Valencia Test Day 2

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First of the Four Official Formula One Pre - Season Testing - Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia Test
Day Two

Defending World Champion Sebastian Vettel lags only 3 tenths of a second behind Fernando Alonso who sets the fastest time for Second Day at Valencia.
Position
Name
Team
Car
Lap Time
Laps Covered
1
Fernando Alonso
Ferrari
F150
1min 13.307sec
108
2 Sebastian Vettel
Red Bull RB7
1min 13.614sec
43
3
Paul Di Resta
Force India
VJM03(2010) 1min 13.844sec 111
4
Lewis Hamilton
Mclaren
MP4-25(2010)
1min 14.353sec
83
5
Robert Kubica
Renault
R31
1min 14.412sec
104
6
Narain Karthikeyan
HRT
F110(2010)
1min 14.472sec 80
7
Nico Rosberg
Mercedes
MGP W02
1min 14.645sec 69
8
Timo Glock
Virgin
VR01 (2010)
1min 15.408sec
34
9
Rubens Barichello
Williams
FW33
1min 16.023sec 50
10
Sergio Perez
Sauber
C30
1min 16.198sec 42
11
Pastor Maldonado
Williams
FW33
1min 16.266sec 29
12
Sebastien Buemi
Toro Rosso
STR6
1min 16.359sec 46
13
Jaime Alguersuari
Toro Rosso
STR6
1min 16.474sec 64
14 Mark Webber
Red Bull RB7
1min 17.365sec
17
15
Heikki Kovalainen
Lotus
T128
1min 20.649sec
15

Much of the talk heading into Wednesday's session revolved around the appearance of Lotus' T128, with the team the only outfit not to get any running on day one.

Indeed, Heikki Kovalainen's Lotus was the first car out on the Circuito Ricardo Tormo on Wednesday morning. The Finn's presence was brief however, with the team bringing the T128 back into the garage after its instillation lap.

It was there that it remained for most of the day, with a brief 15-lap salvo in the afternoon interrupted by a problem with the car's power steering which ultimately proved terminal in terms of the day's activities.

The T128 was not the only newcomer to the fold, with Sauber's Sergio Perez and Williams' Pastor Maldonado getting their first taste of F1 pre-season testing.

Rubens Barrichello electrical problem brought out the first red flag before the session had really begun, with the flying Scotsman Paul di Resta briefly topping the tables with a 1:13.844 before he too brought a halt to proceedings after spinning at turn two.

Force India’s Paul di Resta finished in third, ahead of McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton. Both Hamilton and Di Resta were driving interim 2010 cars. Force India continued with their excellent performance from Day 1. Force India collected lot of information on Pirelli Tyres. Paul Di Resta tested the car for the whole day for Force India.

Running the car for the first time, Lewis Hamilton finished fourth. They were using their old car while Kers and other updates will come along with MP4-26. Perhaps it was because McLaren weren't offering up their new challenger, but despite putting in 83 laps, Hamilton went largely unnoticed throughout the day.

Kubica improved on yesterday's performance from Vitaly Petrov by some distance, notching up a 1:14.412, the fourth fastest time of the session, and the third quickest by a team using a 2011 model.

Conversely, Mercedes GP's struggles continued on Wednesday. Having been hindered by a hydraulics problem on day one, Rosberg brought out his second red flag in two days when he came to a standstill at turn eleven. Rosberg was able to post a 1:14.645, a second faster than the team's best yesterday and while the day was interrupted it was still more productive.

A statement from Ferrari said that Alonso was focusing first on "aerodynamic tests" and then a "comparison test between various types of Pirelli tyre," but regardless by what the Spaniard was looking for, the F150's ability to outpace the Red Bull of Vettel will come as a welcome relief to many after the RB7's performance on day one suggested that Red Bull may once again have a great early dominance.

While Vettel was behind the wheel during the morning, Mark Webber was given a run in the afternoon, but curiously only came out on track with half-an-hour left in the day. As a result it came as no surprise when he failed to post a time of any substance.

Perhaps the shock of the day was a late burst from Narain Karthikeyan and his Hispania car to post a time of 1:14.472, the sixth fastest of the day and superior to many more fancied campaigners.

Nico Rosberg came out to be seventh in New Mercedes MGP W02. Nico said in a statement “It was an interesting day and important that we completed a lot of laps. We ran with part of the KERS system for the first time, so much of the focus was on learning how to handle the system. It is challenging but just a matter of getting used to the buttons and how the car feels under braking out on track. Today’s running confirmed my initial good feelings about the car. We had a few issues which is normal with a new car but fixed them quickly.” Michael Schumacher will take over for final day.


Testing continues at Valencia on Thursday, with final day of First Pre Season Test.