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Raikkonen returns to record fastest test drive on first day
Source: Agencies |
February 9, 2012, Thursday
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KIMI Raikkonen rolled back the years with the fastest lap for Lotus on the first day of Formula One testing on Tuesday.
The 2007 champion, making his comeback after two years in the world rally championship, looked at home right from the start of a chilly morning in southern Spain and completed 73 laps. His best time of one minute 19.670 seconds was quicker than any lap in testing at the track last year.
That could be explained by a number of technical factors, and any early excitement had to be tempered with the knowledge that the fastest driver in last year's Jerez test was Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, who went on to score just four points for Williams all season.
"It was a positive day. The lap times don't matter today. I'm happy with the balance of the car, which feels good, and the fact that we didn't have any major issues," said Raikkonen. "Also, I did more than a race distance today and did not have any physical problems at all, which is good."
Britain's Paul di Resta was second fastest for Force India ahead of Germany's Nico Rosberg in last year's Mercedes and Australian Mark Webber in the new Red Bull. The session was twice red-flagged, first when Australian Daniel Ricciardo stopped his Toro Rosso on the track with an oil pressure problem and then when Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi ran out of fuel.
Webber had to wait to get out on track with the title-winning team's plans hampered by a plane carrying the RB8's rear wing assembly being diverted from Jerez to Seville due to early morning fog. "Sometimes we can't control Mother Nature so we risked it a bit tight on the schedule and we paid a bit of a price, which can happen sometimes," said Webber. "There are obviously lots of changes. Aerodynamically, the concept is a bit different because of the regulations, but we are satisfied," he added.
The 2007 champion, making his comeback after two years in the world rally championship, looked at home right from the start of a chilly morning in southern Spain and completed 73 laps. His best time of one minute 19.670 seconds was quicker than any lap in testing at the track last year.
That could be explained by a number of technical factors, and any early excitement had to be tempered with the knowledge that the fastest driver in last year's Jerez test was Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, who went on to score just four points for Williams all season.
"It was a positive day. The lap times don't matter today. I'm happy with the balance of the car, which feels good, and the fact that we didn't have any major issues," said Raikkonen. "Also, I did more than a race distance today and did not have any physical problems at all, which is good."
Britain's Paul di Resta was second fastest for Force India ahead of Germany's Nico Rosberg in last year's Mercedes and Australian Mark Webber in the new Red Bull. The session was twice red-flagged, first when Australian Daniel Ricciardo stopped his Toro Rosso on the track with an oil pressure problem and then when Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi ran out of fuel.
Webber had to wait to get out on track with the title-winning team's plans hampered by a plane carrying the RB8's rear wing assembly being diverted from Jerez to Seville due to early morning fog. "Sometimes we can't control Mother Nature so we risked it a bit tight on the schedule and we paid a bit of a price, which can happen sometimes," said Webber. "There are obviously lots of changes. Aerodynamically, the concept is a bit different because of the regulations, but we are satisfied," he added.
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