F1 Testing gets underway at Barcelona
November 28th, 2006
The testing period for the 2007 season has kicked off, with all but the SpykerF1 team taking part in the three day test session at Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
With Bridgestone having become the sole tire supplier for 2007, the testing period is especially critical for last year’s Michelin-shod teams - the likes of Renault, McLaren and Honda - as they make the switch to new rubber.
Not surprisingly, the Ferraris topped the timesheets, with Felipe Massa leading the way at 1:17.160, and test driver Luca Badoer coming in third with a time of 1:17.555. Pedro de la Rosa split the two with a time of 1:17.455, nearly three tenths of a second of Massa’s pace.
GP2 front runners Lewis Hamilton and Nelson Piquet Jr. were also present in their new roles for McLaren and Renault, respectively, with Hamilton lapping at a best of 1:18.239 for sixth and Piquet Jr. at tenth with a time of 1:18.852.
Testing continues until November 30, after which the teams are expected to run at Jerez for a further two weeks of testing.
Entry Filed under: Formula 1
1 Comment Add your own
1. Josh | November 28th, 2006 at 11:42 pm
Oh, and top drivers Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikonnen and Jenson Button were all noticeably absent from testing.
Alonso and Raikonnen have yet to free themselves from their current contracts and are therefore unable to take to testing for their new teams until the new year. Button, meanwhile, is taking time off to heal from the cracked ribs he suffered from a karting shunt a few days back.
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