March 9, 2010
Sam Michael, Technical Director
The FW32 completed almost 7,000kms during winter testing with the new Cosworth engine installation. We have made great progress on reliability and we’re still working on improving that, albeit at high mileages that we shouldn’t encounter during race weekends.
Performance has been solid throughout the test sessions, but Bahrain will tell us where we are. We tested the majority of our Bahrain race package while in Barcelona, while a couple of additional parts will go straight to the race. Rubens and Nico will also go through their first race weekend as teammates. Signs from winter testing are that they’ll push each other all the way!
Rubens Barrichello
I’m delighted to be entering my eighteenth season. I’m so motivated and I’m in a much better physical condition than I have been at any other time. I’m also really happy to be driving for AT&T Williams. I’ve settled in well, and I already feel like I’ve been here five years!
We covered a lot of miles with the car during winter testing, working on reliability during the first few tests and then some upgrades for Bahrain at the final two. In terms of set-up, reliability and drivability of the engine, we’ve done a good job. The car has improved a lot and the team have done well preparing me so I’m completely familiar with everything heading into the first race.
I think we’re strong, I’m optimistic, but it is very hard to draw a conclusion as to where we are so I’m going to wait and see. It’s going to be a fantastic season with the new teams, the new drivers and the new regulations.
Nico Hülkenberg
Being a Formula One driver is a great feeling and I’m very excited about going to Bahrain. I learnt a lot as the team’s test driver, which has prepared me well for the season ahead. Working in the factory has also helped give me more of a technical understanding of the car, it won’t make me quicker, but it will help me with set-up.
Winter testing was good for us. Having completed a good amount of mileage, we are well placed going into the season. The Cosworth engine is also looking strong; it’s powerful and reliable. We have potential, but we have to wait to see where the competition is. It’s going to be an exciting season and I can’t wait to start it!
Posted in Preview | Tagged Williams, 2010, Bahrain, Rubens Barrichello, Nico Hulkenberg, Sam Michael | Leave a Comment »
March 2, 2010
The first long range weather predictions for the race in Bahrain next week have just arrived, and no surprise it’s going to be hot. Every day is set to be 26-28c and sunny. That should give us track temperatures in the low-mid 40s.
Posted in 2010 race info, weather | Tagged Bahrain, weather | 1 Comment »
February 28, 2010
So the last day of testing before the season starts has arrived. The weather here at the track is warmer than yesterday already, but quite windy.
With just over 30 minutes until the session starts the teams have all had breakfast and started the engine warming procedure prior to firing them up in a few minutes.
Hopefully today won’t be hit with as many red flags as yesterday, but remember anything can, and usually does happen during testing.
Posted in Testing | Tagged barcelona, Testing | Leave a Comment »
February 27, 2010
Thanks for keeping me company for the past month of testing down here in not so sunny Spain – it’s been a blast. This season is going to be the first with full Twitter coverage by anybody. Most of us in the world of F1 picked up on the power of the tweet a few races into last year and things have snowballed. This past month has been the first time that anybody has tweeted regularly from an F1 test session, and it’s been quite a challenge. It’s also the first time that I have put any of my photos up on a site like Flikr, and that has been an education in its own right. The photos have been looked at by tens of thousands of different people, driven there by Twitter, this blog and other F1 sites.
Testing comes to a close tomorrow for this year, and due to the wonders of airline scheduling, and family commitments, I will be leaving the circuit before lunch to catch 2 planes in order to get home. I will try to post some images before I catch the first of those flights, and then do a roundup once i’m back in Oxford tomorrow night.
Posted in Testing | Tagged blog notes, Thanks | 1 Comment »
February 27, 2010
Short answer… No!
Some things we already knew have been reaffirmed;
- When it’s damp cars slide off the track.
- Pit stops without refueling are fast – sub 3 seconds
- The new teams, those that turn up in Bahrain anyway, are slower than everybody else, but not by as much as they could be.
- The Spanish love Alonso in a Ferrari.
- The whole world wants to know what Schumacher is capable of.
- The Red Bull Energy Station team do a lovely lunch – Thanks, Vielen Dank, Gracias & Merci
Some of the teams have had deliveries of components over the past couple of days, so we may see some changes tomorrow but I doubt it.
Once tomorrow is done there are only 12 days until we regroup in Bahrain for the first race of the season where I suspect 30% or more of the field won’t finish, and there may be a few surprises in store.
Posted in Testing | Tagged barcelona, roundup, Testing | Leave a Comment »
February 27, 2010
- N Rosberg Mercedes GP 1:20.686 128
- S Buemi Toro Rosso 1:21.413 106
- J Button McLaren 1:21.450 106
- R Barrichello AT&T Williams 1:21.975 101
- F Massa Ferrari 1:22.344 115
- V Petrov Renault F1 1:22.523 68
- A Sutil Force India 1:22.606 61
- S Vettel Red Bull Racing 1:23.123 51
- J Trulli Lotus GP 1:25.059 102
- K Kobayashi BMW Sauber 1:26.216 105
- T Glock Virgin Racing 1:26.305 31
Posted in Testing | Tagged Day 3, timing | Leave a Comment »
February 27, 2010
So the rain which was originally forecast for yesterday has finally arrived and caused 2 red flags this morning. However it’s nowhere near as bad as the past 2 weeks in Jerez, and the official weather thingy here hasn’t actually got wet enough to register any measurement, so I think we’ll call it a sprinkling.
Sir Richard Branson has been here all morning having held an early morning press conference and photocall for the Virgin Racing team. He feels that F1 can be fun as well as competitive for $40million a year. I wonder if we’ll be seeing a Virgin Party Palace as well as the Red Bull Energy Station at the European races this year? He has also made his feelings clear about the statements made by Ferrari about the new teams over recent days.
Trulli in his Lotus has moved up the time sheets this morning having started to do some race distance runs.
The times at the lunch break are:
- Rosberg 1:20.686
- Buemi 1:21.413
- Sutil 1:22.951
- Massa 1:23.490
- Barrichello 1:23.976
- Trulli 1:25.059
- Kobayashi 1:26.216
- Petrov 1:26.346
- Button 1:36.667
- Glock no time
- Vettel no time
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged barcelona, Day 3, lunch roundup, Testing | Leave a Comment »
February 26, 2010
- N Hulkenberg – AT&T Williams 1:20.614 99
- F Alonso – Ferrari 1:20.637 134
- P de la Rosa – BMW Sauber 1:20.973 114
- V Liuzzi – Force India 1:21.056 90
- S Vettel – Red Bull Racing 1:21.258 125
- J Alguersuari – Toro Rosso 1:21.571 104
- M Schumacher – Mercedes GP 1:21.689 85
- L Hamilton – McLaren 1:22.152 93
- R Kubica – Renault F1 1:24.912 53
- J Trulli – Lotus 1:25.524 70
- T Glock – Virgin 1:25.942 52
Posted in Testing | Tagged barcelona, Testing | Leave a Comment »
February 26, 2010
A productive day for Lotus Racing as Jarno Trulli took the Lotus Cosworth T127 challenger onto the Barcelona track and completed another 70 laps. With strong sunshine and dry weather conditions, the Lotus Racing team were again first out on track and ready to begin testing, developing and improving the car.
Chief Technical Officer Mike Gascoyne gave his end of day round up; “It was a productive day in terms of set up direction with Jarno. We were able to identify some problems with the set up in the car and establish clear direction to improve it. We still have a long way to go, and a lot of time to come from the car.
“ We had a couple of minor hydraulics issues which stopped the car on track, but nothing major, so all in all it was a productive day and we’re aiming to continue in the same vein tomorrow.”
Jarno Trulli again picks up the wheel for day three of testing, and the team is looking forward to developing and progressing the car. Heikki Kovalainen then takes over on Sunday, for the final day of testing.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged day 2, Lotus, roundup, Testing | Leave a Comment »
February 26, 2010
With all the red flags today the team crews spent a lot of time waiting for sessions to restart. Here is a member of the Force India team sitting, waiting.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
