2009 F1 testing notes: January 22nd (Update: new video and pictures added)

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Robert Kubica put the BMW F1.09 through its paces at Valencia

Testing for the 2009 F1 season continues at three different venues today in Italy, Spain and Portugal. Heikki Kovalainen and Kazuki Nakajima are among the drivers getting their first taste of 2009 F1 cars.

Ferrari and BMW are still testing on their own but yesterday we saw the first side-by-side test of 2009-specification cars in dry conditions. But will the good weather hold for the five teams in Portimao? Follow today’s F1 testing below.

Update: New high quality video from this week’s testing added plus pictures from all three of today’s tests.

Tracks, teams and drivers

Algarve Motor Park, Portimao, Portugal – McLaren (Heikki Kovalainen), Williams (Kazuki Nakajima), Toyota, Renault (Fernando Alonso) and Toro Rosso (Sebastien Buemi)
Mugello, Italy – Ferrari (Felipe Massa)
Circuito Ricardo Tormo, Valencia, Spain – BMW (Robert Kubica)

All the teams except Toro Rosso will be using their 2009-specification cars.

You can post pictures, video and more on the F1 Fanatic drop.ioand share videos with me via my Youtube account.

Yesterday Becken suggested F1Today.nl as a good source of live lap times. If you’ve got any other links for following testing please post them below.

Pictures from today’s F1 testing

New F1 test video

Toyday’s Portimao test may have been a wash-out but there’s some new video from the running at the Portuguese track earlier on this week:

And here’s some video of the (in)action at Portimao today:

See below for pictures and video from earlier F1 test sessions this year.

2009 F1 testing

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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11 comments on “2009 F1 testing notes: January 22nd (Update: new video and pictures added)”

  1. http://www.sportlifepress.com also has coverage from Portimao, it is in Spanish but it updates with short snipets of on-track action more often then the dutch site.

  2. Really wet in Portimao today, wetter than any other day so far, and only installation laps so far from Toro Rosso, Toyota and Williams.

  3. Massa did 103 laps at Mugello with a best time of 1’23.981. But a hydraulic problem curtailed his day’s activities. That marks the end of Ferrari’s testing this week.

    Kubica did 116 laps at a windy Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. His programme included race start simulations and reliability work in the afternoon. Nick Heidfeld will drive the F1.09 tomorrow.

    The test at Portimao was abandoned at half past nine in the morning when the rain became so severe the medical helicopter could not take off, meaning testing could not be run. This meant, among other things, that Kazuki Nakajima and Heikki Kovalainen did not get to put their first laps on their teams’ new machines.

    1. I think Ferrari has SHORTENED their illegal exhaust.

    2. Yep – you can see it in this picture too.

  4. That track in Portugal looks nice with its ups and downs
    These F1 cars are huge, specially long ! maybe future rules could contemplate making them shorter so that they could be raced at historical tracks. If cars are so big they will make tracks obsolete — no wonder it is so difficult to overtake

  5. The Ferrari times compare very favourably to the pre aero regulation change F1 cars, the best Mugello times I recall were in low 20s so I guess 3 to 4 seconds off during winter testing are not that bad.

  6. What a nice track this one. But if it rains at Silverstone this year, can you imagina Massa in one of these? i think he’d just grab his unwashed underwear and get on a plane right away.

  7. BTW, notice how carefully the McLaren pit person touched the car, close to the end of the 2nd video. KERS fear/training? is this a sign pitstops will see a lot of ferrariatsingaporesque action due to reluctant mechanics?

  8. Ok, what’s with Ferrari’s crucifix on top of the roll-hoop?

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