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In
common
with
most of
the
teams,
Scuderia
Ferrari
Marlboro
brought
a
significant
aerodynamic
update
package
to
Barcelona,
based
partly
on the
planned
development
programme,
partly
on
lessons
learned
from the
first
four
races
and
partly
from the
FIA
ruling
in
favour
of the
double
diffuser
run by a
few
teams
right
from the
start of
the
season.
Up until
this
year,
any new
development
on the
car, no
matter
how
small,
would
have
been
extensively
tested
on
track,
prior to
validation
as fit
for
purpose
for a
race
weekend.
However,
with the
in-season
testing
ban now
in
force,
today’s
three
hours of
free
practice
was
effectively
a short
but very
busy
test
session.
So how
well did
the new
elements
work?
The one
statement
of fact
is that
in terms
of
reliability,
it was
successful,
with no
problems
affecting
either
F60s,
which
completed
a high
and
trouble
free
mileage.
Performance?
That is
always
harder
to judge
for
several
reasons:
a green
track on
Friday,
different
weather
conditions
to the
last
test
here and
the fact
that the
teams
are free
to run
different
fuel
loads
and both
types of
Bridgestone
tyre.
Nevertheless,
both
Kimi and
Felipe
had good
things
to say
at the
end of
the day,
stating
they
could
feel a
difference
in
performance
with a
general
increase
in
downforce
and
grip.
But as
Felipe
succinctly
put it,
“the
other
teams
haven’t
been
standing
around
with
their
hands in
their
pockets.”
So the
key
question
as to
how the
Prancing
Horse
fits in
the
rankings,
will
have to
wait
until
tomorrow
afternoon’s
qualifying
session.
In past
races,
just
getting
through
to the
third
and
final
part of
the
session
has
proved
problematic
for
Ferrari,
so this
is the
first
target
for
tomorrow.
Kimi
ended
the day
in tenth
place
and
Felipe
was
fifteenth,
but
neither
man felt
their
positions
meant
much
today.
Topping
the time
sheet
was a
Williams-Toyota
one-two,
with
Nico
Rosberg
ahead of
Kazuki
Nakajima.
Popular
with the
Spanish
crowd
was a
third
place
for
Fernando
Alonso
and his
Renault,
while
the most
experienced
man on
the
grid,
Rubens
Barrichello
was
fourth
fastest
for
Brawn.
Fifth
was Mark
Webber
in the
Red
Bull-Renault,
while
championship
leader
and
winner
of three
out of
the four
races so
far,
Jenson
Button
completed
the top
six in
the
other
Brawn.One hundred
and ten laps were completed
by Scuderia Ferrari
drivers': 60 for Kimi
Raikkonen and 50 for Felipe
Massa. “We had a very busy
day: having so many new
parts on the F60, the work
sheet was full and we
managed to complete it in
its entirety,” commented
Stefano Domenicali. “It was
important to be able to work
without major reliability
problems on an aero package
which is pretty much making
its track debut today. We
managed it and that’s
definitely a positive thing
when evaluating the day. As
for performance, it is
always difficult to draw
conclusions. We have
certainly made progress, but
how much when compared to
the competition we will only
find out as the weekend
continues.”
Kimi
Raikkonen: “We have
definitely made a step
forward in performance terms
on the car: you can feel a
greater level of aerodynamic
downforce and that’s what we
needed. Sure, it’s Friday
and it’s always difficult to
draw conclusions, but the
feeling is that we have
closed the gap to the top
cars. Here, just as at the
last race, the harder tyre
is a bit difficult, while on
the softer one, we’re
reasonably good. Tomorrow
morning, we’ll work on
qualifying, given that today
we concentrated on race
preparation. All in all, I
am happy with how things
went today.”
Felipe
Massa: “We have done a good
job over the past weeks and
the car has improved, but of
course, the others haven’t
been standing around with
their hands in their
pockets. As from tomorrow,
we will see if we have
managed to move up the
order, because today’s
classification is difficult
to interpret and I reckon it
doesn’t represent the true
pecking order. We worked
towards Sunday’s race. On my
final run I had traffic and
that cost me a bit of time,
but what matters is the
performance tomorrow. I will
do my best to get through to
the final part of qualifying
and then aim for a good grid
position.”
Chris Dyer:
“We are reasonably pleased
with how things went this
Spanish Grand Prix Friday.
The team, both back at home
and at the track, has put in
a big effort to bring this
aero package to Barcelona
and the fact we had no
reliability problems is
already a positive element.
The track confirmed our
first impressions, that the
handling of the car has
improved and, from what we
can learn from an initial
analysis of the situation,
we are in better shape than
at the previous races.
Tomorrow, our aim is to get
both cars into Q3 and then
to have a good race on
Sunday. The tyres are
behaving as expected: on the
harder ones, we are
struggling to get good grip,
while we are fine on the
softer ones, both in terms
of grip and consistency of
their performance.”
First Session
F. Massa: 9° 1.22.855, 15 Laps
K. Raikkonen: 11° 1.22.873, 20 Laps
Weather: air 19/24 °C, track 24/31 °C,
sunny.
Second Session
K. Raikkonen: 10° 1.22.599, 40 Laps
F. Massa: 15° 1.22.878, 35 Laps
Weather: air 25 °C, track 35/38 °C,
sunny.
Chassis: K. Raikkonen 279, F. Massa
275
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