Barcelona I, day 3: Team and driver quotes

Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen managed a total of 78 laps on his debut at the wheel of the SF16-H in this the first winter test session, having taken over driving duties from his team-mate Sebastian Vettel. The Finn took to the track after a long wait while the team carried out a series of important checks. He then continued with the programme which, apart from the usual set-up work, focused on engine mapping and aero testing.

Raikkonen will be back on track tomorrow for the fourth and final day of this inaugural session at the Catalan circuit.

Kimi Raikkonen

“The atmosphere in the team is quite nice even if, honestly, we’re still working on different things and still find something new to work on, but I am sure it’s going to be a better car than last year’s. There are always small changes between one car and another, they are never the same. We had improvements in many areas from the past season. These are early days, especially for me with this car. We are happy so far, even if we know that there are still a lot of things to do. There were tricky things and it takes time to fix them. It was painful losing time today, but we always try to do our best. There are always mistakes but we always want to improve and learn from them.”

Red Bull Renault

After two days with Daniel Ricciardo in the driving seat, today it was Daniil Kvyat’s turn to try out the Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer RB12 and despite a slightly early halt to proceedings, the Russian was positive about his first laps at the wheel of the new car.

“It was great to get back behind the wheel today and very exciting to finally drive the RB12 after what felt like a long winter break,” said Daniil. “I think we’ve made a step in the right direction so far. Everything feels like it’s in the right place, the car seems quite well balanced and the first feeling is very positive. Obviously we are looking for a bit more mileage than today, which I think is reachable, so we’ll try to make a really good day of it tomorrow.”

Commenting on today’s session, Head of Race Engineering, Guillaume Rocquelin said: “A slightly frustrating end to today’s work, as the problem we encountered yesterday manifested itself again. We did some work overnight to cure the issue and the bulk of today’s running went smoothly. However, in the afternoon we noticed the problem again, so decided to finish a bit early. I don’t think it will put a big dent in our progress but it’s something we’ll have to look into before next week’s final test. Prior to the end of running, Dany had a good first day. He was comfortable from the off and he was making the same noises as Daniel in terms of how the car generally feels and behaves, which is good. In the morning we focused on aero work and it was more of the same in the afternoon – long runs, medium tyre, just getting Dany bedded in and working through our run plan. We’ll keep pushing tomorrow and hopefully put a few more miles on before we finish for this week.”

Williams Mercedes

Rod Nelson, Chief Test & Support Engineer

It has been another productive day. It was good to have Felipe in the car. We are all still learning, as is he. Valtteri has been at track to give us a hand and the drivers have been chatting about their feelings and it has been pretty positive. We have essentially been doing a lot of reliability work today. We did a race simulation with Felipe which we are quite pleased with and now we are pushing on with more performance work to end a fairly solid day. We had to finish slightly early due to an inlet system issue which we are investigating to make sure we are ready to continue our programme on the final day of the test tomorrow.

Felipe Massa

Today was a good day doing 109 laps, and spending time trying to understand the FW38 for the first time. It is always nice to drive the car and understand areas that are better than the old one, but also keep working on understanding what there is to improve in terms of set-up. There is definitely a lot to do to get the car where we want it but I had a good feeling, and I am sure we are just at the beginning of many improvements. At the very end of the day, unfortunately I had to stop due to an issue in the power unit. We couldn’t finish the programme but we were very close, missing only the final few laps.

Sauber Ferrari

Felipe Nasr

“Overall I am pleased to finally be back in the car after the winter break – and completing 115 laps on my first day of testing. It’s been a while, so it is good to get back into the ryhthm quickly. Today we were able to go through an extensive programme. In the morning we did aero measurements and tested different set-ups. We then focused more on tyre testing during long-runs in the afternoon, on soft as well as medium tyres.”

At the final day of test one in Barcelona, Felipe Nasr will again drive the Sauber C34-Ferrari.

Force India Mercedes

Day three in Barcelona saw Nico Hulkenberg top the timesheets during his first day of work in the VJM09. Nico covered 99 laps with a best lap of 1:23.110.

Nico Hulkenberg

“A positive day for me and I’ve come away with some good first impressions as we continue to learn about this car. We tried quite a lot of things today and, although we need to do some more fine-tuning, it does feel like we are moving in the right direction. The important thing is that we are getting lots of laps under our belt at this early stage and we are able to start exploring different set-ups. Melbourne is not far away, but it feels like we are on schedule and days like this are very encouraging. You never know what the other teams are doing so we’re just focusing on ourselves and working hard.”

Tom McCullough, Chief Race Engineer

“Nico’s first day of winter testing saw a continuation of data gathering to help with our understanding of the VJM09, as well as further car sign-off tests. The afternoon allowed a chance for Nico and his engineers to carry on with set-up adjustments and we made some good progress as the day unfolded. Nico evaluated the medium, soft and supersoft tyre compounds, and we managed some long runs towards the end of the day. We had a few small ‘new car’ problems that required attention in the garage and ultimately cost us some track, but we still ended the day just shy of 100 laps.”

Renault F1

Kevin Magnussen made his Renault Sport Formula One Team debut on the third day of testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya completing 111 laps with a best time of 1min 26.014secs, the fourth fastest of the day.

Kevin Magnussen

“It’s fantastic to get back in a Formula 1 car after eleven months away. Everything felt good straight away and it was great to be working with the team for the first time behind the wheel. We completed a lot of laps which is a real positive and I can’t wait to jump in the car tomorrow and continue today’s work.”

Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director

“A much better day for us in terms of reliability so we were able to run through a bigger programme including set-up and aero work as well as longer high fuel runs. This leaves us with a lot of data to work on with overnight. It was our first day with Kevin and he was very quickly into the groove so looks to be a very strong asset for the season ahead. We did have a water leak during the day, which was easily identified and diagnosed. We’re optimistic for another positive day tomorrow.”

Toro Rosso Ferrari

Phil Charles (Chief Engineer)

“A quite satisfying day today; our primary target this week is to get mileage on our new car and really push the reliability up, so completing 161 laps today is an excellent result. The other main positive from today is that since Carlos ran on Day 1, we are now quite happy on Day 3 to hear him say he has felt an improvement from then: Along with several new parts having arrived from the factory, a bit more running has helped us set the car a bit more around him. A happy driver is definitely a good thing! In terms of the program, we certainly ticked-off most of our requests, completing plenty of laps, doing some more cooling work, a couple of set-up items and in the afternoon we were lucky enough to complete our first race sim, which is really good to get under our belts early on. Overall a very good day and Carlos has jumped out of the car looking very fresh after 161 laps, so maybe we should target even more laps with him at T02!”

Carlos Sainz

“A good day of testing. We managed to complete the full run plan that we had set for today and I’m very happy with that. We managed to be out on track most of the day, completing 161 laps and adding plenty of mileage to the team’s tally, which is what we came here to do. I’m feeling great. Obviously to do so many laps – over two race distances – after two months without driving is a lot for the body, but the good thing is that I managed to do them and that I am fit. All in all, a very productive day, the team is doing a great job and we just need to carry on like this.”

Mercedes

Lewis and Nico double up on day three in Barcelona

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS continued the opening pre-season test of the 2016 season today at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with Nico Rosberg at the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz F1 W07 Hybrid in the morning and Lewis Hamilton in the cockpit during the afternoon.

— In a change to the original run plan, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton split driving duties for the third day of pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
— With the unprecedented mileage levels seen thus far in Barcelona, the intention is to keep both Nico and Lewis in top shape. This strategy of alternating drivers will therefore continue throughout the remaining 2016 pre-season tests
— Nico emerged for his first run as the track opened at 09:00, completing 74 laps before the hour-long lunch break at 13:00. Lewis completed a further 88 laps in the afternoon - finishing for the day at 18:00
— Today’s programme focused on setup evaluation, aerodynamic data analysis and race simulation work - including starts and pit stops
— Mercedes-Benz Power Units today completed a total of 2,085 km
— Lewis Hamilton will take the wheel of the F1 W07 Hybrid tomorrow morning, Nico Rosberg in the afternoon for the fourth and final day of the opening pre-season test in Barcelona

Nico Rosberg

That was another very valuable day for us. It’s amazing to see that the car is already so reliable and we started trying some basic set up changes this morning too. It was good to split the time on track with Lewis. The car is able to do so many laps, so I think it’s probably a more effective way of doing things. Two drivers doing half days will do better work compared to 160 or 170 laps from one person. We want to get the maximum out of the very few testing days we have this year, so to me it makes perfect sense. I also heard about the new qualifying format for 2017 today. I hope it stays simple and clear for the fans, so we’ll see how that works out. But, in general, it’s definitely important that we rethink the sport and try to make it better from time to time, so I’m open to any improvements.

Lewis Hamilton

It felt quite long out there today – even though it was only the afternoon session! We’d spoken about splitting the driving beforehand, so it wasn’t a surprise. I was happy to do full days – but they are long days, so the team felt it best to mix things up to keep us both fresh. I feel great now – but yesterday I was a bit sore. It’s a bit like going to the gym when you haven’t been for ages. If you do a hard workout straight away, you’ll be in pain afterwards. For your neck in particular, it doesn’t matter how hard you train during the winter, driving just hits it in a different way that you can’t really simulate. It is quite tedious, too, going round and round all day. It’s not like a race, where you’ve got a strategy and you’re competing – fighting the clock and your opponents. But testing never has been the most exciting. I think in my younger days, back in Formula Renault for example, it was a big buzz. But by the time you’ve spent ten years in F1, it just becomes the norm. It’s quite cool being out on track with the other new cars. Your gut reaction is to try to get close and see how they perform through the corners and along the straights. But that’s a waste of time, really, so you have to resist! In any case, we’ve had a great start to testing as a team so far. The car feels very much like last year’s and we’ve done plenty of laps, so let’s hope it continues with a strong end to the week tomorrow.

Haas Ferrari

Five minutes after the track went hot, Romain Grosjean wheeled the VF-16 out for an installation lap. It was a low-key beginning to a very successful day of testing.

Nine runs consisting of five laps or more were made, with the longest being a 12-lap stint at the very end of the day. It’s there where Grosjean netted his fastest lap – a 1:25.874 time on his 71st circuit that put him second overall.

Grosjean ran the Pirelli P Zero White medium tire for most of the day, switching to the Pirelli P Zero Yellow soft tire for his final, two multi-lap runs.

In all, Grosjean logged 82 laps, bringing Haas F1 Team’s three-day testing total to 192 laps. Grosjean made 31 laps in the VF-16’s testing debut Monday and teammate Esteban Gutiérrez piloted the car to a previous high of 79 laps Tuesday. Gutiérrez returns to the VF-16 on Thursday, the final day of the first Barcelona test before teams come back to the track March 1-4 for a final round of testing.

Romain Grosjean

"The morning went without any problems. It was a really good morning. After lunch, we had a software glitch that cost us two small runs, but once we sorted that we were able to do some more mileage. The idea is to see how far the parts can go and which ones will be the first to go, so we did a good job in that aspect. We did the most laps so far in this test, so that’s good. Generally, I’m very happy with the car, very positive. I like driving it. The guys are doing a good job. We found some setup improvements, so that’s very positive for everyone.”

Gunther Steiner

"It was a very constructive day. We are pretty happy on what we achieved. We are getting laps together and, for sure, experienced some little problems, but that’s why we’re here. The team seems to be gelling and we’re working hard. There’s a very good atmosphere in the team and we’re making progress.”

Next Up

Gutiérrez is back behind the wheel of the VF-16 Thursday for final day of the first preseason test at Barcelona. After a four-day break, teams return to Barcelona for a second and final round of preseason testing March 1-4. Gutiérrez will drive March 1-2 and Grosjean wraps the test March 3-4.

Manor Mercedes

Indonesia is bursting with pride today after Rio Haryanto got his first taste of Manor Racing’s 2016 challenger in pre-season testing. The team’s social media channels received a deluge of supportive messages from Rio’s legions of fans and followers, who were eager to chart every lap of his progress as he made his debut in the MRT05. He completed 78 laps – the biggest tally of the three days so far – to end the day 12th. His best time was a 1:28.249.

Rio Haryanto

“This has been an incredible day - for me and my country. Of course I’ve tested a Formula 1 car previously, but never before with the knowledge that I am guaranteed to race it as well. Everything feels very real and exciting finally. We’re now on the fast track to Melbourne and my first ever Formula 1 Grand Prix, which is such an incredible and emotional feeling for me. Inside the car there was a lot of work to focus on, picking up the programme from the past two days and trying lots of things to get me used to the car’s behaviour with different set-ups. It felt really good and we made a lot of progress with evaluations and gathering data. I can’t wait to be back on track tomorrow.”

John McQuilliam, Technical Director

“Rio was itching to get in the car today, after waiting patiently on the sidelines for the first two days of our programme. He was quickly up to speed and eager to explore the car’s behaviour and potential. For someone on the receiving end of such enormous support – back home and here in Barcelona – he has handled himself really well, remaining fully focused in the garage and cockpit. He can be proud of his first day’s work and it is certainly encouraging for us that we have two very hungry drivers on the books, to match the positive signs we’re seeing with the MRT05 out of the box.”

McLaren Honda

Jenson Button resumed testing duties in the McLaren-Honda MP4-31 today. Like the previous two days, the weather started off cloudy and chilly, before becoming brighter and warmer as the day progressed.

Today’s running was a tale of two halves. The morning session continued where Fernando left off yesterday, testing a number of components, performing characterisation of the power unit, and correlating aerodynamic data. The team successfully completed the morning’s run programme before pausing for the lunch break.

Over lunch, a number of settings were changed on the car to prepare for longer runs in the afternoon. The programme was curtailed shortly after 14:30 due to a hydraulic leak, which caused a small fire under the bodywork and a brief moment of drama in the pit lane, as Jenson was unable to stop in the pit box on his in-lap. Fortunately, Jenson is fine and there is no damage to the car.

The team immediately began sourcing the origin of the issue, but it meant the day’s running finished early while the problem was being investigated and rectified. In total, we completed 51 laps on track, executing a number of useful checks and testing procedures, and gathering more valuable data.

Jenson Button

“We ran through our normal programme of checks and changes this morning before the hydraulic problem stopped us early this afternoon. It’s not so good to miss out on this afternoon’s running, but it’s testing. Hopefully we can learn from the issue and the team can get a good day’s testing with Fernando tomorrow.”

Eric Boullier -Racing Director

“This morning we focussed once again on system checks, which is our plan for all four days of the first test. That went very smoothly and we managed to complete a number of configuration and setting changes on the car between runs.

“Before lunch, we had actually completed our full morning programme, which was satisfying. After the break, as we were starting a longer, race simulation run, we had an unfortunate hydraulic leak, which created a small fire in the back of the car. There’s no damage, just some checks and repairs needed. This is why we are testing: to check our systems, so we are investigating the issue now and we hope to be back to our pre-planned programme tomorrow morning.”

Satoshi Nakamura - Honda R&D Co Ltd principal engineer

"This morning’s testing had been an extension of yesterday’s running programme: confirming different engine modes and energy management status of the power unit.

“Early on in the afternoon session, the car experienced a hydraulic leak so we were unable to do further laps on track. The issue is still under investigation, but we will analyse the 51 laps of data that we were able to perform today and prepare for tomorrow’s running."