Jerez F1 winter testing

**Bezzen** · 02-07-2012 08:38 AM

Today is the first day for the new cars on track. Here's the lineup:

Red Bull Mark Webber
McLaren Jenson Button
Ferrari Felipe Massa
Mercedes Nico Rosberg & Michael Schumacher (2011 car)
Lotus Kimi Räikkönen
Force India Paul di Resta
Sauber Kamui Kobayashi
Toro Rosso Daniel Ricciardo
Williams Pastor Maldonado
Caterham Heikki Kovalainen
HRT Pedro de la Rosa (2011 car)

Marussia is at home trying to get their 2012 car together.

Here's the standings so far:

1 Räikkönen Lotus 1m19.670s55
2 Di Resta Force India 1m19.772s +0.10260
3 Rosberg Mercedes 1m20.219s +0.54956
4 Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1m20.694s +1.02440
5 Kobayashi Sauber 1m21.353s +1.68362
6 Webber Red Bull 1m21.474s +1.80417
7 Button McLaren 1m22.366s +2.69622
8 Massa Ferrari 1m22.815s +3.14551
9 Kovalainen Caterham 1m23.178s +3.50828
10 Maldonado Williams 1m23.371s +3.70125
11 De la Rosa HRT 1m24.209s +4.53932

**Hitokiri** · 02-07-2012 12:43 PM

Caterham seemed to really impress today. Just 4 tenths of a second behind Ferrari and above Williams isn't bad for the young team. It'll be an interesting fight for the middle field teams.

**BADGER** · 02-07-2012 12:58 PM

Do you have test times from last year? It would be interesting to compare since the loss of EBD.

**Joe in LA** · 02-07-2012 01:32 PM

First test times are generally pretty meaningless, but nice to see Kimi start strong--I'd like to see him mixing it up near the front with Lewis, Fernando, Jenson and Sebastian.

**Bezzen** · 02-08-2012 04:06 AM

Day two of testing has just started. There are a few changes in the lineup:

Nico Rosberg won't be out today for Mercedes, only Schumacher
Jules Bianchi joins Paul Di Resta at Force India
Sergio Perez replaces Kobayashi at Sauber

**RS2** · 02-08-2012 04:54 AM

The best time for all of the 2010 Jerez testing was 1:19.832

Pics from Tuesday.
http://www.formula1.com/gallery/testing/2012/667.html

**Bezzen** · 02-08-2012 06:21 AM

Schumacher went well under the 1:19 mark with a 1:18.651 in the '11 spec car*. Webber has got the new Red Bull down to 1:19.184.

* They are probably running a few 2012 bits and pieces on it.

**BADGER** · 02-08-2012 01:09 PM

I know it is early in testing, but it is not looking too good for Williams. Sad to see such a once great team struggle.

**Bezzen** · 02-08-2012 05:10 PM

Times for Day 2:

1. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m18.561s
2. Mark Webber Red Bull 1m19.184s
3. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1m19.587s
4. Jules Bianchi Force India 1m20.221s
5. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus 1m20.239s
6. Paul di Resta Force India 1m20.272s
7. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m20.454s
8. Jenson Button McLaren 1m20.688s
9. Sergio Perez Sauber 1m20.711s
10. Pastor Maldonado Williams 1m21.197s
11. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham 1m21.518s
12. Pedro de la Rosa HRT 1m22.128s

Kovalainen ran 139 laps, Schumacher 132, Räikkönen 117 and Ricciardo 100. Force India got 115 laps with Bianchi and Di Resta.

Williams were working on reliability, but still would be nice to see some more pace as I'm betting they aren't the only ones not going for qualifying simulations.

**Bezzen** · 02-09-2012 03:54 AM

It's time for Day 3 of 4 and there are quite a few changes in the lineups:

Vettel takes over at Red Bull
Hamilton, McLaren
Alonso, Ferrari
Rosberg, Mercedes
Grosjean, Lotus
Hülkenberg, Force India
Vergne, Toro Rosso
Senna, Williams
van der Garde, Caterham
The HRT team has finished testing. (they obviously thought the car was quick enough )

**Bezzen** · 02-09-2012 04:43 AM

Grosjean just beat Webber's time from yesterday and set the quickest lap for a 2012 car so far: 1m18.901s.

**Bezzen** · 02-09-2012 09:53 AM

Both test drivers Bianchi and van der Garde have spun off today and the cars have had to be returned to the pits by trucks. Not the best way to impress your teams.

**Ferris** · 02-09-2012 10:00 AM

Curious to see how much Alonso gets out of the new Ferrari as Massa seems so far to be lost with the 2012 challenger.....Ah the joys of Winter Testing and which team of the mid to backmarkers will do a low fuel run to gain some sponsorship dollars.....

**TC in Indy** · 02-09-2012 11:20 AM

How cold is it in Jerez? I saw reports of snow in southern Spain as well as in North Africa.

**Bezzen** · 02-09-2012 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by TC in Indy

How cold is it in Jerez? I saw reports of snow in southern Spain as well as in North Africa.

Today it was 14°C / 57°F at the end of testing.

**TC in Indy** · 02-09-2012 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Bezzen

Today it was 14°C / 57°F at the end of testing.

Thank you Bezzen. And how about the weather up your way in Sweeden? It looks like most of Europe is locked in an arctic grip.

**Bezzen** · 02-09-2012 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by TC in Indy

Thank you Bezzen. And how about the weather up your way in Sweeden? It looks like most of Europe is locked in an arctic grip.

It's pretty decent now at -8 C / 18 F. It was pretty damn cold this past weekend though, we had -26 C / -15 F here in the middle of Sweden. I think the coldest up north was -42 C / -44 F. It was really only freezing for a couple of days though and was pretty much normal winter weather from there on. The difference with this cold though is that it's sort of the same temperatures across the whole Europe, not just up here in the North. We Swedes are pretty used to it but large parts of continental Europe aren't.

**Indy kiwi** · 02-09-2012 09:42 PM

Will Buxton tweeted that it was 0 C (32 in American language) when he arrived at the track this morning.

**Ferris** · 02-10-2012 09:09 AM

Well Alonso puts the 2012 Ferrari on the top of the timesheets this morning, so maybe the car ins't as bad as Massa was moaning about.....Looks like Massa best get his A game together quick or it could be either a long season or a very short season for the #2 at Ferrari....

**sneva33** · 02-10-2012 01:10 PM

Just musing but if Massa is let go in early or mid-season, who would be the replacement? Likely or otherwise?

**BADGER** · 02-10-2012 01:37 PM

I think Massa has lost "something" every since he was hit with the spring. I know its just testing, but I"m impressed by the Lotus and and it will be fun seeing what they can do with a decent driver. Redbull looks good as expected, McLaren seems to be a bit behind but does more once the season begins than anyone. Williams again looks set for a long season.

**Joe in LA** · 02-10-2012 02:58 PM

Autosport's test blog is suggesting that Fernando's run was a full out effort for a single quick lap--"glory run"--designed for the Italina press and doesn't reflect the car. Supposedly, he said they only understand about 20% of the issues with the car so far. I think it may well be the car. I really hope that Ferrari, McLaren and "Lotus" step up quite a bit this season so that Vettel gets challenged.