Testing continues in Monza today as Fernando Alonso joins the team for the first of two days work this week.
As I write, the Monza paddock is being bathed in fresh, early morning sunshine with the promise of another perfect day. It's cool and pleasant at the moment, but come lunchtime temperatures should be in the mid thirties.
Fernando is in the car today as he samples the R28 in low downforce trim and puts the disappointment of Valencia behind him. Along with Barcelona, Silverstone and Hockenheim, this is one of those important pre-Grand Prix tests and so a productive couple of days work will put us in good shape for the race here in a few weeks time. The team will also be able to complete some important work for next week's Belgian Grand Prix, which is another circuit that is tough on engines.
I also thought I would talk about the gorgeous town of Monza for those of you who haven't been here. It's very picturesque with some amazing architecture dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. As this is Italy, the food is superb too and there are plenty of restaurants in the town centre. Of course, the town is most famous for its motor racing and you can't travel to Monza and fail to notice that the place is passionate about Formula 1. Well worth a trip for any petrol head.
As I was saying yesterday, this place is unique on the calendar as it's the fastest track of the season. But you have to balance straightline speed with a well balanced car that can cope with the chicanes. In that sense it's a difficult place to set the car up for and the drivers always say that the car feels strange and skittish without the downforce. That's another reason why this week is so important - it will help the drivers get their eye in and acclimatise to the challenge of Monza.
Nelson's programme yesterday was fairly straightforward with no reliability issues and no nasty surprises. He covered 117 laps, which is well over two race distances and more than anybody else managed. He spent the morning working on the set-up of the car and completed long runs in the afternoon. Although he felt the track was pretty green, he was happy with his day's work and the progress made as he handed the R28 over to Fernando.
The programme for today will be more of the same as Fernando evaluates the team's special package for this circuit. There's some set-up and tyre work scheduled for the morning and probably some brake work in the afternoon.
Once again, times will be posted on the blog at lunch time and at the end of the day.
The fans used to cool the brakes and radiators.
Fernando's gear for the day.
The Monza paddock early this morning.
The central building in the paddock.
The entrance to the pitlane.
The impressive pit building.
The mechanics make some changes to the car this morning.
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 09:55:08 by serdukfranciz
hope you have a good day job with good testing results
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 10:55:45 by Witch
Dear RF1, thanks for your trip advice, I'll add Monza to my list alongside Amalfi Coast 
Hope you collect precious data...
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 11:09:48 by alpha
RF1 can you give us any information about the test
or any result. What is going on there !!!
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 11:22:05 by bigbird
Link to live timing anyone?
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 12:34:08 by RF1 Paddock Pass
The times here at the lunchbreak:
1 HEI 1:22.621 49
2 ROS 1:22.879 40
3 VET 1:23.424 47
4 MAS 1:23.445 43
5 KOV 1:23.588 40
6 ALO 1:23.606 49
7 SUT 1:23.823 54
8 WEB 1:23.936 51
9 TRU 1:24.452 29
10 BAR 1:24.695 51
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 12:48:57 by f1angel
Well, Fernando has lost a fan, but technically it's not his fault! I have a friend of mine who I chat with on myspace and she found out that the profile she had that claimed to be Fernando Alonso was not actually him!
I told her to not believe what people put down on myspace or facebook because they turn out to be phonies! I can't tell u guys how many times I've seen profiles of people claiming to be Fernando, Lewis, Kimi, Felipe, Nick Heidfeld, Jean Todt, Ron Dennis, etc and they turn out to be false!
It's a good lesson to everyone: Don't believe anything people claiming to be celebrities say/do cause there are alot of sad, pathetic people who will do anything to get attention!
As for my friend, well, I'll let her drown her sorrows and I'll try to convince her the world isn't ending just because of this!
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 13:04:21 by Blackmadonna
@f1angel what has facebook to do with Fernando- or with being his fan?? lol strange people out there...and facebook is a strange place too.
I guess your friend is quite young and still believes in the easter bunny?
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 13:14:59 by alonsonum1
lol f1 angel thats bad ... we all knew many years ago that people are sad enuf to pose as these celebrities !!
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 13:16:45 by adam20692
hmmm i just got up and the times are already here YEY lol
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 13:22:14 by Blackmadonna
I still remember Fernando's win in Monza last year. And his amazing qualifying round. He had been so fast that in the end no-one was able to top that time...and i also remember that on the podium, he was so quiet, satisfied but serious. No 'victory dance'...and no-one to celebrate with him except for one mechanic from Mclaren standing between the Ferrari people- beside Jean Todd actually.
Maybe he knew that for some time this could be his last win. But still, being with a team that appreciates and support him is the most important thing.
Wins will come again. Its only a question of time.
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 13:23:07 by MO1023
RF1 great pictures, I like that you also included the blow dryers haha.. Ok I know there fans but tell me know one has been caught using it to dry there hair. Also I know Alonso wants to find out if Renault have made a step forward in the way they use there tires, there's an article about it on autosport.com/f1 Anyway good luck for the rest of the day
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 13:27:49 by adam20692
well i have to say im not looking forward to spa because its like velencia the only difference in my opinion is the tight walls so i doubt renault will be to competitive but ill be happy with 7th or 6th or maybe even 8th. Also its a ferrari/kimi track so we already know who the winner will be lol
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 13:30:58 by f1angel
@blackmadonna, she saw his proflie and it basically looked like a profile of the driver: background, info of the driver, etc and that's why she believed it was him! On my page, I have profiles of people claiming to be drivers, but I know that it's not really them!
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 13:30:59 by RF1 Paddock Pass
Wow, that's quite a lot of sleeping, Adam. What time did you get to bed?! It's a day off, I take it?
Yes, the blow dryers were especially for you MO1023. Four of them - one for each corner of the car. They probably wouldn't be great for drying your hair as they are filled with dry ice! They'd give you a very frosty hairstyle!
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 13:38:51 by reydelviento
What are we testing today Rf1??
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 13:46:32 by alonsonum1
RF1 PADDOCK IS ALONSO STILL AS CONFIDENT AND HAPPY AS HE USED TO BE ?
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 13:52:03 by 987654321
alonso good job in test lucky!spirit alonso
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 14:12:11 by RF1 Paddock Pass
Fernando is doing general race prep and trying out the team's revisions to the R28 in low downforce trim. We produce a special package just for Monza which Nelson sampled yesterday and Fernando is evaluating today. There are also plans for some brake testing this afternoon.
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 14:51:24 by Hak182
Hello RF1, just a few questons, is there any channels that show coverage of testing? if not they should start this from next year:P Also Regarding Alonso and pquet times, bit concerned I know it doesn't count towards anything but were over a sec off the pace? could you explain, and do you think spa will suit our car aswell as monza? Thanks
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 15:26:27 by annabel
hi,RF1,i have a question with you.Which part of the car is special package for Monza?
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 15:28:19 by Hak182
think it will be the front wing aswell as the other areo dynamics for greater downforce i think anyway
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 15:33:20 by RF1 Paddock Pass
Hi Hak182. There’s no coverage of testing on any channels. That’s the whole point of testing – it’s done behind closed doors away from the glare of the cameras.
You have to take test times with a pinch of salt. All the teams have different agendas and will test different things. Some teams will have been doing qualifying simulations, while others have been doing longer runs. You may say we are are a second off the pace, but we are only a couple of tenths off Massa, the winner of the last Grand Prix!
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 15:35:21 by RF1 Paddock Pass
Hi Annabel. It's mainly the car's aero package that has been trimmed down to ensure good straightline speed. That means the team will be using tiny front and rear wings to minimise drag.
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 15:50:07 by Hak182
Thanks for that RF1, guess that true about not being far off massa. I am so excted for spa and monza cn't wait
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 15:50:30 by dilettante
Well, last year McLaren's (Alonso) qualifying time was 1:21:9, so I think everyone is playing poker or something.
I'm surprised R28 has to use Bridged wing in Monza. None other apart from Red Bull are using them. Perhaps R28 needs more downforce than others?
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 16:08:18 by eddiemon
push Fernando.... push...push...
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 16:10:03 by alonsonum1
rf1 u didnt answer my question about fernando!
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 16:49:48 by adam20692
lol rf1 i went to bed at 3am and i have work at 5pm lol so not completely of lol.
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 16:50:35 by alonsonum1
wher u work lol x
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 17:19:04 by adam20692
john lewis i do late night thursdays and all saturday but this week and next im working all week yipee -.- lol
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 17:23:18 by RF1 Paddock Pass
Hi alonsonum1, sorry, didn't mean to ignore you. Fernando is in pretty good spirits. I saw him at the hotel last night and he was relaxed, chilled and friendly.
Of course things are very different to last year, but as he keeps saying, so long as he gets the best from the car, he can go home happy. Plus, he's seen the progress the team has already made this season. The jump from Bahrain to Barcelona was particularly rewarding for the whole team and we've carried that on throughout the season. The fight for fourth in the championship is going to be tough, but who else would you rather have fighting for you than Fernando?
Obviously, he's stil disappointed about the Valencia result, but he's put it behind him and is determined to make up for the disappointment in Spa and Monza.
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 17:26:48 by alonsonum1
I know you are biased but is he a nice person? I would love to know what he iis like. is he friendly? outgoing ? funny? i am so so jealous of u lol
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 17:32:41 by RF1 Paddock Pass
He's great. He can be quite reserved at times, but when you get to know him a bit he is great fun. He certainly has a good sense of humour too.
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 17:38:42 by alonsonum1
a tell u wot i would give absolutely anythin to meet this guy.. literally anything if any occasion rises please let me know. i would sell my house!!
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 18:27:04 by MO1023
@RF1 The frosty hairstyle could be a good look, the rain wouldn't ruin it, no good in the summer though. Anything interesting to report on the testing side?
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 18:27:58 by alonsonum1
any afternoon times from today yet ?
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 18:45:01 by Hak182
heh regardng Fernando I would sure love to meet him, hes my fav role model in sports, I am british and every race st want him to put one over Hamlton and I can't wat for that to happen, in a Renault of course though 
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 18:51:05 by alonsonum1
i am british too i get a lot of stick for supportin alonso and not hamilton but that wil never stop me supportin the best driver out there
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 18:54:45 by RF1 Paddock Pass
Final times here in Monza:
1 HEI 1:22.621 89
2 ROS 1:22.879 100
3 KOV 1:23.341 92
4 VET 1:23.424 47
5 MAS 1:23.445 86
6 ALO 1:23.606 95
7 SUT 1:23.823 92
8 WEB 1:23.936 101
9 TRU 1:24.158 77
10 BOU 1:24.311 44
11 BAR 1:24.695 51
12 BUT 1:25.049 42
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 18:55:12 by dilettante
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 19:05:33 by MO1023
@dilentante, RF1 beat you to it
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 19:10:14 by dilettante
yup...well RF1 always have that advantage...
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 19:14:23 by MO1023
Lets hope our car can do the same next week to the 'toyboyta' (if you watch top gear you will understand why I spelt it like that)
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 20:18:37 by RF1 Paddock Pass
I remember the toyboyta - that was classic TV...
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 20:33:23 by MO1023
glad you share my love for Top gear RF1 its a show for us car fanatics and never fails to entertain me
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 21:41:08 by adam20692
um howcome honda have run two car aswell as torro rosso?
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 22:04:59 by adam20692
doesnt matter
Thursday 28 August 2008 at 22:54:05 by ProstForever
@adam20692 : They haven't run 2 cars. It's the same car, but a driver in the morning and another one in the afternoon.
Friday 29 August 2008 at 00:19:13 by adam20692
yeh i realized lol
Friday 29 August 2008 at 02:52:37 by f1angel
I would just like to say it's a sad day for F1. American native F1 champion Phil Hill has died on Thursday in California at the age of 81. RIP Phil Hill! 
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