Buzzin F1 – Formula One Blog

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.