Source: autosport.com
Michael Schumacher set the pace on the second day’s testing at Jerez as Mark Webber led the way for Red Bull in F1’s 2012-spec cars.
Schumacher, driving last year’s Mercedes W02 in full trim so that the team could gain as much information about Pirelli’s 2012 tyres from a stable platform, set a 1m18.561s lap during the morning that no one came close to beating for the rest of the day.
Webber’s time also came in the morning as much of the paddock chose to focus on longer runs in the afternoon.
The Australian’s 1m19.184s would remain the fastest time anyone has set in one of the new cars brought to Spain this week.
Daniel Ricciardo impressed in the Toro Rosso, going third fastest in the STR7, having completed 100 laps of fairly trouble-free running. He set his best time around the same period as his compatriot when the track conditions appeared to be at their best.
Jules Bianchi began his Force India career with a fine fourth fastest in the VJM05 before handing over to Paul di Resta for the afternoon and the Scot would complete 69 laps in that time to set the sixth fastest lap behind yesterday’s fastest man Kimi Raikkonen.
The Finn had a couple of offs today in the Lotus. The first came early in the morning when he ran wide at Dry Sack and required a new plank. He then had another excursion very late in the day as he found the limits of this generation of cars.
He still managed 117 laps, and also got to try out a different steering rack after he found yesterday’s one not to his liking.
Ferrari was again far from the top of the timesheet, and late in the day was employing flow-vis to study the effects of aero over Fellipe Massa’s rear wing. The Brazilian’s time of 1m20.454s was 1.893s off the top time.
Jenson Button was eighth quickest in the McLaren, and like Ferrari, was not seeking any headline performance as it worked on improving the MP4-27.
Sauber’s Sergio Perez was tenth in the Sauber ahead of Pastor Maldonado, who spent the day working on reliability with the Williams FW34.
Heikki Kovalainen was slowest of the drivers equipped with 2012 machinery but completed a whopping 139 laps for Caterham as he gathered plenty of information.
Pedro de la Rosa completed HRT’s running by setting a 1m22.128s, just 0.618s off the pace of Kovalainen.
Today's times Pos--Driver--------------Team-----------Time--------------Laps
1. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m18.561s 132
2. Mark Webber Red Bull 1m19.184s + 0.623 97
3. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1m19.587s + 1.026 100
4. Jules Bianchi Force India 1m20.221s + 1.660 46
5. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus 1m20.239s + 1.678 117
6. Paul di Resta Force India 1m20.272s + 1.711 69
7. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m20.454s + 1.893 95
8. Jenson Button McLaren 1m20.688s + 2.127 85
9. Sergio Perez Sauber 1m20.711s + 2.150 68
10. Pastor Maldonado Williams 1m21.197s + 2.636 97
11. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham 1m21.518s + 2.957 139
12. Pedro de la Rosa HRT 1m22.128s + 3.567 64
10:07 Kankshit Bharos has asked @eddstrawf1 one of his least favourite questions, based upon judging performance from testing times. Fortunately, he gets away with it by starting off with a disclaimer. “First test day times are almost irrelevant,” says Kankshit. “But the pace Kimi Raikkonen set yesterday hasn’t been touched yet. Is this a sign for the season that Lotus and Force India will be the dark horses in 2012?”
Edd says… “The headline times are pretty irrelevant but it’s fair to conclude that Lotus and Force India have proved they have a decent package upon which to build. Lotus’s programme was distorted by the fact the team wanted to send Raikkonen out an push on as he re-acclimatised to F1 and the important thing is that he resembles the old Kimi in terms of on-track commitment.
10:31 As we’ve mentioned, yesterday’s pacesetter Raikkonen has spent most of the morning in the pits after an early visit to the gravel did some damage to the Lotus. And here’s that picture of the incident we just got so excited over.
14:18 Schumacher looks to the inside of Raikkonen at the exit of the last corner.
14:18 And then Schumacher overtakes into Turn 1. Wonder if the pair will be getting this close once the season starts?
14:19 This test is the first time they have shared a track since the end of 2006, when Schumacher retired for the first time and Raikkonen stepped into his Ferrari, By the time Schumacher returned in 2010, Raikkonen was off to rallying.
14:19 Raikkonen is presumably running heavier than Schumacher right now, with 15 more laps to go in the Lotus’s stint.
14:32 There is a Ferrari guy stood on the pit wall just next to Lotus, obviously keeping a watching brief on Raikkonen’s progress.
14:33 Wonder if he looks like he’s more enthusiastic in a black suit than he was in a scarlet one?
14:34 The Ferrari guy might be following AUTOSPORT Live, for as soon as we typed that, he walked off…
14:50 Brad Larsen asks: “How do you see yourself gaining from having Kimi, a former world champion, on board as your team-mate? Have you been able to make him laugh or smile yet?”
Romain Grosjean: “Haha. We did, we did – with Kimi he is a very nice guy, and it’s good to have him alongside me. It’s also good for the team to have him, and hopefully we can develop the car together and have a good season.
“I think we have to work together: two drivers are always stronger than one driver, so if we work together it will be better for the team. Hopefully we can also improve ourselves at the same time.”
14:57 Raikkonen ought to be pretty pleased with his running this week – good times and good reliability from Lotus.
Photos:
FUCK ISRAEL 