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F1 testing begins

F1 test is go, and Schu leads way

The 2008 Formula One season has kicked off with the teams hon­ing their cars for the post-traction control era.

F1 testing

By James Foxall

21st November 2007

Not only did the test in Barcelona, Spain, see the racers running with a common Engine Control Unit for the first time, it also featured a host of new faces in new places.
 
It took me a bit of time, then I was back in the groove. But I was surprised I was so quickly on the pace

The renamed Force India F1 squad spent time evaluating former Red Bull drivers Christian Klien and Vitantonio Liuzzi for its remaining seat, alongside Adrian Sutil. Austrian Klien finished the quicker of the two.

Newly crowned ChampCar title holder Sebastien Bourdais got a chance to acquaint himself with new team Toro Rosso. And Honda tested Italian ace Luca Fillipi, German Andreas Zuber and British star Mike Conway as it hunts for a reserve driver.

But the headlines – and top spot on the time sheets – belonged to Michael Schumacher, who was driving a grand prix car in anger for the first time since retiring at the end of 2006. Former employer Ferrari had drafted him in to gain from his exper­ience in the early Nineties of driving F1 racers without traction control.

The German admitted to feeling nervous before he started driving. He said: “I felt like I did when I was 18 again. Being out on the track is still a very good feeling. It took me a bit of time, maybe two laps, and then I was back into the groove. And I have to say I surprised myself that I was on the pace again so soon.”

Schumacher clocked the quickest lap, ahead of McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa. Ferrari regular Felipe Massa was third fastest.

Meanwhile, Jean Todt has stepped down as boss of the Ferrari grand prix outfit. He will now concentrate on running the road car side of the operation. Todt’s place has been taken by long-time team manager Stefano Domenicali.

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F1 testing
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