VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES MP4-23 TAKES TO THE TRACK IN JEREZ
Following Monday’s launch at the Mercedes-Benz Museum
in Stuttgart, the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23, made its
track debut at the Circuito de Jerez in southern Spain today.
The team had two of its 2008 cars in action. Driving duties
fell to Heikki Kovalainen and Pedro de la Rosa who were at
the wheel of chassis 2 and chassis 1 respectively. Pedro took
to the track for the first time at 09:05, with Heikki leaving
the garage in his MP4-23 at 14:19.
Pedro’s car was the chassis at the event in Stuttgart.
It was completed at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking
on Sunday afternoon before being transported to the launch.
At 02:00am on the morning of Tuesday 8th, the car left Stuttgart
airport for Jerez. The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test team
took receipt of the car early on Tuesday morning in Spain
and spent the day preparing the MP4-23 for today’s running.
Heikki’s car left the McLaren Technology Centre on
Tuesday 8th and travelled directly to Jerez, arriving at the
earliest possible opportunity when the local airport opened
at 06:00 this morning. During the course of the morning the
test team worked to install the set-up on the car prior to
Heikki taking to the track at 14:19.
This week’s test is a private session, allowing the
team to achieve its filming and photographic requirements
with the MP4-23 alongside the test programme. This will focus
on familiarisation with the car and running through a range
of installation and set-up checks.
The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test programme will remain
in Jerez until Wednesday 16th January before moving onto Valencia
from Tuesday 22nd January.
HEIKKI KOVALAINEN
“It was really great to get on track today with the
MP4-23. It was my first session as a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
driver. I always really enjoy the first day a new car runs,
there is always a very unique atmosphere, you know a little
bit tense, a little bit excited. The first impressions of
the new car are good. We have a comprehensive development
schedule to work through over the next couple of months. The
car’s performance today is definitely an encouraging
starting point. Today was also my first real opportunity to
meet the test team, which was good because we will be spending
a lot of time together over the next few weeks!”
PEDRO DE LA ROSA
“We covered 69 laps in total today between Heikki and
me, which is a good start. The car felt positive and it has
been an encouraging day. This is the second time I have had
the opportunity to make the track debut with our new car,
it is also the eighth car I have driven for the team. It is
great for me to be in the car from the very beginning, as
I am able to instantly build up an understanding of the car
and how it works, and then start to put this knowledge into
the testing programme. This time of the season, from when
a new car is launched until the first race, is probably the
busiest time of the year for the test team. We have 18 track
days scheduled, including today, before the MP4-23s leave
for Australia and a lot of work to complete in that time,
but the motivation is huge with all the guys here.”
TESTING DATA
Track Length: 4.423km
Weather: Sunny in the morning, cloudy during the afternoon:
Track temperature, 24.3°C / Ambient temperature, 18.7°C
Laps Run: Total – 69
Kilometres Covered: Heikki – 128km approx. / Pedro –
177km approx.
Best Lap Time: Heikki – 1m20.559 at 15:48 / Pedro –
1m19.655 at 16:50
Driver Schedule: Thursday 10th – Lewis and Heikki
Friday 11th – Lewis and Heikki
Monday 14th – Pedro and Gary
Tuesday 15th – Lewis and Heikki
Wednesday 16th – Lewis and Heikki
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