Date: Tuesday February 10 2009
Drivers: Heikki Kovalainen
Location: Circuito de Jerez
Track Length: 4.423km
Weather: Dry and cloudy - with a mid-morning shower
Track temperature: Maximum 20.6°C
Air temperature: Maximum 16.7°C
Laps run today: 60
Laps run in total at test: 60
Kilometres covered today: 265km
Kilometres covered in total at test: 265km
Best lap time today: 1m22.634 at 16:29
Best lap time of the test: 1m22.634
Programme: First running of MP4-24 in familiar conditions. Heikki ran a parallel programme, focusing on developing useful set-ups for the new car while also putting mileage on the car’s active KERS device. The team set itself prudent targets on both thermal and pressure thresholds in order to safeguard the machinery and this resulted in a few aborted runs when those thresholds were reached. Heikki felt the KERS device worked well but required further work in concert with the car’s set-up to produce optimum results. As much of the day’s work was exploratory, the team chose to undertake most of its work on a single set of dry tyres choosing only to switch to fresh rubber – and set its fastest lap – towards the end of the day. The team will continue with the same programme tomorrow and is optimistic of increasing the length of the runs as it increases its understanding of the KERS device.
Drivers for tomorrow: Heikki
Duration of test: Four days (Feb 10-13)
Next Test: Jerez (Mar 1-4)