Bahrain Prepares for Formula One Testing
Manama, 31st January 2008: Two of the biggest teams in Formula One, Scuderia
Ferrari and Panasonic Toyota Racing, will meet at the Bahrain International
Circuit for six days of pre-season testing on February 4-6 and February 9-11,
beginning the build-up to the 2008 Gulf-Air Bahrain Grand Prix on April 4-6.
These are the vital stages of preparation for all the teams in the 2008 FIA
Formula One World Championship as the brand new cars, designed over the last
year, hit the track before the start of the season. With three ‘flyaway’ races
at the start of the year in Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain, the European-based
teams need to gather as much information – and speed – from the new machines as
they can before the gruelling racing schedule gets underway.
Adding to the importance of pre-season testing are some significant changes to
the sport’s regulations in 2008. Having largely mastered the challenge of
building engines that must last for two race weekends, the gearboxes in each car
must now last four consecutive races. The new rule aims to improve reliability
and cut costs, and every unscheduled gearbox change in practice or qualifying
will cost the driver five places on the grid.
The biggest changes concern the electronic systems on the cars. A standardised,
FIA-approved Engine Control Unit will ensure equal performance among all the
teams and also brings an end to ‘driver aids’ most notably Traction Control. The
aim is to place more emphasis on driver skill than on technical advantage, and
should lead to more overtaking and excitement during the race.
As a result of these changes pre-season testing time is at a premium and both
world champion Kimi Räikkönen and team mate Felipe Massa have already been busy
bedding in the new Ferrari F2008 since it was revealed earlier this month. The
new car looks extremely similar to the car that won the team both the drivers’
and constructors’ titles last year but looks are often deceiving and a host of
changes have been made by the team in order to enhance its performance and
reliability.
The suspension and aerodynamics have been redesigned to make the car less
sensitive to changing track conditions. Amongst the changes, the nose of the car
has been raised to the point where it now has to bulge beneath the cockpit in
order to fit the driver’s hips inside.
The Toyota team approaches 2008 with a new look and an entirely new design. The
TF108 features a longer wheelbase and new aerodynamics designed to make it
easier to tune the handling of the car to each circuit. The team also has a new
driver in the form of Timo Glock, the 2007 GP2 series champion, who follows Nico
Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton in graduating from GP2 success into the front line of
Formula One.
Once again the BIC is inviting the public to come for a preview of the
forthcoming Grand Prix action with a Public Day at this year’s Formula One
testing. On Saturday February 9th there will be public admission for the nominal
fee of BD1 for adults and 500 fils for children. In addition the Ithmaar Group
Yalla Bahrain! F1 Football Fives competition will be taking place on a
specially-constructed pitch, and there will be non-stop action in this national
five-a-side football tournament.
A VIP experience of Formula One testing is also available for corporate guests
and groups, priced at BD65 per person and including five-star catering,
exclusive pit lane tours and gift packs for all.
To date there have been 10 days of testing in 2008 at the Valencia and Jerez
circuits, with Ferrari fastest on four days in total and Toyota fastest once on
the final day’s at the Jerez circuit. While lap times make headlines, however,
the real business is in building towards the start of the new season and both
Toyota and Ferrari believe that including Bahrain in their pre-season schedule
could be decisive in this year’s world championship.
