Today the 2010 Formula 1 circus had its busiest official test session at the Jerez circuit. A total of 12 drivers from 11 teams clocked crucial laps at the Spanish race track. All teams were present except for USF1 and Campos, the only two teams that have yet to launch their 2010 contenders.
Today was also Lotus Racing’s first official test session and the team’s third and reserve driver Fairuz Fauzy was behind the wheel. He completed a total of 76 laps and managed to set a personal best lap time of 1:31.848. That lap time put him in 11th place but he was more than 2 seconds quicker than Virgin Racing’s Timo Glock who set a lap time of 1:34.453.
The fastest driver was Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull who set 1:22.593. The German was quicker than Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa from McLaren and Ferrari respectively while Michael Schumacher from Mercedes GP Petronas completed 111 laps and managed to set 1:23.803 which put him in sixth.
However its very hard to use these lap times as an accurate performance indicator. During such tests sessions, different cars may run on different fuel levels, tires and other settings such as aerodynamics. Teams are still developing their cars hence a more accurate indicator will be the performance during the season-opening race in Bahrain which will happen next month.
At the same time Virgin Racing has been spending a lot of time at the bottom end of the time sheets for the past five test sessions. This may be a sign that Lotus Racing’s ‘rival’ is struggling with its car. Nevertheless lets catch the first race on March 14th and find out!
Harvinder Singh Sidhu thinks there's nothing better than Formula 1, not even sliced bread. Having written about cars since 2006, he plunged head first into the industry out of a passion for all things four-wheeled and everything in between. The F1 enthusiast has been following the sport since 1999 and has been keeping up with it since. In between races he keeps himself busy as the host of the Driven motoring TV programme and as our version of the Joker.
not so bad la..for the starter
Hmmm..not bad for a start.
Good news… good for Lotus… well done Fairuz…
good luck lotus. hope will be mid-table tis season.
Haha…. lets make Richard Brandson serve coffee in airasia uniform..
well done,fauzy.good job!
1st?
But they were 9.255 seconds from the leader and that really matters.
1st!!!!
Good job Fairuz.
Before anyone who doesn't' follow F1 simply bash him for being 9 seconds off pace, let me point out this:
-this was lotus 1st proper run on a circuit, and being a new team, its normal to be off the pace since the car is newly built.
-the weather was off and on raining, therefore he didn't have the chance to maximize the use of slicks to set the best time. It was luck to (not) get the perfect conditions.
-like Paul said, direct speed comparison is not possible, as all team test different variables, eg fuel load, tyres, suspension.
-he DIDN'T HAVE power steering throughout the test (aiyoo, macam Proton problem pulak..), while all other cars had. This is quite a feat.
-He did 76 laps without any incident at all, no stopping or spinning.
-For comparison, Virgin driven by Timo Glock on its first test was 17 seconds off the leader.
Therefore kudos to Fairuz Fauzy. Hope he gets a chance to compete in the season, maybe if Trulli falls sick..
All the best Malaysia
Great job by fairuz. however i'm sure kovalainen and truli can do better fastest lap time considering their experience as competitive F1 drivers. Thnx for the update paul. So when will the lotus merchandise hit the stores? :p
i read at f1 website fairuz do the lap time without power steering lol.
Here's the stats that our dear blogger has missed out:
Unofficial Wednesday times from Jerez:
1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 1:22.593, 99 Laps
2. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 1:23.017, 72 Laps
3. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 1:23.204, 72 Laps
4. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 1:23.322, 79 Laps
5. Pedro de la Rosa, BMW Sauber, 1:23.367, 76 Laps
6. Michael Schumacher, Mercedes GP, 1:23.803, 111 Laps
7. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 1:24.272, 28 Laps
8. Paul di Resta, Force India, 1:25.088, 74 Laps
9. Vitaly Petrov, Renault, 1:26.237, 55 Laps
10. Rubens Barrichello, Williams, 1:27.320, 109 Laps
11. Fairuz Fauzy, Lotus, 1:31.848, 76 Laps
12. Timo Glock, Virgin, 1:34.453, 10 Laps
It's still too early to judge Fairuz, remember he is still a beginner. Other factors such as car settings and optimizations should be taken as well.
Congrats to Lotus Racing on a successful incident-free test debut. The good news is that Virgin are still sorting out issues with the VR-01. Last week it was a front-wing failure and they didn't bring spare parts along (what the..) and this time its a hydraulic problem.
We haven't seen the actual potential of the T127 yet, since Fauzy was driving conservatively with no power steering fitted. Fingers crossed the car will be fine over the rest of the testing period.
good keep it up…
Wow.. impressed! Nice job Fairuz+Lotus team!… not bad eh… Couldn't wait for the race day…
F1 bukan hanya pada kelajuan tapi konsisten dan daya tahan jentera sepanjang perlumbaan.
Dan, Lotus telah buktikan pada hari pertama! dengan 76 pusingan berbanding 10 virgin masih bergelut dengan pelbagai masalah.
F Fauzy harus diberi pujian kerana pada suatu ketika beliau telah dapat menyaingi masa T Glock (William) di litar basah dan tiada power stering!
Tahniah F Fauzy dan Lotus.
first
1 malaysia.
Wah, Fairuz finished 9 seconds behind Vettel !!
Lotus car without power steering… on first day test..
hopefully today managed getting power steering parts.
1st
not bad…!!!
Fairuz Fauzy drove the T127 without power steering (with no power steering it was difficult to drive in the dry). Impressive. He also gained superlincense after completed more than 300km. Kudos Fairuz Fauzy!
cool!
As long as the team finishes the season not in the last place, i think it is acceptable. A mid pack position would be great!
Way to go Fairuz…!! hopefully u'll get your chance somewhere in the season
quite expected. Anyway its very hard to see who is fastest during this test sessions but according to espn
" he completed a healthy 76 laps despite not having power-assisted steering. His best lap time was over nine seconds off the pace, but team boss Tony Fernandes was happy with its progress and congratulated his test driver. The team is hoping to fit power steering overnight for Heikki Kovalainen's first run in the car tomorrow.
"To arrive here and complete 76 laps is fantastic," said Fauzy. "Today was a big challenge, both to complete the 300kms I need for the Super License [the license required to race in F1], and with no power steering it was difficult to drive in the dry, not so bad in the wet, so I was driving a bit conservatively but I am just very pleased."
I guess its better than virgin… that car is shite, has not even done a decent test, and now showing the effects of mr bransons idea of not using a wind tunnel and only rely on computer simulations… Today Heikki will take the wheel would be fun to see how he match up to the rest of the grid. p.s like i said before fairuz will only get this one shot in the car… he most likely wont sit in the car for the rest of the season..
Looking at the timesheet Fairus is not far off Rubens' pace. Means the car has got potential in the hands of a far more experienced race driver aka Jarno Trulli. A good news indeed. Cant wait for the season opener.
ford_ton said,
February 18, 2010 @ 9:40 am
Looking at the timesheet Fairus is not far off Rubens’ pace. Means the car has got potential in the hands of a far more experienced race driver aka Jarno Trulli. A good news indeed. Cant wait for the season opener
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Once again, due to the nature of pre-season tests, that is a premature conclusion. It's impossible to compare the two cars that way. You don't know what testing programme Rubens was doing.
Having said that, kudos to FF. Unfortunate that he won't be in the car ever again except for another test day next week.
The no power steering situation is less of an issue in the wet but it is a pain in dry conditions.
The results from yesterday was expected of Fairuz. It is no surprise and those who know him know that he is more than qualified for the testing duties. He has to work closely with the team to collect data, give important feedback and test various configurations. Nothing new for him, really.
He is also not a 'noob' in the single seater race world. In terms of technical and competency he is as experienced as any european driver out there outside of F1 if not more experienced than some. Just look at his bio and how many races he has done.
It is certainly no issue for him to race the distance of an F1 race and he will qualify well without problems. However to be competitive in F1 is a different story. There are many pressures.
All the best to him and hope he gets a lucky break to prove himself.
I wish I can tell Fairuz Fauzy that whatever he is doing, don't take pointers from Alex Yoong… or he might end up either in the gravel pit or not qualified in time trial… LoL!.. Just Don't!
-he DIDN’T HAVE power steering throughout the test (aiyoo, macam Proton problem pulak..), while all other cars had. This is quite a feat.
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ermm…as far as i'm concern, this is Toyota problem in most of their cars several years ago…hahahahah
yes, two ticket to London please. Isle seat and Mr Branson to serve my tea . heh heh. Uh, by the way,.. please ask him to wear a proper pantyhose.. that hair on his legs looks scary with your red uniform .
Glad the test went well and indeed a good feat by Fairuz Fauzy. If the power steering is fitted and the driver is Heiki or Trully who has more experience, i think Lotus can sped up to 4-6 secs to match with Williams and Force India.
Hopefully we can see a competitive Lotus car by the season start in Bahrain. I also praying the team will get more sponsors from overseas cause this is a deserving team beside the Saubers.
looks like all the cosworth powered cars will form the tail-end of this year's grid and probably get lapped 3 or 4 times by the leaders…
anti-morons said,
February 18, 2010 @ 10:10 am
I wish I can tell Fairuz Fauzy that whatever he is doing, don’t take pointers from Alex Yoong… or he might end up either in the gravel pit or not qualified in time trial… LoL!.. Just Don’t!
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I just don't get this favourite Malaysian past time fascination with Alex Yoong. This guy was in F1 a bloody NINE years ago! He has since moved on and redeemed his career reputation in the eyes of the international racing world(Malaysians will NEVER 'get it') with some stellar performance in A1GP.
Yet here we are once again mulling about the past which I don't really think is about him anymore but more to do with Malaysians and their inability to get past their own disgrace which in itself is a disgrace. Sickening really.
Why on earth would Fairuz need pointers from Alex is another bizarre pointless question.
Go Fairuz, go Fairuz, go Fairuz…
way to go fauzy.. well done!!
As expected, the Lotus team will most probably end up at the back end of the order throughout the season with the rest of the Cosworth guys. The backenders have disappeared last year with all the teams qualifying within a one second timeframe but it seems to be back this year with all the new teams coming into the F1.
However, the season is long and if by midway through the season they could elevate themselves to mid grid position that would be a roaring success. I think if they could be the clear winners among the new guys that would be considered a good comeback debut season for lotus.
wakaka said,
February 18, 2010 @ 10:13 am
-he DIDN’T HAVE power steering throughout the test (aiyoo, macam Proton problem pulak..), while all other cars had. This is quite a feat.
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ermm…as far as i’m concern, this is Toyota problem in most of their cars several years ago…hahahahah
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They still face the problem.. today in paper US govt start investigating problem regarding Toyota Corolla Steering…. haiya what's wrong with toyota nowadays?
as long as the car is consistent… it's already a great achievement. it's no use having a fast car which cannot last the race distance.
looking forward to the season opener in Bahrain.
Congrats!….
But I still think it is not a wise decision to move into F1.
Congrats. Not a bad start for the team.
Now, if only the FIA would give Sebastien Loeb a superlicense…… he was quite impressive in Red Bull's old car.
If my memory is correct, Alex Yoong use the "no power steering" as an excuse for not qualifying. Nevertheless, I'm excited to see more news on Fairuz development in his F1 racing career.
anti-morons, maybe you should get a "gag-order" or "restraining-order" against Alex Yoong so that he didn't even dare to moot a thing to Fairuz. LOL!
Congratulation to LOTUS F1
wow, 2nd placing (from the bottom).
anybody knows Fairuz nickname???is he aint got any..lets give one for him..lets see..pocketrocketman is taken..powersteeringman sounds good..
Hopefully Lotus finish mid-grid. For both cars. Maybe with some championship pionts, that'd be a bonus. Most exciting season ever.
Well done Lotus Racing!
Well done Fairuz..The timesheet was nothing serious IMHO..This is because they're still improving the cars aero and not having power steering..Hope the Lotus power steering will give a greater improvements..Thus taking Lotus Handling to a next level..
Just wait for the real qualification time in bahrain…i think lotus will make a suprise there…
It's obvious that Fairuz was not pushing the car as he wanted to complete the 300 km to obtain his superlicence.
Also, i think the team is also evaluating the car's system reliability and race day simulation run. Remember, this year there is no refulling, just tyre change, so Fairuz could have been driving on full fuel load, hence the slow times.
I am quite sure the team and the regular race drivers could shave off another 5 secs or so with some set up tuning. This will at least give the team a decent position at the end of the first race. They must aim at least to complete the full race, that's already an achievement!
I doubt they will surprise anyone in qualifying in Bahrain. It's too early anyway to make any predictions on that. There will be a better understanding of pace in next week's test in Barcelona
Driving 'ten-tenths' is definitely not the teams primary objective on their 1st day of testing. Reliability would be the objective. Fairuz's slow times is as expected and nothing to do with his perceived ability/inability. It was only a reflection of the team's test programme that day. Fairuz can be considered to have done a good job if he managed to provide the team with as much feedback and data on the day. Even if he had power steering, driving the car to its limits on day one would have only demonstrated a lack of discipline and professionalism by the driver.
Congratulation to Fairuz. You make us proud.
Kudos Fairuz..
Keep up the good work
congrat to fairuz!!!!!but if lotus f1 win at least 1 race (hope)i think malaysia will go wild lo..
It's double standard for Lotus to deny fairuz the use of power steering but for heiki's test session it's different. The power steering will be conveniently there for his session.
Total in history, 7 lotus driver dies in racing accident, the last is Elio De Angelis. We see who is next
let see who will wear the dress.. air asia or virgin….
Syed Nasurudin….. Are you praying that someone gonna die?????? Are waiting for ppl to die??????
STFU and GTH… what kind of Muslim / person are you wishing for ppl to die??? Bloody stupid….
good start!i adore this guy particularly on the seriousness of his face…it showed up his passion and determination towards progressing well in F1 motorsports..
now can start getting branson's size lahh..:-)
fazron80 said,
February 18, 2010 @ 7:04 pm
It’s double standard for Lotus to deny fairuz the use of power steering but for heiki’s test session it’s different. The power steering will be conveniently there for his session.
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Shite happens. Parts not arriving on time for supplier/factory does happen sometimes during testing weeks. As it's about rapid prototyping and sometimes logistcial issues creep up. happens to the best teams even. lack of spares however it would be unacceptable during a race weekend.
There is no conspiracy against Fairuz and it would not do the team any favours if he was 'handicapped'. It's just one of those things I'm afraid.
Heikki crushed into the barriers in day 2 ?
FF is better for completing 76 laps without crushed.
a good first run and I am happy/proud that fairuz has also been granted his superlicence.
i wouldn't be too concerned about being 9 seconds off the pace during testing as there are 1,001 variables contributing to this. the real first test to see whether the new car is on or off the pace will be the opening round of the championship and this is where even 2 seconds a lap slower will be put you well at the back of the grid.
my concern, and i state this with all sincerity, is whether fairuz will be given the opportunity by lotus to function and perform his duties as a full time test driver. i hope the team doesn't take for granted a malaysian driver being there just for show and publicity.sponsorship purposes. if he is good, and indeed fairuz has proven that he is from past experiences, then he should be clocking more drive time this season compared to the other 2 permanent drivers although he remains unseen behind the scenes.
btw, knowing richard branson, he may not have the fastest car on the track but he will more than likely sure as hell have the best looking chickas hanging around the paddock.
go richard – bring back those super sexy jordan grand prix girls!
Thats why its important to stay well within limits and keep the car on track at this stage of testing. Heiki's off cost the team half a day of valuable running time which cannot be recovered. Gascoyne must be doing his best right now to contain his dissapointment
Alex Yoong is a good driver… ppl bashing on him just bcoz he drive badly for Minardi… everybody knows that Minardi car is bad.. not Alex!.. after f1 he won many races including A1GP, Macau GP and many more.. ppl will realise how good he is if he was given a competitve car… just like Alonso on Minardi b4.. Alex make Malaysian proud on A1.. for 2 season we r the only Asian country in top 6…
enuf talking abt Fauzy. He wont be in the driver seat later. He wont be racing, unless IF one of the driver cannot drive….
So, end of the story….
why not have 2 test driver, alex yoong and fairuz, so we can see ho gud they are compare with official drivers
10. Lucas di Grassi Virgin Racing, 1:23.504, 34
11. Heikki Kovalainen, Lotus, 1:23.521, 68
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100219/F1/10021…