Ferrari returning to Vairano for Barcelona upgrade

Ferrari is preparing to return to the long straight of the Vairano circuit to test the latest upgrades for the team’s improving 2011 car.

After a disappointing start to the season, Fernando Alonso secured the 150 Italia car’s first podium in Turkey and more upgrades will be brought to the Circuit de Catalunya in a week.

Before the Spanish grand prix, test driver Jules Bianchi will run up and down the Vairano straight in one of the team’s allocation of aerodynamic test days.

"We hope that as early as Barcelona we will have new parts that allow us to take an important step forward in qualifying as well," said Alonso after Turkey.

Frenchman Bianchi had run the Istanbul package at Vairano before Turkey, and it was scheduled that Italian Davide Rigon, a member of Ferrari’s development team and a regular in the Maranello simulator, would get his chance this time.

But Rigon is instead recovering from surgery to have more than 20 pins inserted into his badly broken leg after a GP2 crash in Turkey.

"He was doing precious work for us in the simulator," said Alonso. "I’m very sorry for him and we hope that he recovers soon."