Young Driver Test: 16 - 17 November 2010

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Young Driver Test: 16 - 17 November 2010

Post by Ed » Fri Nov 19, 2010 7:08 pm

All the Formula 1 teams conducted a young driver test at Abu Dhabi on the 16th and 17th of November.

The fastest lap times from the first day were:

Rank...Driver...................... Team..................Fastest Laptime............Laps
1 ...... Daniel RICCIARDO.... Red Bull Racing.... 1:39.616.............. 83
2 ...... Oliver TURVEY........... McLaren Mercedes.. 1:40.725............ 85
3 ...... Antonio Felix de COSTA . Force India F1 Team .... 1:41.381 ....... 77
4 ...... Esteban GUTIERREZ .... BMW Sauber F1 Team .... 1:41.432 ....... 88
5 ...... Dean STONEMAN ........ Williams ...................... 1:41.522 ........ 70
6 ...... Mikhail ALESHIN.......... Renault F1 Team ......... 1:42.073 ......... 58
7 ...... Jean Eric VERGNE ...... Scuderia Toro Rosso ... 1:42.489 ........ 93
8 ...... Paul DI RESTA ........ Force India F1 Team ..... 1:42.736 ....... 28
9 ...... Sam BIRD................ Mercedes F1 Team...... 1:42.985 ......... 67
10 .... Jerome D'AMBROSIO .. Virgin Racing .......... 1:43.518 ............ 36
11 ..... Pastor MALDONADO ... HRT F1 Team ........... 1:43.750 ....... 108
12 ..... Jules BIANCHI.......... Ferrari ..................... 1:43.894 ........... 59
13 ..... Rodolfo GONZALEZ ... Lotus Racing ............ 1:44.924 ........... 83
14 ..... Rio HARYANTO ........ Virgin Racing ............ 1:49.439 ............ 21
Last edited by Ed on Fri Nov 19, 2010 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Ed
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Post by Ed » Fri Nov 19, 2010 7:11 pm

The fastest lap times from the second day were:

Rank...Driver...................... Team..................Fastest Laptime............Laps
1 ...... Daniel RICCIARDO.... Red Bull Racing.... 1:38.102.............. 77
2 ...... Jerome D'AMBROSIO..Renault F1 Team...1:38.802.............. 83
3 ...... Sam BIRD................ Mercedes F1 Team. 1:39.220............. 82
4 ...... Gary PAFFETT........... McLaren Mercedes.. 1:39.760............ 84
5 ...... Jules BIANCHI.......... Ferrari .................. 1:39.916............ 93
6 ...... Sergio PEREZ .......... BMW Sauber F1 Team .. 1:40.543 ....... 91
7 ...... Paul DI RESTA ........ Force India F1 Team ..... 1:40.901 ....... 27
8 ...... Pastor MALDONADO ... Williams .................... 1:40.944 ....... 81
9 ...... Jean Eric VERGNE ...... Scuderia Toro Rosso ... 1:40.974 ........ 61
10 .... Yelmer BUURMAN ...... Force India F1 Team .... 1:41.178 ........ 67
11 .... Davide VALSECCHI .... HRT F1 Team ........... 1:43.013 ............ 32
12 .... Luiz RAZIA ............... Virgin Racing ............ 1:43.525 ............ 70
13 .... Josef KRAL ............... HRT F1 Team ............ 1:44.143 ............ 61
14 .... Rodolfo GONZALEZ ..... Lotus Racing ........... 1:44.312 ............ 41
15 .... Vladimir ARABADZHIEV ...... Lotus Racing .... 1:45.723 ............ 49

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Post by Ed » Fri Nov 19, 2010 9:39 pm

Selected quotes from the 2 day test

Daniel Ricciardo - Red Bull test driver
It was cool to do this test and great to get so close to the big boys times from the weekend! It’s very rare to get a perfect car, but I have to say this is very close. It’s a pleasure to drive it, you brake and you turn and the car does everything as you imagine it would. I think I got most of my nerves out of the way before last year’s test, so I was more relaxed this time, although you are always a little nervous getting into the car on day one. We did more long runs today (day two), which went well – it’s been a great two days and it would be fantastic to get the chance to drive in Formula One full-time
Ian Morgan - Red Bull Head of Race Engineering
Daniel has done a great job for us in the car over the last two days and made no mistakes, we’re very happy with him. We completed our programme and got though everything as planned, despite losing some track time this afternoon due to a few Red Flags – although they weren’t anything to do with Daniel

Jérôme D’Ambrosio - Renault test driver (day 2 - day 1 with Virgin Racing)
Overall it has been a fantastic day. Obviously I have some previous experience in Formula 1, but this was my first full day in the car so it was a big step for me. It always takes some time to adapt to a new car, but I quickly felt comfortable in the R30 and we found a good balance early on. I’m really happy with how things went and I have to say thanks to all the engineers, mechanics and the entire team who have helped me today. Working with these guys really was a great experience

Mikhail Aleshin - Renault test driver
It was my first proper day in an F1 car and I have to say it definitely lived up to my expectations. It felt great to be part of the team, working with the engineers and the mechanics and we managed to do lots of different things during the day. By the start of the afternoon we had quite a nice balance with the car and it felt really good. The only issue we had was a hydraulic leak, which cost me some track time at the end of the day. That was a shame because it meant that I couldn’t go out when the track temperature was low and when the track was at its quickest. But overall it has been a fantastic experience and I want to say a big thank you to the team and to Renault Sport because this was a great opportunity for me.
Alan Premane - Renault
1st day
We ran Jérôme for the first time today (2nd day) and managed to do some productive work. He improved with each run and showed very strong pace at the end of the day. Like yesterday we started off with some aero work early on and then concentrated on a suspension set-up programme in the afternoon. We were very impressed with Jérôme in and out of the car and his feedback was excellent: he’s very precise on what the car is doing and what he wants from the car to make it faster
2nd day
Mikhail completed a good day’s running for us. We started the day by doing some aero mapping work, which went very well, and he spent most of the morning on the medium tyres as he steadily improved his lap times. In the afternoon he set his quickest time on hard tyres when the track was at its hottest, but he didn’t get a chance to run on the soft tyres when the track was cooler so I’m sure there was more lap time to come. Overall we have been impressed with his approach and his pace, so it has been a positive day.
Sam Bird - Mercedes test driver
1st day
We have had a really good first day of testing and worked through a lot of different things with the car to help the team's programme here. We made some good progress on the set-up over the day and I have thoroughly enjoyed my first day working with the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team. I'm looking forward to the second day tomorrow and seeing where we can make further improvements.
2nd day
Today the team and I continued our set-up programme and had an extremely productive day in which we learnt a great deal about the car. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself and I would like to thank everyone at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS for making me feel so welcome, both here in Abu Dhabi and at the factory prior to the test, and for a memorable two days. I hope we will be able to work together again in the future.
Ross Brawn - Mercedes
Sam has worked very well with his engineers and the team over the course of the two-day test, proving himself to be professional and disciplined in the car, with an excellent grasp of our procedures and our requirements from the test programme. I have been very impressed with his performance and it has been a very useful two days for the team and Sam. I am sure that this experience, both working with the team and driving the car, will prove very useful for the development of Sam's career.
Jules Bianchi - Ferrari test driver
The past two days have been very interesting. We were able to gather a lot of data to improve our understanding of the handling of the car and for me, it was useful in terms of my work with the team next year. While yesterday we did not run much, today we did a lot of laps and also tried to set some times. The track had improved, also because there were no longer the cones at some corners, so you could cut the line. For me, it was a great way to finish what has been a positive season, given that I finished third in the GP2 championship

Stefano Domenicali - Ferrari
I wish to take this opportunity to once again thank Bridgestone for their efforts throughout the many years of our partnership, which saw us enjoy so much success together. It has been a pleasure working alongside the people from the Japanese company, getting to know a different company culture to our own and exchanging our experiences always in a professional manner and with a great passion for our work. Arigato gozaimasu, Bridgestone

Esteban Gutièrrez - Sauber test driver
I enjoyed the day a lot and it is a shame it is over! It was a very intense way to work because we tried many different things. The changes were quite drastic and this helped me to feel the difference. Of course I had to adapt to the car after I hadn’t driven an F1 car for almost a year, but this was no problem. My mental approach to driving is always to be consistent in my progress. I hope this worked out and I was able to do something for the team today

Sergio Pérez - Sauber test driver (team driver in 2011)
I am very happy to have completed my first day of testing with my new team. I think in the course of the day I got closer to the limit. I was very happy with the way we worked. Today I tested different parts of the car and in general I really learned a lot about all the procedures, which are quite different to what I’m used to from GP2. I’m very much looking forward to getting into the car again on Saturday afternoon
James Key - Sauber Technical Director
1st day
Esteban did a solid and tidy job today. We had a steady and useful morning with Esteban learning the track and getting familiar with the car. He took it quite pragmatically by doing a step at a time, and going a little bit quicker each time he went out. After he got used to everything in the morning, he was ready for a more intense programme in the afternoon. We ran several test items, which meant a busy afternoon programme, and received some very useful feedback and positive directions. We constantly went for runs of five timed laps and we kept the same fuel level all day. We also decided against using the F-Duct for this Young Driver test so top speeds are a little bit down
2nd day
Sergio did a good job today for his first experience in an F1 car. This morning was very much a step-by-step approach as it was Sergio’s very first time in an F1 car, which always means a big step, in particular in terms of all the information and procedures a driver has to deal with. We did several useful tests and practice starts before conducting some aero tests. The first half of the afternoon was for aero tests on used tyres, the second half was spent on set-up with new tyres. Sergio’s runs with new tyres were interrupted several times by red flags. As for Esteban yesterday, we kept the same normal fuel level all day long and refrained from using the F-duct. I want to say farewell to Bridgestone and thanks to them for all their efforts over the years

Paul di Resta - Force India test driver
1st day
It was good to be back in the car this morning for the first time since the Italian Grand Prix, even though it was a very short session - just over an hour and a half. We had a few development items we needed to run to carry over to the tyre test later this week and I had to learn the circuit layout since I'd never driven the Yas Marina track other than on the simulator. It's very technical with tight corners that you need to get right, and I'm looking forward to getting out again tomorrow to carry on the programme in the morning
2nd day
Back in the car today for some further development work ahead of the tyre test on Friday and Saturday. Again it was a very short time out on track but we managed to complete our programme, which included running some aero items and evaluating set ups. The track has improved massively from yesterday and I'm sure it will be very different when I get back out again on Friday, but it was good to get some more time out there to be as ready as possible for the next outing.

Antonio Felix da Costa - Force India test driver
It was a good day, quite surprising, even for me. I adapted to the car a bit faster than I expected and that was very positive as I could do some real work to get up to speed more quickly and get to grips with the set up of the car. I think my lap time was good, only four tenths from the qualifying times of the Force India this weekend, so I am pretty pleased. It was just such an amazing experience today and I wish everyone could try it as it's so impressive, such fun. I have to thank the whole crew at Force India who worked so hard today, to my management and sponsors and I hope to have some more F1 experience again quite soon.

Yelmer Buurman - Force India test driver
Obviously it's an amazing experience to finally get out on track in an F1 car. You go into it expecting something and it's even more impressive than you imagined. I was really blown away by the performance and the steering, but I felt I got used to it quite quickly. It's been a great day, although not everything worked out as planned with several red flags that interrupted a lot of our runs. At the end we then stopped out on track and ran out of time to make a run on the new tyres and that would have put us higher up the order. This was my first step into F1. My aim is to do more F1 testing in 2011 combined with GP2 or Superleague Formula and to be a F1 race driver in 2012, with the support of some Dutch multinationals we are talking to. I am ready for it and like to thank Force India F1 for this test today.
Dominic Harlow - Force India Chief race engineer
1st day
A good first day of testing for the team. We started with Paul to make a short baseline and carry out some component testing and data collection. Antonio took over the car shortly before lunch, familiarised himself quickly and ran through several tyre and long run evaluations as part of what is now our standard Young Driver Programme. Overall we covered our objectives, everyone in the team did a great job, and we and look forward to tomorrow's second Young Driver day
2nd day
Paul began today's final day of F1 testing on Bridgestone tyres with some more preparation for the coming new tyre test in a little over 24 hours. Yelmer then took over the car for the remainder of the day improving steadily through a run plan consisting of familiarisation with the car and team and both practice and race simulation. Unfortunately the car stopped out on track just before the planned low fuel run, which would have given a chance to improve on the overall time. I'd like to take the opportunity to sincerely thank Bridgestone for their fantastic support and contribution over the years of their involvement in F1 and with this team.
Dean Stoneman - Williams test driver
That was slightly different to what I’m used to! It’s a big step up from a Formula 2 car, particularly the difference in aero. It was good to start off with some speed-limited aero work as it allowed me to build up to doing quicker laps in the afternoon. Towards the end of the day, I just kept pushing to see where the limit of the car is and where I could improve my times around the lap. Today was a great experience and the team have been really supportive. It’s also been a major opportunity for me. To be given the chance of driving a Formula One car doesn’t come around that often, so I feel very privileged.

Pastor Maldonado - Williams test driver (day 2 - day 1 with HRT)
Today was another great experience. We had to do a lot of slower speed aero set-up work today so I couldn’t really push it, and I didn’t get a run of the soft tyre either, but I’m pleased with the work I’ve done. I’m getting lots of track time this week, which is improving my confidence in the car
Tom McCullough - Williams Senior Test Engineer
1st day
Dean Stoneman was in the cockpit today for the first day of the young driver test. We did aero work this morning, from which we’ve accumulated useful data. Dean used the afternoon to familiarise himself with the car and put some times on the board. He went quicker every lap he completed, worked well with his engineers and overall did a professional job for the team. We’re impressed by him. Tomorrow, Pastor Maldonado will drive the Williams and we will spend the day continuing our aero tests.
2nd day
We’ve had a productive day with Pastor. He covered a lot of mileage, just under 450km, while helping us with our aero tests. Unfortunately, we had a reliability problem at the end of the day which prevented him from running the soft tyre, but overall it was a positive session during which time we’ve gathered plenty of data
Jean-Eric Vergne - Toro Rosso test driver
These have been two special days for me, having my first drive in a Formula 1 car. My first run yesterday is something I will remember, with the high speeds being particularly impressive, especially through the corners thanks to the amount of aero downforce you have. It took me a couple of runs to adapt to my new surroundings before we actually started working through a test programme aimed at next year’s car. I was pleased that the first day also went well from my side in that I did not go off the track and there were no difficulties with my physical condition. I also got to do a long run which was an interesting experience, driving with such a heavy fuel load on board. Today, we did some set-up work, so that I could begin to experience the basic mechanism of how set-up changes affect the car. There is a lot to think about, with so much information to take on board, much more than I am used to and another aspect that felt strange at first was driving with the power steering. It’s been a very hectic but enjoyable time and now I head to Macau where I start free practice tomorrow morning.


Franz Tost - Toro Rosso
Jean-Eric Vergne put in a good performance over these two days and our engineers were impressed with the feedback he was able to provide. He completed a total of 154 laps without making any driving mistakes, gradually stepping up his pace over the course of the test. Today, Jean-Eric completed just 61 laps, as he now has to dash off to Macau for the famous Formula 3 race on the street circuit, which is a once in a lifetime opportunity for any young racing driver. We wish him the best of luck there this coming weekend and, based on his performance here in Abu Dhabi, I am sure we will see him in Formula 1 on a permanent basis in the future.
Rodolfo González - Lotus F1 test driver
1st day
What an incredible day. As I pulled out for my first lap I could not believe I was finally at the wheel of a Formula One™ car. Since I started karting at the age of five it has been my dream to get behind the wheel of an F1™ car and today it came true. It has been 18 years of hard work and sacrifice to reach this point and I want to say thank you to Lotus Racing for giving me this opportunity. I have been preparing for today for a long time and even though I completed 83 laps to be honest I am surprised I lasted that long – after 30 laps I was already feeling it and by the 82nd lap my neck was beginning to suffer so I thought it was time to stop. That is normal for anyone who makes the step up to F1™ but I am really pleased with how the whole day went.

Since I arrived here the whole team has been just great. They have all given me real confidence and said I did not have to try to impress anybody, you have already impressed people anyway so just do a good steady job and you will be fine. Mike Gascoyne told me today was not about proving I am ready for F1, but it would show if I am not ready so I just wanted to do the most intelligent job I could. I have learnt a huge amount over the last couple of days and tomorrow I hope I can continue to progress on track and put in another good performance.
2nd day
It was good make some more progress today and I was getting quicker every time I went out on track. I was still running with a reasonable amount of fuel and I’m happy with the job I did today as I think I reacted well to the changes that we made, and the instructions I was given by the team. I want also to say thank you again to Lotus Racing for giving me this opportunity. I have really enjoyed it and have definitely learnt a huge amount over the last few days.
Vladimir Arabadzhiev - Lotus F1 test driver
First of all I want to say thank you for this great opportunity which Lotus Racing gave me. It was an unbelievable experience to drive an F1™ car – the first time I went out was just fantastic. The feeling of the acceleration and the braking are phenomenal and I enjoyed every second. Unfortunately I only had half a day in the car which isn’t quite enough time to really start building up experience, but I still think I did quite well with the laps I had and with the red flags we had in the session. Quite often people try too hard to impress in these sorts of sessions, pushing too hard and making mistakes, and I’m glad I didn’t do that. Finally, the whole experience today was just great – seeing how such a well organised team like Lotus Racing works has been amazing and thanks to everyone again for making it such a good day.
Jody Egginton - Lotus F1 Chief Race Engineer
Rodolfo did a good job for us today. He gave good, clear feedback, took a measured approach and spent the right amount of time learning his way around the car. This morning he drove steadily and started picking his pace up this afternoon when we moved to some more performance biased runs. The fuel loads and setups he was running would compare with a normal Friday at a race weekend, so he had the experience of both high and low fuel and a range of run types. He worked well with the engineers all day and studied the data in depth so I think for his first time in an F1™ car he has done a pretty decent job overall.
Mike Gascoyne - Lotus F1 Chief Technical Officer
Firstly we would like to thank both Rodolfo and Vladimir for doing such a good job for us in their first time in a Formula One™ car. Their input with the team has been exactly what we wanted and they have both done a fantastic job working exactly to the programme we set them. Most importantly neither driver made any mistakes and they both gave us very impressive feedback which is what we need from them in this type of test.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Bridgestone on their last day of running with us. They have been an incredibly important partner of ours this year as we brought Lotus back to Formula One™ and we have all enjoyed working with them throughout this season. Whatever the future holds for Bridgestone in motorsport we look forward to working with them again one day and wish them the very best of luck in all their future endeavours, on and off track.
Rio Haryanto - Virgin Racing test driver
First of all I would like to say a big thank you to everyone at Virgin Racing for the incredible opportunity I have been given.
The team have been very supportive and provided me with everything I needed, making sure I was 100% happy with the seat and the pedals and generally just trying to tailor everything to my needs.
When I first got into the car I must admit I was very nervous, mainly because there were so many people working around me and watching me. In GP3 we have only two mechanics working on the car, but here there are 15 crew.
I was very careful at the start of the installation lap but when I got to the back straight I decided to try to open up the throttle a little more. The acceleration was incredible, as was the braking.
When I got out of the car my legs were shaking with all the adrenaline. We had some discussion and then I went out for a second time for my first proper run, which was for 10 laps, and I was really able to feel the huge power and massive downforce.
Gradually my lap times were falling as I was able to build up more speed and see where I could brake later. After that I was very comfortable with the car but unfortunately we had a gearbox problem which prevented me from doing any more running.
I was very impressed with how the mechanics were working so quickly to try to get me back out on track but it wasn’t possible, so I was as disappointed for them as they were for me.
Today has been the most incredible experience and I know just how lucky I am to achieve this so early in my career. It has made me even more focused and determined to work hard and reach my goal of being a Formula One driver
Jerome d'Ambrosio - Virgin Racing test driver (day 1 - day 2 with Renault)
Today was just another great day, after four fantastic days already in the car over the past few races. We completed the full test programme for my afternoon session and I was very pleased with my pace. I would now like to thank everyone at Virgin Racing and Gravity for working together to make this experience in the car possible. I have learned a great deal and it has been an invaluable step in my career
Liuz Razia - Virgin Racing test driver
I am really happy with what we have achieved today. I managed to make the best of the opportunity and the track conditions and we have done some good work on our final day of running on the Bridgestone tyres. It took me a few laps to get fully up to speed with all the buttons on the steering wheel but after a while I felt very comfortable. It has been a real pleasure to drive the car in representative conditions and to be able to work so closely with the team. Thanks to everyone who has supported me today. I would also like to thank my personal sponsors BVA and Coralis for their support at this test
John Booth - Virgin Racing
1st day
We were able to successfully complete a busy test programme today, and both our young drivers did an excellent job.
There was enormous pressure on Rio on his F1 debut but he coped with it admirably and was just getting up to speed when unfortunately a gearbox problem curtailed his morning’s running.
Jerome, of course, is quite familiar with the car from his Friday morning sessions, and as usual he impressed us with his calm approach and intelligent feedback as he worked through the test programme
2nd day
Another very good day today. We achieved our best ever daily mileage on a single car and successfully completed our test programme. Luiz quickly got up to speed and did everything that was asked of him. His feedback was excellent, he made no mistakes and he set some very competitive lap times. He was also a pleasure to work with, as always, and I would like to thank him for his valuable contribution to the team this year. Today was also our last day working with Bridgestone and we thank them for their support throughout our debut season
Pastor Maldonado - HRT test driver (day 1 - day 2 with Williams)
It was a great feeling to be back in a Formula 1 car today and to complete 108 laps with the HRT F110. I got more confident with this car during the day and I could improve the lap times constantly when the track conditions improved. We were quite quick today and I pushed a lot to show a good performance. I am very happy to get the opportunity to do the Young Drivers Test and Pirelli Test with Hispania Racing. Now I cannot wait to be back in the car on Friday again.
Josef Král - HRT test driver
I am very happy to have had the chance to make my debut with Hispania Racing in a Formula 1 car during the Young Drivers Test in Abu Dhabi and I am very thankful for that. The car was great and I really enjoyed doing 61 laps today. The first ones were a bit difficult but then I got more and more used to driving around and could go quicker. Unfortunately, I didn’t sit properly in the car as I am taller than the regular drivers of the team, so my head was further up and it made it harder to drive. But it was a successful day for me and I hope to be in a Formula 1 car again in the future.
Dr. Colin Kolles, Team Principal:
1st day
We are very happy to have Pastor Maldonado in our car at the Young Drivers Test and the Pirelli Test. He did a great job and he was the driver who completed the most laps today. The track conditions were very good and Pastor got used to the car quickly. The Venezuelan was very competitive compared to the other new teams’ drivers and the rest of them. We fulfilled our program as planned and did 108 laps. We could also carry on improving like during the last races and we are excited to see how much further up we can go
2nd day
Josef Král showed a good performance, just like Pastor Maldonado did yesterday. He got used to the car very quickly, improved continuously and completed the whole intended testing program. He had some problems with his seat position, but he managed to complete 61 laps. Davide Valsecchi, who sat in the car in the afternoon, found his way immediately. He was very fast after only four laps and he kept on improving the lap times. We are very happy to have given these two young talents the opportunity to do their first laps in a Formula 1 car. We want to thank Bridgestone for all its support during our first year in Formula 1.

Davide Valsecchi - HRT test driver
Driving a Formula 1 car for the first time today was a moment I will always remember the rest of my life. After waiting for this moment to arrive for so long, when I finally got in the car I concentrated on getting as much experience as possible and therefore I took it easy. I couldn’t put the sectors together on my fastest lap otherwise I could have done even better, but I am happy with the result. I had to get used to the option tyre and couldn’t really use it. But with more time to work on the set-up of the car and more experience with this tyre compound I think that I could have been even quicker. I want to thank the team for giving me this incredible and unique opportunity to do 32 laps in the HRT F110 and to have made my dream come true and being able to do my debut in a Formula 1 car.

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