Bahrein Tests
Two of the biggest teams in Formula One, ScuderiaFerrari and Panasonic Toyota Racing, will meet at the Bahrain InternationalCircuit for six days of pre-season testing on February 4-6 and February 9-11,beginning the build-up to the 2008 Gulf-Air Bahrain Grand Prix on April 4-6.
These are the vital stages of preparation for all the teams in the 2008 FIAFormula One World Championship as the brand new cars, designed over the lastyear, hit the track before the start of the season. With three ‘flyaway’ racesat the start of the year in Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain, the European-basedteams need to gather as much information – and speed – from the new machines asthey can before the gruelling racing schedule gets underway.
Adding to the importance of pre-season testing are some significant changes tothe sport’s regulations in 2008. Having largely mastered the challenge ofbuilding engines that must last for two race weekends, the gearboxes in each carmust now last four consecutive races. The new rule aims to improve reliabilityand cut costs, and every unscheduled gearbox change in practice or qualifyingwill cost the driver five places on the grid.
The biggest changes concern the electronic systems on the cars. A standardised,FIA-approved Engine Control Unit will ensure equal performance among all theteams and also brings an end to ‘driver aids’ most notably Traction Control. Theaim is to place more emphasis on driver skill than on technical advantage, andshould lead to more overtaking and excitement during the race.
As a result of these changes pre-season testing time is at a premium and bothworld champion Kimi Räikkönen and team mate Felipe Massa have already been busybedding in the new Ferrari F2008 since it was revealed earlier this month. Thenew car looks extremely similar to the car that won the team both the drivers’and constructors’ titles last year but looks are often deceiving and a host ofchanges have been made by the team in order to enhance its performance andreliability.
The suspension and aerodynamics have been redesigned to make the car lesssensitive to changing track conditions. Amongst the changes, the nose of the carhas been raised to the point where it now has to bulge beneath the cockpit inorder to fit the driver’s hips inside.
The Toyota team approaches 2008 with a new look and an entirely new design. TheTF108 features a longer wheelbase and new aerodynamics designed to make iteasier to tune the handling of the car to each circuit. The team also has a newdriver in the form of Timo Glock, the 2007 GP2 series champion, who follows NicoRosberg and Lewis Hamilton in graduating from GP2 success into the front line ofFormula One.
Once again the BIC is inviting the public to come for a preview of theforthcoming Grand Prix action with a Public Day at this year’s Formula Onetesting. On Saturday February 9th there will be public admission for the nominalfee of BD1 for adults and 500 fils for children. In addition the Ithmaar GroupYalla Bahrain! F1 Football Fives competition will be taking place on aspecially-constructed pitch, and there will be non-stop action in this nationalfive-a-side football tournament.
A VIP experience of Formula One testing is also available for corporate guestsand groups, priced at BD65 per person and including five-star catering,exclusive pit lane tours and gift packs for all.
To date there have been 10 days of testing in 2008 at the Valencia and Jerezcircuits, with Ferrari fastest on four days in total and Toyota fastest once onthe final day’s at the Jerez circuit. While lap times make headlines, however,the real business is in building towards the start of the new season and bothToyota and Ferrari believe that including Bahrain in their pre-season schedulecould be decisive in this year’s world championship.
These are the vital stages of preparation for all the teams in the 2008 FIAFormula One World Championship as the brand new cars, designed over the lastyear, hit the track before the start of the season. With three ‘flyaway’ racesat the start of the year in Australia, Malaysia and Bahrain, the European-basedteams need to gather as much information – and speed – from the new machines asthey can before the gruelling racing schedule gets underway.
Adding to the importance of pre-season testing are some significant changes tothe sport’s regulations in 2008. Having largely mastered the challenge ofbuilding engines that must last for two race weekends, the gearboxes in each carmust now last four consecutive races. The new rule aims to improve reliabilityand cut costs, and every unscheduled gearbox change in practice or qualifyingwill cost the driver five places on the grid.
The biggest changes concern the electronic systems on the cars. A standardised,FIA-approved Engine Control Unit will ensure equal performance among all theteams and also brings an end to ‘driver aids’ most notably Traction Control. Theaim is to place more emphasis on driver skill than on technical advantage, andshould lead to more overtaking and excitement during the race.
As a result of these changes pre-season testing time is at a premium and bothworld champion Kimi Räikkönen and team mate Felipe Massa have already been busybedding in the new Ferrari F2008 since it was revealed earlier this month. Thenew car looks extremely similar to the car that won the team both the drivers’and constructors’ titles last year but looks are often deceiving and a host ofchanges have been made by the team in order to enhance its performance andreliability.
The suspension and aerodynamics have been redesigned to make the car lesssensitive to changing track conditions. Amongst the changes, the nose of the carhas been raised to the point where it now has to bulge beneath the cockpit inorder to fit the driver’s hips inside.
The Toyota team approaches 2008 with a new look and an entirely new design. TheTF108 features a longer wheelbase and new aerodynamics designed to make iteasier to tune the handling of the car to each circuit. The team also has a newdriver in the form of Timo Glock, the 2007 GP2 series champion, who follows NicoRosberg and Lewis Hamilton in graduating from GP2 success into the front line ofFormula One.
Once again the BIC is inviting the public to come for a preview of theforthcoming Grand Prix action with a Public Day at this year’s Formula Onetesting. On Saturday February 9th there will be public admission for the nominalfee of BD1 for adults and 500 fils for children. In addition the Ithmaar GroupYalla Bahrain! F1 Football Fives competition will be taking place on aspecially-constructed pitch, and there will be non-stop action in this nationalfive-a-side football tournament.
A VIP experience of Formula One testing is also available for corporate guestsand groups, priced at BD65 per person and including five-star catering,exclusive pit lane tours and gift packs for all.
To date there have been 10 days of testing in 2008 at the Valencia and Jerezcircuits, with Ferrari fastest on four days in total and Toyota fastest once onthe final day’s at the Jerez circuit. While lap times make headlines, however,the real business is in building towards the start of the new season and bothToyota and Ferrari believe that including Bahrain in their pre-season schedulecould be decisive in this year’s world championship.
Source: here
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