TEST REPORT JEREZ – WEEKLY SUMMARY
Date: Saturday 11th February 2006
Location: Circuito de Jerez, Spain
Drivers: Pedro de la Rosa
Weather: Sunny and clear all day
Track temperature – high of 25 degrees Celsius
Air temperature – high of 23 degrees Celsius
Laps run: 130
Kilometres covered: Pedro de la Rosa approx. 575km
Best lap time of the day: Pedro de la Rosa, 1m27.706 (wet
track conditions)
Duration of test: Four days (7th – 11th February 2006)
Best lap time of the week: Fernando Alonso, Renault, 1m16.952
Total number of laps driven during the test: 629
Total number of laps driven during the test in the MP4-21
172
Total number of km driven during the test: 2772km (Kimi 308km,
Juan Pablo 240km, Pedro 1817km, Gary 407km)
Total number of km driven during the test by the MP4-21 610
Team McLaren Mercedes completed the final day of testing
for the week today at the Circuito de Jerez, Spain.
Test driver, Pedro de la Rosa was at the wheel of the interim
MP4-20 conducting Michelin wet tyre testing, with the Jerez
track artificially dampened to allow for the team to work
on the development programme under controlled conditions.
Heikki Kovalainen in the Renault was the only other car present.
Pedro work began with intermediate Michelins and during the
day the track progressed into extreme wet tyre conditions.
The Spaniard completed over 575km in the MP4-20 and put in
a quickest time of 1m27.706.
Today's wet test was the fourth day the team had been present
at the Circuito de Jerez. Work began on Wednesday, with Juan
Pablo Montoya and Pedro present for the driving duties. Juan
Pablo, who was in the MP4-21 covered over 240km during the
day with his main focus set-up work.
Team-mate Kimi Raikkonen took over the wheel of the MP4-21
for Thursday and Friday morning. In that time Kimi racked
up 310km over 70 laps. Unfortunately he had an issue with
his gearbox and an engine oil leak on Thursday, the repairs
of which took up the majority of the afternoon. Then on Friday
morning, the track was damp from overnight rain, limiting
the work that could be completed.
Pedro and Gary Paffett continued to focus on the Michelin
development programme during the test. Pedro was in Jerez
all week, with Gary joining the test team in Spain on Friday,
when he tested different Michelin compounds for the first
three races of the season. Between the two test drivers, the
MP4-20 covered over 2000km.
Team McLaren Mercedes test programme relocates to Valencia
next week, with Kimi and Juan Pablo in attendance for the
entire session, which begins on Tuesday 14th and lasts for
four days. The drivers will have two MP4-21s at their disposal,
including one in the team's new unique livery, which was revealed
by the team yesterday evening.
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
"I had a good day in Jerez on Wednesday with the MP4-21.
I got out on track just after 13:00, as the test team had
been completing the engine installation, and during the afternoon
I covered over 240km, which was a good total. It meant we
could work through evaluating a number of set-ups and continue
the process of developing and getting to know the car."
KIMI RAIKKONEN
"We have had another productive test session this week.
I had a couple of technical issues on Thursday afternoon,
but the test team sorted then out and I was back on track
on Friday morning. It is a shame that the track was wet and
I had to run on intermediates for most of the time, but I
am in the MP4-21 for four days next week in Valencia so hopefully
will be able to complete some more running there."
PEDRO DE LA ROSA
"It has been a busy week for me at the Circuito de Jerez,
I have completed over 1800km in total and have been driving
both the MP4-21 and the MP4-20. In the 20, of course my focus
has remained on our Michelin development programme, and the
mileage we have been covering is enabling us to get useful
feedback. It was good to be back behind the wheel of the MP4-21
again yesterday afternoon, I have not driven it since its
shakedown on Monday 23rd January, and I felt that the car
is developing and progressing."
GARY PAFFETT
"I was only at the test for Friday, but during the day
I covered over 400km. My programme focused on evaluating the
various compounds with Michelin that we have available for
the first three races, we had a good days running and have
come away with useful data to take racing."
Unofficial times*:
Pos Driver Constructor Time Laps
1 Pedro de la Rosa Team McLaren Mercedes – V10 1m27.706
130
2 Heikki Kovalainen Renault 1m27.762 124
*no official times available
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