AT&T Williams Bahrain Preview

Sam Michael, Technical Director
The FW32 completed almost 7,000kms during winter testing with the new Cosworth engine installation. We have made great progress on reliability and we’re still working on improving that, albeit at high mileages that we shouldn’t encounter during race weekends.
Performance has been solid throughout the test sessions, but Bahrain will tell us where we are. We tested the majority of our Bahrain race package while in Barcelona, while a couple of additional parts will go straight to the race. Rubens and Nico will also go through their first race weekend as teammates. Signs from winter testing are that they’ll push each other all the way!

Rubens Barrichello
I’m delighted to be entering my eighteenth season. I’m so motivated and I’m in a much better physical condition than I have been at any other time. I’m also really happy to be driving for AT&T Williams. I’ve settled in well, and I already feel like I’ve been here five years!
We covered a lot of miles with the car during winter testing, working on reliability during the first few tests and then some upgrades for Bahrain at the final two. In terms of set-up, reliability and drivability of the engine, we’ve done a good job. The car has improved a lot and the team have done well preparing me so I’m completely familiar with everything heading into the first race.
I think we’re strong, I’m optimistic, but it is very hard to draw a conclusion as to where we are so I’m going to wait and see. It’s going to be a fantastic season with the new teams, the new drivers and the new regulations.

Nico Hülkenberg
Being a Formula One driver is a great feeling and I’m very excited about going to Bahrain. I learnt a lot as the team’s test driver, which has prepared me well for the season ahead. Working in the factory has also helped give me more of a technical understanding of the car, it won’t make me quicker, but it will help me with set-up.
Winter testing was good for us. Having completed a good amount of mileage, we are well placed going into the season. The Cosworth engine is also looking strong; it’s powerful and reliable. We have potential, but we have to wait to see where the competition is. It’s going to be an exciting season and I can’t wait to start it!

Barcelona day 2

Day 2 here in Barcelona has dawned with clear skies and the temperature is already up to 12c. The teams are firing up the cars after overnight work and we are expecting some low fuel runs from pretty much everybody today which will give us our first real look at the overall pace of each driver. Yesterday Mark Webber was the fastest out on track, but will Red bull be able to repeat this today? Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are out for Mercedes, Mclaren and Ferrari. It should be interesting to see how the three world champions compare, on this their last test day running together before Bahrain and the 2010 season starts 2 weeks from today.

Barcelona day 1 final times

With the day ending under a Jenson Button caused red flag i’m not entirely sure if we have learnt anything or not. Webber has been consistently fast all day and ended the day 0.920s ahead of Hulkenberg. 6.5s separates the field, but that is mainly because Di Grassi wiped out his Virgin earlier this morning, and the Lotus of Fauzy is just slow.

1. Webber 1:21.487
2. Hulkenberg 1:22.407
3. Rosberg 1:22.514
4. De la Rosa 1:23.144
5. Button 1:23.452
6. Liuzzi 1:24.064
7. Alonso 1:24.170
8. Petrov 1:24.173
9. Alguersuari 1:24.869
10. Di Grassi 1:27.057
11. Fauzy 1:28.002

Barcelona test. Day 1

The first test day here in Barcelona has started with the sun out and the teams eager to get out on the track after the wet/dry running in Jerez for the past 2 weeks. The alonso fans are starting to trickle into the main grandstand, but not in the numbers we saw in Valencia. However I suspect this will change on Saturday.
The session has already had a couple of red flags, the most recent of which was caused by alonso stopping out on track.

The rain in Spain….

_65B0476, originally uploaded by f1photos.org.

obviously falls mainly in Jerez on day 1 of the second testing week. With just over an hour to go the running order is: Rosberg, Buemi, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Kobayashi, Button, Liuzzi, Petrov, Webber and Glock.

Nick Heidfeld to be reserve race driver and test driver for Mercedes GP

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS is pleased to confirm that Nick Heidfeld will join the team as Reserve Race Driver and Test Driver for the 2010 Formula One season. Nick will therefore complete the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver line-up with race drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.

Like Michael Schumacher before him, Nick is another former Mercedes Junior who returns to his motorsport roots. After winning the 1997 German Formula 3 Championship, as a junior driver supported by Mercedes, Nick tested a McLaren-Mercedes Formula One car for the first time.

Nick was the McLaren-Mercedes test driver for the 1998 and 1999 seasons, during which time he had two successful years in Formula 3000, as runner-up in 1998 and winning the Formula 3000 Championship, held alongside the Formula One races, in 1999.

Nick began his Formula One career with the Prost team in 2000 and since then has participated in 167 Grands Prix driving for Sauber (2001-2003), Jordan (2004), Williams (2005) and BMW Sauber (2006-2009). He had his best Formula One season in 2007 when he finished in fifth position in the World Championship. To date in his Formula One career, Nick has achieved 12 podiums.

Nick Heidfeld: “I am very pleased to be joining the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team. It’s the team which has attracted the most interest in the close season, not only because of the comeback of Michael Schumacher, but also because this season sees the return of the Silver Arrows cars as a Mercedes-Benz works team for the first time in over fifty years. Whilst I would of course have preferred a seat as an active driver, I am really proud to be part of the new Silver Arrows team. I have seen how committed everyone at the team is and I feel the same. I will be doing my very best to support Michael and Nico this year.”

Ross Brawn, Team Principal: “It’s a great pleasure for us to have signed a driver of the calibre and experience of Nick Heidfeld as our Reserve Race Driver and Test Driver for the 2010 season. Nick has over ten years of experience in Formula One working with established teams and he will be a great asset to MERCEDES GP PETRONAS. I am confident that his input into the development of our MGP W01 car will be invaluable. We look forward to welcoming Nick to MERCEDES GP PETRONAS and working closely with him.”

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “To sign Nick Heidfeld as Reserve Race Driver and Test Driver for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team means another re-enforcement for our team. We have known each other for many years and Nick was supported by our junior drivers programme from 1997. During his 10 years in Formula One, circumstances often made it difficult for him to achieve his breakthrough. However Nick is extremely capable, he will be an asset to our team and he’ll show this.”

Let battle commence

The psychological war between Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button started in earnest this morning before either of them had left the pit lane. Schumacher was first out of his garage and then promptly stopped in the pit lane, forcing Button to line up behind him for a few moments. That will be first blood to Schumacher

Who’s driving when during the Valencia test

Sauber: Mon – De la Rosa, Tue – Kobayashi, Wed – De la Rosa

McLaren: Mon – Paffett, Tue – Hamilton, Wed – Button

Renault: Mon – Kubica, Tue – ?, Wed – ?

Williams: Mon – Barrichello, Tue – Barrichello, Wed – HeidfeldHulkenberg (bloody press releases)

Mercedes: Mon – Rosberg & Schumacher, Tue – Rosberg, Wed – Schumacher

Toro Rosso: Mon – Buemi, Tue – Buemi, Wed – Alguersuari

Ferrari: Mon – Massa, Tue – Massa, Wed – Alonso

Day zero in Valencia

Iberia eventually got me to Valencia, and even Hertz managed to get me a car after some arguing, but I did end up getting out to the circuit a few minutes late for the Sauber launch. However this did mean that everbody else had buggered off leaving the car in the middle of the track unattended. This gave me the change to get an uncluttered shot of probably the pointiest car i’ve ever seen.

After chewing the cud for an hour or so, catching up with everyone who I haven’t seen since Abu Dhabi all those months ago, it was time to go back to the pit lane to grab a spot for the Renault unvieling.

Things are never quite that simple though. The car which was wheeled out under a billowing black cover had a teeny weeny problem. No Steering. This resulted in the press pack moving a few foot left or a few foot right rather than the car being moved as normally happens. As this was going on the sun was rapidly getting lower in the sky casting our shadows over the car, so time to move again. After a few more tweeks the car was uncovered, and as predicted by many it has Renaults original yellow and black colours. Personally I think it looks like a Jordan from about 10 years ago. What do you think?

Off to valencia

By the time you read this I should be asleep in the heathrow travellodge (oh the glamour of F1), prior to my before dawn flight on Sunday to valencia. Normally I’d arrive and then have the rest of the day to myself, but this year there are 2 team launches before testing starts so it’s off the plane, grab bags, grab car from hertz and drive to the circuit in time for kickoff. Hopefully the Iberia flights won’t be as delayed as tonights easyjet one which I know a lot of my collegues were on.
I’ll be posting regular updates throughout testing, but also remember to keep an eye on the Twitter feed @f1photos.