Formula One Testing Day 4: Räikkönen Resumes Command
Manama, 9th February 2008: Formula One testing resumed at the Bahrain
International Circuit today with both the Ferrari and Toyota teams fielding
their ‘first team’ driver line-ups at the start of the second three days of
running. Yet again it was the flying Finn Kimi Räikkönen who set the pace,
ending up with the fastest lap for the fourth day out of four so far.
As reigning world champions Scuderia Ferrari has expressed enthusiasm about the
performance of its all-new F2008 cars in Bahrain, with team manager Luca
Baldisserri suggesting that the scheduled upgrades to the car planned to be made
before the season starts at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 16
might not be required so soon. The 2007 drivers’ champion Räikkönen covered 66
laps with a fastest time of 1m 30.914s while his Brazilian team mate Felipe
Massa logged 53 laps, although the team suffered its first mechanical gremlins
of the test with loss of power thought to be the result of a hydraulic fault.
The Panasonic Toyota Racing team meanwhile continued its programme of
development on its TF108 challenger with both Italian star Jarno Trulli and
German rookie Timo Glock at the wheel. Both drivers put in more than 70 laps of
the 5.412km Bahrain International Circuit, with Trulli once again emerging as
the faster of the Toyota pair. “We did a lot of set-up and aerodynamic work,
comparing different settings to get more information,” Trulli said. “Our target
was to do as many laps as possible so we learn more about which areas we have to
improve. I think we know what direction to go in and we are working hard on
this.”
Toyota’s Chief Engineer, Dieter Gass, said: “Overall we have had another
productive day, working through our programme of mechanical and aerodynamic
set-up changes. It is good to see the weather continue to improve because we
came to Bahrain for warm weather and now we have it. This is useful for us
because not only are we sure of a full day’s testing but also because it gives
us a good chance to look at the cooling on the new car, which is different to
the TF107.”
Today was also public day at the Bahrain International Circuit, with fans
streaming in through the gates to see the action on the track. Not only that but
the day saw the BIC hosting the second of the Ithmaar Group Yalla Bahrain!
cultural and community events that lead up to the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix on
April 4-6, the F1 Football Fives. A total of 30 five-a-side football teams from
across Bahrain gathered to take part in the sporting fiesta, with three football
pitches having been built in the BIC car park.
Formula One testing continues tomorrow and concludes on Monday 11th February.
Testing Times – Bahrain International Circuit 9/2/2008
1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari F2008 66 laps 1m 30.914s
2 Felipe Massa Ferrari F2008 53 laps 1m 31.174s
3 Jarno Trulli Toyota TF108 73 laps 1m 32.382s
4 Timo Glock Toyota TF108 77 laps 1m 32.762s
