was definitely much better for me. I think we can use the full
potential of the car.
Q: What was wrong with it in Bahrain?
KR: In the whole three races, I think it was good
and getting better but it was never quite right. I was not happy after
qualifying in Melbourne, and the same in Malaysia. We knew the problem
but we could not do anything between the races and finally we found
something which is definitely better for me.
Q: So is the issue solved now?
KR: We knew what was wrong, but we did not have
testing to do anything. We could not do changes and we had to live with
it. I am definitely much happier with it now. The car feels like it
should, and I’m happier going into the races.
Q: How do you find the new chicane here?
KR: I don’t know, it may improve (passing) but it
may be still difficult to get close to the people. Yesterday I got some
people after the chicane but in a racing circumstance, it is a
different story, so we need to wait and see… You can make mistakes in
any corners not only those corners. Chances are like any others, you
cannot see it until the race.
Q: What’s your impression of the Ferrari after the first three races?
KR: We have the results not exactly as we wanted
but we knew the problems we had and we improved the situation
yesterday. I have been happy in the team. It has been working well, and
now we solved the problem we are in a better position.
Q: The balance of the car is okay then?
KR: Better than it was, not sure (if it’s) good enough. Interesting to see but it is a different story… I am confident.
Q: Has your relationship with Felipe Massa changed at all?
KR: It is the same, we have a good relationship
> Raikkonen full of confidence after test
Kimi is speaking a lot more in these interviews nowadays isn’t he? He has said a few things that show more characterKimi is much more satisfied with the F2007, which makes him in the mood for chatting as you may have noticed. He’s happy, we’re happy right? Keep Flying Kimi!!!!
Monday: The technical programme for the day includes development testing of new
aerodynamic components and research into the best set-up for the car for
the forthcoming Spanish Grand Prix.
> Ferrari debut new sidepods in Spain
The Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport
said the updated sidepods of the F2007 steered by Kimi Raikkonen was a
"more significant" update than the bridge-like element on the McLaren
wing. It is understood that the reshaped and smaller sidepods veil part of a
novel cooling system that engineers at Maranello have been working on
for several months.
At the wheel of the updated car on Monday, 27-year-old Raikkonen
collected not only the quickest time, but also the five next-best laps
of the day. Test driver driver Luca Badoer had shaken down the heavily revised
F2007, also featuring new front and rear wings and an updated diffuser,
at the Vairano circuit last Wednesday and Thursday.
La Gazzetta dello Sport cited a Ferrari source as confirming that the new package had "worked well".
Source: Turun Sanomat, by HEIKKI KULTA; translation by Warwick
(Credits to FreshF1.com)
Insiders claim that Ferrari started to this season with two projects.
The first one was used in the first three races,
and the second one, which will be used in Barcelona GP, saw the day
light today.
Although the changes are significant, F2007 still remains as F2007, not as a B-version.
The side pods of new Ferrari are now clearly
shorter and the radiator narrower. The new air exits in the back work
more efficiently too.
> Barcelona test set to be extended
This week’s Formula One test at Barcelona in Spain is looking likely
to be extended until Thursday with poor weather set to hit running
tomorrow.
The test kicked off at a damp Circuit de Catalunya this morning with
all 11 teams present, and was expected to only last until Wednesday.
But under the terms of the testing agreement reached by teams, an
extension will be automatically granted if one of the day’s running is
hit by rain. That clause will be activated if the expected rain hits
tomorrow.The drivers testing today are Pedro de la Rosa (McLaren), Nelson Piquet
Jr. (Renault), Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari), Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber),
Rubens Barrichello (Honda), Ralf Schumacher (Toyota), Kazuki Nakajima
(Williams), David Coulthard (Red Bull Racing), Tonio Liuzzi (Toro
Rosso), Guido van der Garde (Spyker), and Takuma Sato (Super Aguri).
> Barcelona test kicks off
Much of the media’s focus will be on championship contenders McLaren and Ferrari, who – like most other significant outfits including BMW-Sauber – will trial significant mechanical and bodywork updates following the frantic opening three ‘flyaway’ rounds in 2007.
We can confirm that McLaren rookie Lewis Hamilton will not test this week as he leaves the duties to Pedro de la Rosa and Fernando Alonso.
Felipe Massa, meanwhile, will be in action for Ferrari for at least a day, but it is expected that his struggling teammate Kimi Raikkonen will be given the most cockpit time to get more comfortable with the F2007.
Indeed, we also understand that Finn Raikkonen, 27, has spent some days
since finishing third in the recent Bahrain GP working in Ferrari’s driver simulator at Maranello.
> McLaren testing radical new wing
Raikkonen fastest at Barcelona
Kimi Raikkonen signalled Ferrari’s continued strength with a
dominant display on the opening day of testing at Barcelona on Monday.
The Ferrari driver, who is joint leader of the world championship
with Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, was six tenths of a second
faster than Takuma Sato in the Super Aguri.
Sato was one of the surprises of the day, with his team trying out
new aero parts and, perhaps most significantly, a new gearbox upgrade
from Honda on the SA07 that should be introduced for the Spanish Grand
Prix.
McLaren caused one of the biggest stirs of the day when they began
evaluation of a new radical front wing that featured a high plane
element over the top of the nose.
The team ran the MP4-22 with and without the new design to evaluate
its effectiveness, as Pedro de la Rosa set the third fastest time.
Sources have suggested that the team were impressed with the new
wing during straightline testing with it in Menorca last week
and, although preliminary impressions were good in Barcelona today,
further work will be conducted on it for the remainder of the week.
Ralf Schumacher was fourth for Toyota, while Nick Heidfeld continued
BMW Sauber’s strong early season momentum with the fifth quickest time.
Rubens Barrichello showed slightly improved form for Honda Racing to
set the sixth fastest lap.
Seventh fastest Nelson Piquet Junior evaluated some new aerodynamic
updates for Renault as the team continue to work on overcoming the
problems that have blighted the start to their campaign.
Monday’s times:
1. Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:21.195 98
2. Sato Super Aguri-Honda (B) 1:21.858 99
3. de la Rosa McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1:21.906 101
4. R.Schumacher Toyota (B) 1:21.983 92
5. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (B) 1:22.114 74
6. Barrichello Honda (B) 1:22.665 132
7. Piquet Renault (B) 1:22.763 125
8. Liuzzi Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1:22.771 56
9. Coulthard Red Bull-Renault (B) 1:23.165 47
10. Valles Spyker-Ferrari (B) 1:23.343 44
11. van der Garde Spyker-Ferrari (B) 1:23.466 37
12. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1:24.248 43
FUCK ISRAEL 
Barcelona Testing 2007, Kimi Raikkonen goes fastest on day 1. Photos included.
LikeLike