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The second day of testing was finalised earlier today with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa going fastest on the rain-soaked Circuit de Catalunya. Massa was partnering test driver Luca Badoer today as they worked on a revised aerodynamic package on the F2008. Massa did suffer a spin on the damp tarmac, but his new car escaped unscathed and the Brazilian was able to complete 46 laps, with Badoer making 33 passes on the start/finish line. Continue Reading

Day one of the Barcelona test wound up earlier with wet weather interrupting many of the runs and hindering progress for the teams present. Currently, only Williams, Toyota, Red Bull and Renault are setting times with Super Aguri shelving plans to join their rivals earlier in the week. Rosberg comfortably went to the top of the timing sheet, setting a 1m30.675s, just shy of two seconds quicker than team mate Kazuki Nakajima. Continue Reading

Following the disgraceful behaviour of ‘fans’ at the Spanish Circuit de Catalunya this weekend, the FIA have responded by saying that any further repeats would not be tolerated, suggesting that if the circuit doesn’t respond appropriately and effectively, the track will be on the receiving end of repercussions, possibly losing their race. As I stated on F1Fanatic earlier today, racism should absolutely not be tolerated in Formula One and the incidents of this weekend are a stark reminder of the sport’s popularity and widening appeal. Continue Reading

On the final day of this weekend test at the Catalan circuit, Mark Webber managed to beat the opposition and put his Red Bull Racing in the top spot. Beating the McLarens, Webber went less than 0.05s faster than Heikki Kovalainen, but it was enough to claim the fastest lap of the day and adds to Scuderia Toro Rosso’s success yesterday. Lewis Hamilton finished the day in third with Robert Kubica for BMW in fourth and Fernando Alonso in fifth in the new Renault R28. Continue Reading

This week I have been reminded of the 2005 United States Grand Prix; it’s something I try not to think about too often, but occasionally my mind is forced in that direction. Interestingly though, it wasn’t the usual trigger that sent me off towards the empty and puzzled feeling I get over the debacle. No, for once it wasn’t Max Mosley who reminded me of the race. Instead, and perhaps for the first time since the race, it was a beer can that made me recollect the farcical event. Continue Reading

Williams have abandoned their test programme at Barcelona this weekend and are heading back to Grove a day early following the problems that have arisen with their front wing. On the first day of the test Kazuki Nakajima suffered a mounting failure on the wing and ploughed off the circuit at high speed. The team immediately suspended Nico Rosberg from running until they had figured out exactly what the problem was. This morning the team ran both cars having repaired Nakajima’s chassis by flying parts out to Spain on Frank Williams’s private jet. However, the squad aren’t entirely convinced the issue has been resolved are instead returning to the factory to prepare for the Jerez test next week. Continue Reading

With the second day of testing now complete at Circuit de Catalunya, the timing sheet looks as though it has been turned upside down with both Scuderia Toro Rosso’s leading the rest with the first and second fastest laps. Sebastian Vettel got the better of his Champ Car champion team mate Sebastien Bourdais, the margin between the pair just over 0.1s. Following the Bulls into third and fourth were Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen, Hamilton completing ten extra laps than the Finn and going 0.4s faster. Continue Reading

As mentioned in an earlier post, testing got underway today at the Circuit de Catalunya in Southern Spain. This is one of the more important sessions as most teams are now running two new chassis and they can begin developing their cars in earnest prior to the season start in Melbourne, Australia next month. Eight teams were present, only Ferrari, Toyota and Super Aguri stayed away for the first day as McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton topped the timing sheet. Fernando Alonso and Robert Kubica followed behind in second and third respectively. Continue Reading

You may have thought that now most of the new cars have been launched, few changes would be made prior to the first race in Australia next month. Well, you’d be wrong if you thought that as the teams are busy trying out new parts all the time, none more so than Red Bull. The squad, under the watchful eye of Adrian Newey, turned up at Barcelona this morning with a very interesting addition to the engine cover on their RBR4. Continue Reading

Testing got underway again today at Spain’s Circuit de Catalunya, but the session was stopped just short of 11.30am local time when Kazuki Nakajima speared off the track and into the barrier. The incident happened at the circuits first corner, and according to reports it seems as though his Williams FW30 just went straight on, over the asphalt run-off area and into the barrier on the outside of the corner. Kazuki was able to get himself out of the damaged car unaided and appears to be unhurt. The accident happened at the tracks fastest point; his Williams would have been travelling at about 180-190mph as he approached the braking zone, although the actual impact speed is not known at the moment. Continue Reading