Nick Heidfeld

Nick Heidfeld has been released from his duties as reserve driver for the Mercedes Grand Prix team to join Pirelli, the 2011 F1 tyre supplier as their official driver.

Pirelli’s new testing programme began on Monday at Mugello with further development work days scheduled at Jerez, Monza and at the Paul Ricard circuit.

The team statement read;

“We can confirm that the team is pleased to allow Nick the opportunity to join Pirelli and contribute to their development work for the company’s imminent return to F1” said team principal Brawn.

“Nick is an extremely experienced driver and we are confident that his racing knowledge and technical feedback will prove extremely useful to Pirelli and therefore of benefit to the sport as a whole. Nick has been a real asset to Mercedes since joining our team this year, and we are pleased to see his career progressing”.

Norbert Haug added;

“It was clear from the beginning of our co-operation that Mercedes would release Nick from his obligations as soon as a promising opportunity as an active F1 driver developed.  This is now the case, and there could be no more experienced and knowledgeable driver in the cockpit to steer the tyre development for next season.

We thank Nick for his contribution to our team over the last nine months and wish him well with his new challenge. It would be great to see Nick in a competitive car in next year’s F1 World Championship, and I am sure his leading role in the new tyre development, in addition to his skills, puts Nick in a good position for the remaining seats in 2011.”

Renault 2009

Eight of the Formula One teams resumed testing at Jerez in Spain on Monday with unfavourable weather conditions and  a mass of red flags produced after many of the drivers came to a halt on track as mechanical failures occurred on the 2009 cars.

Although the teams were compromised by a shower on the Monday afternoon, the majority managed to put in plenty of laps as they each evaluated their 2009 packages.

Force India also choose the day to reveal their brand new 2009 car, the VJM02, with Giancarlo Fisichella at the wheel.  Fisichella set the sixth quickest time of the day despite the car suffering from a fuel system problem early in the session.  The Italian continued on his second day of testing recording the fourth fastest time of the day and also successfully tested the extreme wet tyres and also a standard wet tyre.  The car suffered a fuel system problem during the morning session but was back on track to resume testing later in the day.

It was Sebastian Vettel that set the opening days pace in the Red Bull, but later came to halt with engine failure on the new RB4.  Again on day two, the driver was stranded out on track and finished down in fifth place as problems continued with his car.

Williams driver Nico Rosberg was another victim on the first day of the testing session as his new FW31 package also failed out on track along with Nelson Piquet in the Renault.  Rosberg continued on the second day and set an impressive 114 laps out on track while finishing in third place.

Piquet remained behind the wheel for day two, concentrating on adding mileage to the R29 but he was the slowest of the seven drivers out on track in dismal weather conditions.

Kamui Kobayashi was out on circuit on his first real try out of the new TF109 in the dry, where he worked on an aerodynmic evaluation programme, putting in a solid 79 laps.  On Tuesday, Timo Glock took over the reins and took his place at the top of the time-sheets despite an off into the gravel in the morning session.

Felipe Massa took the Scuderia Ferrari F60 on it’s debut run at the Jerez track, working on reliability and set-up’s.  Massa managed to set the second fastest time of the day and completed 63 laps for the team.  He did however, take a trip through the gravel trap midway through the session, fortunately not damaging the car.  The Ferrari team opted to sit out of the second test day after the heavy rain and are expected to return to the track for the third day of testing on Wednesday.

Robert Kubica in the BMW Sauber had his track time reduced on the first day after the team decided to change the engine after a problem was discovered.  As Kubica resumed his duties a shower began and the team opted to change the tyre testing programme to race start simulations.  Kubica continued testing on day two and finished in second place although earlier the wet weather seemed to be setting off a false electrical alarm which once again saw him stuck out on the circuit.

The McLaren Mercedes was being driven by Pedro de la Rosa who was evaluating tyres and completed 94 laps before developing an oil pressure problem just before the end of the session.  On the Tuesday, Heikki Kovalainen took charge to take fifth place.

Williams Toyota 2009

Three of the Formula One teams went to the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain this week to test, but are now requesting to prolong the two-week session after bad weather disrupted the running.

Ferrari, BMW Sauber and Toyota, were faced with a closed circuit on Wednesday when a huge sandstorm arrived bringing visibility down to zero and with the medical helicopter unable to fly, testing could not commence.

The teams opted for Bahrain after rain threatened the circuit of Jerez in Spain, but on Tuesday the problems began at Sakhir when fog stopped the session for two hours.

In the morning session on Wednesday the day began bright and sunny but within an hour-and-a-half, the sandstorm began and at 9.30am the medical services were grounded.

Timo Glock managed to complete just fourteen laps for the Toyota team before the session was stopped, Felipe Massa completed seventeen laps for Ferrari and Robert Kubica twenty-two laps for the BMW Sauber team.

On the third day of testing in Bahrain, conditions hadn’t improved and the session was closed before it had really got started.

Kimi Raikkonen was in the Ferrari seat today while Jarno Trulli took over from Glock in the Toyota and Kubica remained at the wheel of the BMW Sauber car.  However, all three drivers were only able to complete an installation lap before the circuit once again closed.

Meanwhile in Spain, the rest of the Formula One teams, minus the Force India Mercedes, were at the Jerez circuit testing, and apart from a rain shower mid-way through the opening day the drivers had a relatively dry session.

The Force India team will not be organising a formal launch for their 2009 car, the VJM02 due to global financial crisis it has been reported, although David Coulthard feels that this is the team that could be the ’shock of the season’:

Sebastien Buemi was the pace setter on day one although he is running the 2008 specification Toro Rosso, which does not feature the newer low downforce of the 2009 cars.

Sebastian Vettel was aboard the newly unveiled RB5 and completed 61 laps before having to return to the pit lane after developing a mechanical problem.  On the third day, Mark Webber took to the track for the first time this season, and although without his crutches, he was visibly limping and confessed to still having a 10 inch titanium rod in his leg following the broken leg he suffered during a cycling training session.

Test driver Nico Hulkenberg, was the Williams Toyota driver on the opening day, only two-tenths slower than Vettel and completing 82 laps for the team.  Kazuki Nakajima took over from Hulkenberg on day two, putting in an impressive 125 laps for the team who were focusing on tyres, and mechanical set-up work.

The McLaren Mercedes was being driven by Heikki Kovalainen who finished ahead of Renault driver Nelson Piquet in the new R29 on the opening day.  Kovalainen continued on day two of testing and was the fastest driver in a 2009 specification car on the track, completing 110 laps over the day.

For Piquet’s second day of testing the team were concentrating on reliability as well as trying out new developments.  On another sunny day at the circuit Fernando Alonso will take to the track and will continue with developing the cars set-up.

Testing is continuing at both venues.