Jerez Testing, Day 3, 24/07/2008

Thursday 24 July 2008, 09:31:00 | RF1 Paddock Pass

. Nelson Piquet . Jerez testing

The half-way point of the test here in Jerez as Nelson remains in the car for his final day of work with the team this week.

 

 

It's the third day of testing here in Jerez. It's already hotting up and the forecast is for an even warmer day than yesterday! So it will be a hard day's work for both Nelson and the mechanics. Temperatures on the track reached 48°C yesterday, which explains why the tyres were only lasting a couple of laps. But for Nelson in the cockpit, covered in three layers of fireproof nomex, gloves and helmet, the temperature was even higher - around 60°C. That's why Formula 1 drivers have to be so fit because it's like sitting in a sauna! I've never seen Nelson drink so much water as he did yesterday, but it's essential to remain hydrated. We're all drinking as much as we can.

Overall Nelson managed just shy of a 100 laps yesterday. But it was difficult to read too much into the times because some of the drivers, including Sebastian Vettel, were on slicks and Nelson was on grooved tyres. Plus the scorching heat made the track quite difficult, especially in the afternoon when the track was at its hottest. The team therefore mainly concentrated on evaluating its R&D items such as the suspension developments, but it was difficult to learn too much because the high temperatures made the car inconsistent.

For today the team will pretty much concentrate on getting to grips with the 2009-spec slick Bridgestone tyres. That will be important because the team is already working hard on the R29 and any information the team can learn about the behaviour of the new generation tyres will be analysed and taken into account for the new project. As well as that there's the usual development programme as the team continues its work for the upcoming races, such as minor aerodynamic upgrades which the team hope to introduce to the R28 for the rest of the season.

Follow the action on the blog today, with session times at 13:00 and at the end of the day.

 

Comments

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1. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 09:50:40 by manuStudio

Thanks for the nice pictures once again, we really love them every time.
Here is a request, is it possible to have an overall picture of the R28 showing the slicks tyres. Thanks

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2. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 10:28:05 by cirebox

Hello to everybody,

Thank you RF1PP for the new picts and exhaustive comments!

You talk about the heat of yesterday. So, I remember a detail at the end of the German GP: at the moment where Nelson put off his helmet, his hair were... dry. Amazing, no, after a nearly two-hours race!?

Now, I have a question for the testing of the day. The team is going to test slick tyres....but.... does it make sense (surely yes, of course!) to test the 2009 tyres with the 2008 aerodynamic package (as we know next year aerodynamic rules will be completely different? I 'll be glad if you could explain this to me!

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3. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 10:55:43 by Kirk

Great pics RF1PP - never been to Jerez so nice to see what it looks like.
During a test like this does the team stay in a local hotel or in motorhomes within the circuit complex? Cheers.

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4. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 11:57:46 by manuStudio

RF1PP, is that RF1 helicopter? I dont think soo, but I remember a while ago seeing a pic of a RF1 helicopter.

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5. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 12:10:07 by manuStudio

Here is a pic I found of a RF1 chopper.
http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/129/0 ...

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6. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 12:27:48 by NandoFan

Great chopper. Looks like it's hired though with such a small RF1 sticker ;o)
Have a nice and productive day RF1.

I have a picture request but i'm afraid i'm asking for too much. Is it possible to take some clear pictures of the front and back of the steering wheel?

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7. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 12:55:22 by jon-ro

any times from morning tests?

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8. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 13:05:52 by RF1 Paddock Pass

The times here at 13:00

1 WEB 1:19.285 56
2 PIQ 1:19.475 44
3 RAI 1:19.667 47
4 DEL 1:19.879 19
5 BOU 1:20.029 44
6 NAK 1:20.097 54
7 GLO 1:20.421 59
8 LIU 1:20.545 49
9 HEI 1:20.896 54
10 BAR 1:21.122 36

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9. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 13:14:28 by NandoFan

Looks like there's a big chance KERS will be delayed for another year due to the problems several teams had.

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10. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 13:34:16 by cirebox

so, NandoFan, seems to be a good or a bad news?

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11. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 13:46:08 by amc

that's encouraging! Good old Nelson..

Cirebox has a point...I don't really know if its a good thing or a bad thing now, if KERS were to be delayed - at least from Renault's perspective. We're kind of relying on the 'clean slate' for 2009 to push ourselves to the front, and obviously developments for 2009 has started a long while ago with the KERS system. Would it now put the spanner in the works for us? Or should we really breathe a sigh of relief that we wouldn't have to go into unknown territory that is showing to have potential problems and dangers to it?

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12. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 13:52:47 by manuStudio

Renault team boss Flavio Briatore told the German newspaper Bild-Zeitung: "If the KERS system is not safe, we will not put it on the car."

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13. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 14:45:23 by manuStudio

To KERS or not to KERS? that is the question. :D

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14. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 14:48:56 by NandoFan

@cirebox: For F1 teams it should be a good thing since there are already so many rule changes. The goals is also to reduce the budgets so in that view it would be a good thing to wait untill next year.
There is still too much to learn about KERS in too short of time and the only team that would start the 2009 season with the KERS technology would be Williams. All other team would -for different reasons- introduce the system during the season.
That doesn't seem to be a good thing concidering the already big aero rule change.

If they wait another year, all teams would have enough time to devellop this system properly without any haste and every team could start the season with KERS.

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15. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 15:03:34 by RF1 Paddock Pass

I thought you would like the pictures today as I tried to capture the atmosphere of the place. Of all the circuits that we go testing, this is my favourite. There’s just a nice atmosphere to the place and I think the circuit is awesome.

See you’ve been chatting about the helicopter. Sorry to disappoint you, but it isn’t RF1PP’s private helicopter. It’s the circuit’s as whenever the Formula 1 cars are on track there has to be a medical helicopter in case of an emergency. Remember in Fuji last year when they had to delay some of the practice sessions because of the poor weather as the helicopter couldn't fly. Not that there’s any risk of similar complications today. There’s not a cloud in sight.

I will try and give you guys a summary of the day on the blog at the end of the day, summing up exactly what the team worked on. That should address your initial question, cirebox.

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16. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 15:20:52 by NandoFan

No one said it was RF1PP's helicopter :D
They test the slicks with low downforce settings at Jerez to simulate the grip levels they can expect under the new regulations in 2009.

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17. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 16:51:14 by Ayrton1992F1

RF1PP you rock, WOW :D
these pics are awesome, really awesome, thanks :)

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18. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 18:14:14 by RF1 Paddock Pass

Thanks for your comments Ayrton1992F1. I aim to please...

Here are the times for today. Nelson in P2 on slicks...

1 WEB 1:19.176 85
2 PIQ 1:19.334 95
3 RAI 1:19.434 84
4 LIU 1:19.544 86
5 DEL 1:19.850 39
6 BOU 1:20.029 77
7 NAK 1:20.097 88
8 GLO 1:20.421 77
9 BAR 1:20.614 68
10 HEI 1:20.896 97

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19. Thursday 24 July 2008 at 19:45:26 by amc

I know times don't mean much, but I keeping saying it: Renault are going to be great on slicks next year. Back to the 'michelin' ease Renault once had on tyres!

It's not just Nelson today; I remember the first day Fernando tried them out (funnily enough Schumi was testing them for ferrari on the same day) and seemed to really enjoy them like he used to Michelins.

We'll just have to see how the rest of the teams fair in comparison.

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