Alonso flying on Ferrari debut

Eurosport - Wed, 03 Feb 16:02:00 2010

Fernando Alonso got off to a flying start on his debut Formula One test with Ferrari at Valencia, setting the pace on the third and final day by over half a second while Jenson Button also made his debut with McLaren.

Fernando Alonso Ferrari F10 Test Valencia Cheste 03/05/2010 Photo EFE - 0

The Spaniard, cheered on by over 30,000 fans at the Ricardo Tormo circuit, laid down a marker of one minute 11.470 seconds as he evaluated set-up and tested handling with various fuel loads over 127 laps.

It was the fastest time over the three-day test, which has been blessed with warm weather.

"It was a very good day," said Alonso. "I found the car very easy to drive because Felipe was running two days and I've been taking this information from him and it was a help.

"Let's wait (to see how the pace develops)."

World champion Button, who has joined from Brawn GP, took over McLaren duties from British compatriot Lewis Hamilton.

He completed 82 laps and was fifth in the timesheets as he became acquainted with the all-new cockpit of the MP4-25 then worked on his ideal balance and reliability.

Michael Schumacher was third for Mercedes, some way back from second-placed Pedro de la Rosa of Sauber, after a hydraulic problem brought their day to a close an hour early.

Schumacher worked on set-up and balance for the MGP W01 on his first full day in the cockpit.

"I'm very happy to have been back in a Formula One car this week," he reflected. "We had a short run on Monday and then almost a full day today which has been good.

"The experience has been very positive and the car is running smoothly with just a small hydraulic leak which stopped us slightly early today. The main focus is on reliability and doing as many laps as we can so we're not too worried about looking at the lap-times right now.

"It's a new challenge and a new experience for me this year but knowing Ross so well and working with him again has made it very easy and I feel at home in the team already. I'm feeling fresh and motivated and very positive about the season ahead."

Sauber technical director Willy Rampf said: "We are quite satisfied with the first test. We did exactly 1001 km in total. As well as being reliable, it was important to see that the car responded to changes in the way we expected.

"The drivers' comments on the car basically were in line with that, which also helps the team to work in the right direction.

"In the morning we lost around one and a half hours of track time because of an incident with another car. We had to change the floor, the front wing and the engine cover and to prioritise our programme afterwards. But still it was a good day on the track."

Day three testing results

1. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:11.470 (127 laps)

2. Pedro De La Rosa BMW Sauber 1:12.094 (80)

3. Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP 1:12.438 (82)

4. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso 1:12.576 (97)

5. Jenson Button McLaren 1:12.951 (82)

6. Vitaly Petrov Renault 1:13.097 (75)

7. Nico Huelkenberg Williams 1:13.669 (126)

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport

Comment 131 - 150 of 150

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  1. what a load of balderdash please put something worth­ reading in the comments boxes

    From vincenti, on Sun 7 Feb 7:56

  2. i hav a funny felling that schumaccer will win the­ title

    From PAUL, on Sun 7 Feb 4:31

  3. Oh playground threats, I know someone else who goes in­ for that sort of stuff wizzonroute.

    What a muppet you­ are muppetroot, your wizzo disguise wouldn't fool­ anyone for that long.

    From offmymash, on Sat 6 Feb 6:47

  4. Don't resort to insults just answer the question,­ which is very easy.

    Did you watch the TV news last­ night wizzonroute?

    How did your master Bingo Boy know­ you watched the news last night (if you did)?

    Surely­ even you have the intellect to answer this wizzonroute.

    From offmymash, on Sat 6 Feb 6:33

  5. I would have thought that nearly all of the idiots who­ watched the news last night hadn't got the faintest­ idea who Virgin GP are and couldn't care a­ less.

    Try to stop calling people idiots muppetroot,­ after all it is a term best suited to you. I will­ certainly keep on calling you offensive nicknames until­ (a) you stop lying all of the time Wiffy, eg Virgin­ testing yesterday, and (b) stop being abusive to people­ who post on here Bingo Boy, although you are not­ offensive to your fake IDs of course. Actually­ that's another proviso, STOP posting with those­ fake IDs mouron.

    From scarymaryquitecontrary, on Sat 6 Feb 5:53

  6. Did wizzonroute watch the news? Do you know if he­ watched the news?

    Oh of course you kmow beause you are­ wizzo. QED

    From offmymash, on Sat 6 Feb 5:44

  7. give it up touron youve been rumbled again lol.At the­ clubhouse roflmao,using someone elses lappy i expect­ its Sir jackies innit haha.Yesturday you stated­ catagorically that there was no testing whatso ever at­ siverstone on thursday now you say that the virgin­ broke down on the club circuit presumably whilst­ testing so which is it bearing in mind that most of the­ worlds press is in agreement that there was a test on­ thursday

    From G, on Sat 6 Feb 5:39

  8. Much better. Keep it up.
    :-)

    From C3p0, on Sat 6 Feb 5:32

  9. Please tourontoot give us a rest stop posting for a­ while.
    Iv now developed Hiccups with laughing so­ much:-))
    Last time i laugh this much was when one of­ the guys on here sent an email to me about you and in­ it he wrote
    "Nobody can be that olimpically­ stupid.
    That time my wall ended up wearing my­ tea:-)))
    So come on tourontoot be a sport and give us­ time to recover:-))

    From MGA, on Sat 6 Feb 4:42

  10. Bing Boy just how did wizzo know that they were not on­ TV last night and exaclty how did you know that wizzo­ knew that were not on TV last night?

    From offmymash, on Sat 6 Feb 4:36

  11. Wiffy can you just give a straight answer to one­ question please?

    Why is it that there are reports of­ Virtgin testing yesterday in the press and yet you­ maintain that there was none? How did a Mr Clive­ Crocksford on another thread, who lives near­ Silverstone, actually report hearing a slightly­ flat-sounding engine?

    Why is there a discrepancy­ wiffo? Please answer in English that is easy to­ understand Wiffo.

    From Alistair, on Sat 6 Feb 4:33

  12. I may have sense Master Touron, but I also have­ manners. Something which YOU would be well advised to­ employ.
    :-)

    From C3p0, on Sat 6 Feb 4:26

  13. Ellie
    I know the answer to that one as well so you see­ i learned other things at that approved school:-))

    From MGA, on Sat 6 Feb 4:05

  14. tourontoot said there was no testing at silverstone­ yesterday:-)))))))))))))))))))
    HeHeHeHeHe dont you just­ love it:-)))))
    Had to go to bed last night as my sides­ were sore with laughing:-))))

    From MGA, on Sat 6 Feb 4:03

  15. Now that we know wizzo id in fact just another wiffy­ fake ID why does wiffy persist in still logging in as­ him?

    Simple answer wiffy please.

    From Trevor `Not Wizzo the Weasel` Riley, on Sat 6 Feb 3:24

  16. Adrian,
    Rather than call you an idiot like some would,­ I shall just point out that it was the Stowe circuit,­ which measures 0.7960 miles. Much smaller than the GP­ circuit. However, if we are talking lapS, then it was­ miles in plural, too and not 50 metres.
    :-)

    From C3p0, on Sat 6 Feb 2:45

  17. OK here's a quote from a report written by someone­ who was actually at the shakedown:
    "The new Virgin­ Racing Formula One car completed its first laps­ "
    Note the word LAPS; plural. Means more than one.­ So the car did more than 50 mtrs, (unless the­ Silverstone lap distance is less than 50mts).

    From the real ade, on Sat 6 Feb 2:28

  18. sorry Count, but as my posts and others have been­ removed, I cannot for the life of me remember what I­ meant :-) blame the drugs, I always do

    From Ellie, on Sat 6 Feb 2:13
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Wizzo you have a great day today, i've got a lot on­ today. Just remember , it wont be long before we can­ see the Prancing Horses romp away from things, and like­ i said the other day,Mercedes Petronas HAS GOT TO FIND­ ABOUT 1.5 SECONDS per lap to be anywhere near the­ Ferrari. I hear you dont like my idol SCHUI but after­ the first few races you will change a few of your­ spots,( for certain) wait and see, read my poem and­ KEEP the word UPHENDED close to you .

    touronroute

    From touronroute., on Sat 6 Feb 2:12
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    adam G, did you see the big Virgin TEST on BBC News, ­ wasn't it good, what a shakedown;;;
    adam i was­ taking the PI?S at a knowall who knows nothing, only­ reads all the papers and believes everything to be­ true.

    From touronroute., on Sat 6 Feb 1:59
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