Calderón and Correa perform well in Paul Ricard test

Alfa Romeo Racing test driver Tatiana Calderón and Development Driver Juan Manuel Correa completed a successful two-day test with the 2013-spec C32 in Paul Ricard as their development programme continues.

Colombian Calderón was in the car on Friday, going through an ambitious programme that saw her gradually getting used to the demands of the car and going through various setup options during a busy morning. Improving in every run, she switched focus to a qualifying simulation in the afternoon before closing the day with a long stint of 16 laps on medium tyres.

On Saturday, it was Correa’s turn in the cockpit and the young American made the most of his debut in a Formula One car. Completing a total of 62 lap, Juan Manuel took over where Tatiana left off in terms of set-up, being able to focus on getting accustomed to the car and to working with the engineers. He showed constant progress in his timed runs and responded well to the pressure of a qualifying simulation before displaying good consistency in a long run.

Xevi Pujolar, Head of Track Engineering

“This was a very positive test for both the team and our drivers Tatiana and Juan Manuel. The aim for them was to get used to the car and to learn about the different set-up options: we wanted to see improvement and that’s exactly what they did. They had to show both speed in the qualifying runs and consistency in the long runs and they delivered, so overall it was a really good performance.”

Tatiana Calderón, Test Driver

“I’m super happy with how the day went. The team did an amazing job helping me to set up the car properly and I felt more and more comfortable with every run. Thank you to Alfa Romeo Racing for the opportunity, I hope there is more to come.”

Juan Manuel Correa, Development Driver

“I am really happy with the work we have done today. I felt like a kid in a candy shop and I enjoyed every lap. I was impressed by the professional attitude of the team and the way they helped get the most out of the car. The car was incredible: the top speed was not a massive difference compared to what I am used to in F2, but the braking power and the corner speeds are something to behold. I want to thank Alfa Romeo Racing for this experience, I didn’t get the smile off my face all day.”