APRIL 17, 2008

Four days in Spain

Twenty-three drivers were in action in Barcelona over four days this week, but different development programmes, including work on 2009 slick tyres and rain on the final day meant that the times were largely meaningless.

Fernando Alonso set the best lap with a 1m18.483s after completing 220 laps over his two days of running. Despite this he reckoned that the Renault was little improved in comparison to the competition. Nelson Piquet was also in action for Renault with his best being a 1m22.629s, after 140 laps.

Second quickest was Felipe Massa's Ferrari. The Brazilian did two days of running, completing 180 laps and setting a best of 1m18.613s. Michael Schumacher popped in for a day to record a 1m19.323s after 83 laps, while Kimi Raikkonen appeared only briefly on the rainy fourth day, his best being a 1m24.873s lap, the slowest of the week.

Honda ran Rubens Barrichello for two days and the Brazilian did 220 laps with a best of 1m18.928s, test driver Alex Wurz did just one day with a best of 1m21.059s, while Jenson Button showed up for the wet fourth day and was only able to complete 34 laps with a best of 1m23.619s.

The Force India team ended up looking very good with Adrian Sutil doing 102 laps with a best of 1m19.424s, Giancarlo Fisichella clocking a 1m19.721s after 79 laps and Tonio Liuzzi doing a 1m22.846s after 80 laps on the first day.

The BMW Sauber boys were both in action and Robert Kubica completed 150 laps with a best of 1m19.785s while Nick Heidfeld did 185 laps with a best of 1m20.981s.

Williams ran Nico Rosberg for two days for a total of 170 laps and a best of 1m19.841s while Kazuki Nakajima did only 80 laps with a best of 1m22.431s.

Red Bull Racing ran two days for David Coulthard and two for Mark Webber. The pair completed 270 laps between them with Coulthard clocking a 1m20.392s and Webber a 1m20.849s.

McLaren was keeping out of the spotlight with Lewis Hamilton doing 200 laps for a best of 1m20.452s, while Pedro de la Rosa did 103 with a best of 1m21.566. Heikki Kovalainen showed up for the wet last day and so did only 34 laps and a best of 1m23.589s.

Scuderia Toro Rosso showed up for two days but the test ended early when Sebastien Bourdais crashed the new STR3 after 71 laps, his best time being a 1m20.715s.

Toyota ran two days for each driver with the pair setting almost identical times (1m20.867s and 1m20.870 after Jarno Trulli completed 152 laps and Timo Glock did 197.

It is hard to know if the times prove anything, and we will have to see who has moved up or down the F1 pecking order when the circus gathers in Barcelona next week.