2009 F1 testing notes: January 21st (Update: video and pictures added)

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Massa tested the Ferrari F60 at Mugello. More pictures from today's test below

Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso are among the F1 drivers testing today.

See below for more information on today’s F1 tests and share your thoughts on testing as it progresses throughout the day.

Update: Video and pictures from today’s test added.

Tracks, teams and drivers

Algarve Motor Park, Portimao, Portugal – McLaren (Lewis Hamilton), Williams, Toyota, Renault (Fernando Alonso) and Toro Rosso (Sebastien Buemi)
Mugello, Italy – Ferrari (Felipe Massa)
Circuito Ricardo Tormo, Valencia, Spain – BMW

All the teams except Toro Rosso will be using their 2009-specification cars.

You can post pictures, video and more on the F1 Fanatic drop.io and add links in the comments below. You can also share videos with me via my Youtube account.

Pictures from today’s F1 test

Video from today’s F1 test

2009 F1 testing

Image copyright: Toro Rosso – Getty Images; BMW – BMW ag; Ferrari – Ferrari spa; Toyota – Toyota F1 World

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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31 comments on “2009 F1 testing notes: January 21st (Update: video and pictures added)”

  1. misc_d
    21st January 2009, 11:08

    First red flag of the day in Portimao – there’s a Toyota on fire. Sunny and dry, should be for the whole day today, before the rain returns tomorrow.

  2. Becken
    21st January 2009, 12:09

    The lap times so far:

    1 – L. Hamilton/McLaren – MP4-24…………….1:38.962 25
    2 – F. Alonso/Renault – R29……………………….1:39.311+0.34928
    3 – S. Buemi/Toro Rosso – STR3…………………1:40.545+1.58327
    4 – N. Rosberg/Williams – FW31………………….1:41.124+2.16234
    5 – T. Glock/Toyota – TF109………………………1:41.923+2.96143

    1. Profile Photo

      Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
      21st January 2009, 13:41

      Thanks Becken – good to see the teams finally getting some dry running.

    2. Becken
      21st January 2009, 13:49

      Update pre-lunch

      1 – S. BuemiToro Rosso/STR3……………………1:29.435 50
      2 – N. RosbergWilliams/FW31…………………….1:33.816+4.38164
      3 – F. AlonsoRenault/R29……………………………1:34.610+5.17552
      4 – L. HamiltonMcLaren/MP4-24………………….1:38.962+9.52727
      5 – T. GlockToyotaTF109/…………………………1:41.923+12.48844

    3. mundtj
      21st January 2009, 15:29

      Where do you get times,please

    4. Becken
      21st January 2009, 16:45

      Hi, MUND

      You can try HERE

      They´re doing an interesting coverage right from the place. The text is in norwish.

  3. Miguel
    21st January 2009, 14:37

    It’s a shame the weather here in Portugal is uncommonly rainy for this time of the year. It’s raining season, ok, but never like this… Not even Algarve escaped the rain. According to the weather sites it’s getting better from now on. Today, here in Lisbon, it didn’t rain. A few drops of water fell from the sky, but that’s all. The sky is cloudy, but the sun makes regular appearances, at least until now, 14:30.

    (By the way, congrats on this great site with lots of info, details and big photos for us, the really F1 fanatics ;) )

    I hope to see Formula One back here, in Portugal, for testing and for a race, if not in Estoril, in Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, no matter, I’ll be there!

  4. Arthur 954
    21st January 2009, 16:34

    I have a feeling that the Renault is well designed and Fast Fred will be right up there fighting for the WDC. The Renault team have a lot of talent, and a unique way of doing things.
    What a pity about their livery though ! in any case good luck to them, I hope that KERS does not interfere with what I think will be a great year
    cheers !

  5. Miguel
    21st January 2009, 17:06

    Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (Portugal)
    Jan 21th, 2009 | 17:00 Local Time
    Formula One Tests

    1. Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso STR3) – 1:28.737 –> 115 laps
    2. Nico Rosberg (Williams FW31) – 1:29.729 (+0.992) –> 129
    3. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4-24) – 1:31.065 (+2.328) –> 66
    4. Fernando Alonso (Renault R29) – 1:31.743 (+3.006) –> 73
    5. Timo Glock (Toyota TF109) – 1:33.482 (+4.745) –> 52

  6. John H
    21st January 2009, 17:28

    Hey, that Williams is flying!… albeit after doing 129 laps, but still.

  7. Miguel
    21st January 2009, 17:44

    HAMILTON AND ALONSO’S TURN
    DRIVERS TEST NEW CARS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALGARVE
    Jan 21st, 2009 MORNING

    Lewis Hamilton made, today, the first laps on the new McLaren MP4-24, in Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (AIA), on the third of fourth days of Official Formula One Testing.

    The 2008 World Champion, arrived yesterday in Portugal, but only today, showed up on the track, made a start simulation at the end of his first lap, and entered the pit lane into McLaren’s boxes, at the end of his second lap.

    Hamilton returned to the track after 40 minutes and then he was able to do the first “real” laps with the new MP4-24, starting to register a high time of 1.55,021, very far from the track record of 1.27,718, made by his team mate, last Saturday, Pedro de la Rosa, test driver from McLaren-Mercedes.

    Continuing to adapt to the track and the car, Hamilton improved his time to 1.46,553. Still, when he returned to the pits after 15 laps, he was yet far from the best time of the day, taken by Toro Rosso’s driver, Sébastien Buemi (1.40,546), with a car still with 2008 specs.

    Fernando Alonso, World Champion in 2005 and 2006 also had a brief contact with his new car – the Renault R29.

    After coming out of the pits to immediately go in again, the spaniard, now without Hamilton on the track, came back and made 1.53,252, a little better than the british made on his first flying lap.

    But when he returned to the pits, after 9 laps, Alonso had only made 1.51,302, time that made him the slowest driver of the day, so far.

    Buemi was on top (with 27 laps done and a time of 1.40,546), followed by the german from Toyota, Timo Glock (28 laps and 1.42,616), Lewis Hamilton (15 laps and 1.46,553) and the german from Williams-Toyota, Nico Rosberg (25 laps and 1.49,418).

    After two rainy days, with hail falling Tuesday morning, the Wednesday morning greets the drivers with clear skies and bright sun, but the track was still a little wet and very cold – between 7:30 and 7:45 AM the track temperature was negative.

  8. Paige
    21st January 2009, 18:39

    Why is McLaren still testing the 2008-spec rear wing? Did they leave the 2009-spec wing at home or something?

    1. Becken
      21st January 2009, 18:49

      McLaren report:

      “Lewis returned to the cockpit for his first taste of the 2009 regulations and the team’s new MP4-24 car.

      While the weather was markedly improved over the previous two days, the morning remained damp, requiring the continued use of an ’08-spec rear wing and intermediate tyres.

      (…)

      In the afternoon, conditions sufficiently improved to allow an ’09-spec rear wing and several sets of slicks to be bolted to the car, resulting in Lewis’s best time of 1m30.242”

    2. francois
      21st January 2009, 19:41

      @Becken

      Will be rather interesting to see wet races if they feel they have to run with a 2008 rear wing in the wet conditions now…

    3. Becken
      21st January 2009, 19:48

      I think everybody is sailing on the same boat so far:

      “There is a massive drop in downforce and grip. In the [wet] conditions it was very difficult to get temperature in the tyres. It was really hard for everyone out there and it was nearly impossible to drive.

      This is the first feeling!”

      Trulli in Autosport

  9. Alejandro
    21st January 2009, 18:55

    I’m so eager to start reading into those times… i wish we could somehow get a glimpse of true pace. It would be so cool if Williams were back on track

  10. Chaz
    21st January 2009, 21:06

    I’ve seen on other sites that Lewis is still today using the McLaren with last years back wing. This is a little concerning as perhaps McLaren are more behind than they may care to admit. What might the benefits be of using the old back wing be. I’m curious to know what Torro Rosso is getting out of this using last years car as well, that is other than giving Buemi some seat time…

  11. Profile Photo

    Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
    21st January 2009, 21:30

    Video posted above shows Hamilton was definitely using the 2008-spec rear wing. He also stopped with an apparent problem on the track.

    1. Becken
      21st January 2009, 21:42

      Well, at least he set his best time with the 2009 one and with slicks tyres. Picture HERE.

    2. Chaz
      21st January 2009, 21:50

      Strange video. It looks like Lewis broke down in the car with the old back wing but then goes back out in the new 2009 spec car with the narrow back wing..

  12. Alejandro
    21st January 2009, 22:16

    Is it me or some of those cars seem to have so little grip? or rather they seem unstable?

  13. John H
    21st January 2009, 22:40

    @ Alejandro

    I know they could be on cold tyres, but these cars do indeed appear to be all over the shop… although I couldn’t quite make out how damp the track was.

    Be prepared for an eventful season though if this is anything to go by.

  14. Profile Photo

    Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
    21st January 2009, 23:04

    Thanks everyone who posted times and stuff today – we’ll be back with more tomorrow…

  15. zerogee
    21st January 2009, 23:30

    They look a bit better in motion than static, I reckon.

    Nice to see them slipping about a bit. Going to be interesting to see how they cope on the slippery street circuit on the first Friday prac.

  16. Melanie
    22nd January 2009, 1:47

    Ferrari info

    Today, it was Felipe Massa’s turn to take to the track, continuing with development work on the new Ferrari F60, begun by Kimi Raikkonen over the past couple of days.

    The weather was slightly better than on previous days, but the track remained damp throughout, preventing the use of slick tyres. In total, Felipe completed 104 laps, the quickest in a time of 1.33.353.

    Chris Dyer: “We have run over 500KM without a single problem, we are taking the first steps and so far everything works. Felipe has been testing the KERS for most of the day and it seems to work, the only blot on the copybook is that we haven’t been able to run with dry tyres yet.”

  17. Bud
    22nd January 2009, 1:54

    Great Massa rain shot, nice one Keith.

  18. Michel S.
    22nd January 2009, 4:14

    If the problem in the rain continues, perhaps they could rescind the blanket warmer ban, at least for wet conditions?

    1. Profile Photo

      Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
      22nd January 2009, 8:50

      Perhaps, but tyre warmers are legal this year, they’re being banned for 2010.

      However Bridgestone was known to be considering a switch from two wet weather tyres to one, perhaps this will make them reconsider?

  19. mani
    22nd January 2009, 4:46

    With the times posted, I suppose Williams is already in good terms with the regulation changes. I believe they looked the same in last year’s winter testing as well, but didn’t deliver when it mattered :( I’m expecting them to be in contention this year, but for now I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

  20. mani
    22nd January 2009, 5:10

    Thanks for the link Becken! The pics were nice, few things I’ve noted
    1) Alonso running off-track, early on a turn
    2) Williams have tried shark fin engine cover too (and it suits them better then Renault :) )
    3) Toyota were also running the shark fin engine cover

  21. Profile Photo

    Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
    22nd January 2009, 9:17

    Testing coverage continues here: 2009 F1 testing notes: January 22nd

Comments are closed.