Driver line-up set for first F1 test of 2011

2011 F1 testing

29th January 2011, 11:5710th August 2023, 0:01 | Written by Keith Collantine

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Valencia, 2010

The 2011 F1 field assembles in Valencia for the first test of the year starting on Tuesday.

World champion Sebastian Vettel will put the first laps on the Red Bull RB7 on Tuesday before handing over to team mate Mark Webber.

McLaren test driver Gary Paffett will start testing in the team’s 2010 car before handing over to Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, who will both be driving on Pirelli tyres for the first time.

Fernando Alonso will do the first two days of running in the Ferrari F150 which was launched yesterday. Felipe Massa will be in the car for the last day of the test.

Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher will share driving duties in the new Mercedes W02 on the first day of the test.

Here’s the driver line-up for the Valencia test:

Team	Car	Tuesday 1st	Wednesday 2nd	Thursday 3rd
Red Bull	RB7	Sebastian Vettel	Sebastian Vettel (am) Mark Webber (pm)	Mark Webber
McLaren	MP4-25	Gary Paffett	Lewis Hamilton	Jenson Button
Ferrari	F150	Fernando Alonso	Fernando Alonso	Felipe Massa
Mercedes	W02	Nico Rosberg (am) Michael Schumacher (pm)	TBC	TBC
Renault	R31	Vitaly Petrov	Robert Kubica	Robert Kubica
Williams	FW33	Rubens Barrichello	Rubens Barrichello (am) Pastor Maldonado (pm)	Pastor Maldonado
Force India	VJM03	Nico Hulkenberg (am) Paul di Resta (pm)	Paul di Resta	Adrian Sutil
Sauber	C30	Kamui Kobayashi	Sergio Perez	Sergio Perez
Toro Rosso	STR6	Jaime Alguersuari	Jaime Alguersuari (am) Sebastien Buemi (pm)	Sebastien Buemi
Lotus	TL11	None	Heikki Kovalainen	Jarno Trulli
HRT	F110	TBC	TBC	TBC
Virgin	VR-01	Jerome d’Ambrosio	Jerome d’Ambrosio	Timo Glock

HRT have not yet announced who will be driving for them but expect new signing Narain Karthikeyan to be at the wheel.

Lotus are not running on the first day of the test, but will be staying in Valencia for an extra day to test in private. Kovalainen and Trulli will share the car on that day.

F1 Fanatic will be at the Valencia test and launches to bring live coverage and pictures of all the new cars. See here for more information:

F1 testing in Spain: coverage starts here next week

2011 F1 testing

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Image © LAT/Ferraro

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55 comments on “Driver line-up set for first F1 test of 2011”

Dev
29th January 2011, 12:02

guys any prediction? will f150 be faster than rb7? will w02 be good enough to fight at the top.
1. kylenz (@)
  29th January 2011, 12:23
  
  Maybe Williams and Force Indian as well… :)
  1. wasiF1
    29th January 2011, 12:50
    
    Even Sauber may be a surprise.
    1. Dev
      29th January 2011, 12:54
      
      james key (sauber) vs andy green (force india) vs mike gascoyne (team lotus)
      1. TommyB (@tommyb89)
        29th January 2011, 14:24
        
        We always have the “I think Williams will challenge this year” suggestions but it never seems to happen.
        
        I hope Mercedes catch up a bit. A 4 team championship fight would be great but I think it’ll be McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull fighting again.
      2. Skett (@skett)
        29th January 2011, 22:48
        
        I’d love to see williams up there but I can’t see it happening either.
        
        Mercedes is a definite possibility though. They gave up on their 2010 challenger and started working on 2011 pretty early and as you may recall they were pretty close to mclaren at the start of last year so they certainly have the potential to build a quick car.
  2. statix
    29th January 2011, 19:26
    
    the same blabla like last year… williams, fi, sauber… forget about it…
2. Hamish
  29th January 2011, 13:22
  
  I think it’ll come down to who is looking for last minute sponsors.
  1. Sush Meerkat
    29th January 2011, 15:40
    
    I think it’ll come down to who is looking for last minute sponsors.
    
    Ouch burn!, yet true.
    
    I liked last year, the Sauber being quick out of the box and then the team claiming they had been “leapfrogged” in the arms race, awww bless, you can lie to us but don’t lie to yourselves.
    1. OEL
      29th January 2011, 18:11
      
      @ TommyB89, Well, this time a certain Rubens Barrichello has been able to affect the new car, so maybe this time they can take a step forward. Maybe.
3. AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
  29th January 2011, 19:14
  
  I imagine it will be like a practise session where speed is not necessarily indicative of performance. Chances of everyone running flat out at the same time are minimal.
Todfod (@todfod)
29th January 2011, 12:02

HRT cant really make up their minds on anything can they?
1. Sush Meerkat
  29th January 2011, 15:47
  
  I fear for the team, they don’t actually having car making facilities, they must be trying to gather the cash to get a chassis as opposed to fly one out for testing.
Scribe (@scribe)
29th January 2011, 12:08

I have a feeling Ferrari will be fastest like they where last year. RB might sandbag a wee bit.

TBH we all know it means very little, wait till Bahrain, for now we’re just admiring the new curves.
1. Hamish
  29th January 2011, 13:24
  
  Looks like “sandbag” will be the word of February. Taking of from “rose tinted glasses” for January.
2. BBT (@bbt)
  29th January 2011, 14:42
  
  ….but they weren’t, Ferrari were only fastest in the 1st test where RBR did no turn up.
  Just looked at all the times, RBR and Mclaren shared the honours in the others with Merc and Rosberg topping the 2nd from last test day.
geo132 (@geo132)
29th January 2011, 12:10

“..will be staying in Valencia for an extra day to test in private.”
How can this happen? Something special for the “new” teams?
1. Mike
  29th January 2011, 12:51
  
  I’d wager the teams can have x amount of private testing miles, and Lotus has just happened to add there’s onto this test.
  1. Sush Meerkat
    29th January 2011, 15:43
    
    Yeah Mike’s right, I think they can have private testing if the team sacrifice wind tunnel time.
    
    People was an encyclopedic knowledge of F1 RRA rules feel free to correct me if I’m wrong though, I wouldn’t want to be spouting propaganda.
    1. DeadManWoking (@deadmanwoking)
      29th January 2011, 17:29
      
      It’s not from the RRA but rather in the 2011 Sporting Regs:
      
      22) TRACK AND WIND TUNNEL TESTING
      22.1 a) Track testing shall be considered any track running time undertaken by a competitor entered in the Championship with the exception of :
      i) promotional events carried out using tyres provided specifically for this purpose by the appointed supplier ;
      ii) one three day young driver training test, carried out on a site approved by the FIA for Formula 1 cars and between the end of the last Event of the Championship and 31 December of the same year, any such driver having not competed in more than two F1 World Championship Events ;
      iii) four one day aerodynamic tests carried out on FIA approved straight line or constant radius sites between 1 January 2010 and the end of the last Event of the Championship. Any of these days may be substituted for four hours of wind-on full scale wind tunnel testing to be carried out in a single twenty four hour period.
    2. DeadManWoking (@deadmanwoking)
      29th January 2011, 19:55
      
      Here’s the rest of the reg, they’re limited to 15’00km total for the team and only between jan 1st and the weekend before the first race:
      
      b) No competitor may carry out more than 15,000km of track testing during a calendar year.
      c) No track testing may take place between the start of the week preceding the first Event of the Championship and 31 December of the same year with the following exception.
      If a team declares that one of its current race drivers is to be substituted by a driver who has not participated in an F1 race in the two previous calendar years, one day of track testing will be permitted between the start of the week preceding second Event and the last Event of the Championship. The following must be observed :
      – Any such day may only be carried out by the new driver and may not take place on a circuit hosting a race in the current Championship year.
      – Any such day may only take place within a period 14 days prior to the substitution and 14 days after the substitution has taken place.
      – If a team, having declared the driver’s substitution and performed the test, does not then enter an Event with the new driver, the team will be penalised by a reduction of one day from the pre-season track testing days available in the following year.
2. KaIIe (@kaiie)
  29th January 2011, 15:55
  
  Could be just a PR running, like Ferrari just did at Fiorano.
Marco
29th January 2011, 12:18

Jaime will test on 1st day, he and Buemi will share the car on 2nd day and on 3rd day it will be just Buemi alone…
IDR (@idr)
29th January 2011, 12:19

http://www.marca.com/2011/01/28/multimedia/graficos/1296222999.html

It’s in Spanish but is a very nice (and easy) way to compare 2011 vs 2010 Ferrari car.
1. Nigelstash (@)
  29th January 2011, 15:06
  
  That’s brilliant. I would love to see someone do the same to compare cars from different teams. Would also love to see how all of this year’s cars compare to last year’s Red Bull.
  1. Patrickl (@patrickl)
    29th January 2011, 17:47
    
    I made a GIF animation doing the same:
    http://www.laweb.nl/Patrick/F150-front.gif
    http://www.laweb.nl/Patrick/F150-side.gif
    http://www.laweb.nl/Patrick/F150-top.gif
    
    @Nigelstash,
    
    This is only possible if they provide pictures of the car taken from the same angles. The side view for the F10 and F150 are slightly off already.
    1. Fixy (@)
      29th January 2011, 22:03
      
      In the side view they added the fin to the F10, as it didn’t have it at the presentation. And the rear is a photo taken on track.
Burnout
29th January 2011, 12:21

You’ve done it again Keith. The Lotus car is TL11.
1. Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
  29th January 2011, 12:32
  
  Sorry about that – I really do have a blind spot on that one for some reason. Fixed it.
2. Loetkoe (@loetkoe)
  1st February 2011, 6:27
  
  Actually, it’s T128
kylenz (@)
29th January 2011, 12:33

I have a feeling that Ferreri is better than last year.. Hope Mercedez can fight for a race win.. Go MSC!
Macca (@macca)
29th January 2011, 12:55

How come Lotus are allowed to test in private?
1. Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
  29th January 2011, 12:57
  
  They’re basically just transferring one day from the start of the test over to the end.
  1. wasiF1 (@wasif1)
    29th January 2011, 13:06
    
    Doesn’t the new testing rule allowed any team to test in private? If no,Why?
Zahir (@)
29th January 2011, 13:19

Wow Ferrari arent even attempting the equal treatment thing this season are they? This is seriously harsh on Massa.

I hope that there is a vaild reason for Alonso having 2 days over Massa’s one but if there isnt this could be an ominous sign for the rest of the season for Felipe. I really hope this isnt the case
1. Sisi
  29th January 2011, 13:34
  
  Let’s wait and see before jumping to concusions. Maybe Massa will have more time in Jerez or Barcelona?
2. unoc
  29th January 2011, 13:58
  
  Could be just as simple as rather than switching drivers half way through the day and having to change setups and driver configs half way through they are just doing it in full days.
  
  Another reason is that the first day with a green track (remember rubbering in on fridays during a GP weekend) will not produce that good data and so they are just doing 1 & 2 for one and 3 for another.
  
  Petrov gets the first day, but the track will be better on the 2nd and 3rd days when Kubica is in.
  
  FI are running Hulkenberg whom they have no data for on the tuesday morning. With main drivers taking 2nd and 3rd day.
  
  McLaren similiar. DOn’t know what Williams is up to
  1. Catalina ;)
    29th January 2011, 15:25
    
    I was going to point that out. What about RedBull and Williams?
  2. Skett (@skett)
    29th January 2011, 22:58
    
    I’d have thought that williams is the most obvious. They’ve split the time up equally and put the more experienced driver in first to help sort out any problems with the car.
3. Fixy (@)
  29th January 2011, 22:05
  
  Ferrari always favour their first driver. Last year if I’m correct Massa had 2 days and Alonso 1. Alonso tested the F150 for the first time being no. 5, Massa for second being no. 6.
  In 2009 Massa tested before Kimi being 3 and Kimi 4, in 2008 Kimi before being number 1, in 2007 Massa before being 5, etc.
NetBurst (@)
29th January 2011, 14:34

A video of Massa in the F150
NetBurst (@)
29th January 2011, 14:34

click
1. Fixy (@)
  29th January 2011, 22:08
  
  Fernando: “Here, from Rio de Janeiro, no, from Sao Paulo”
  Having lots of fun those two!
Jean
29th January 2011, 15:52

Wish they would bring back the refueling pit stops in addition to tyre changes – enjoyed the strategy of how much weight to carry vs how many stops plus the keystone cops element of attaching and removing the hose.
DANK
29th January 2011, 16:00

Why only one car? Is it because otherwise the track would become too crowded?
1. Fixy (@)
  29th January 2011, 22:12
  
  Maybe they’ve built one, or the ore was being completed.
2. Fixy (@)
  29th January 2011, 22:12
  
  Or if one got damaged, they had a spare one.
The New Pope
29th January 2011, 17:06

I wish McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull would each run three cars this year, and we could get rid of Horrible Race Team, Russian Maiden, and the Malaysian Water Lily. As for my prediction, I think Alonso, Hamilton, and Vettel will contend for the drivers, but McLaren will win the constructors.
1. mename2332 (@mename2332)
  29th January 2011, 22:57
  
  my prediction? a proper 4-way title fight at the end (as in the gap between 1st and 4th is <7 points). the challengers will be Vettel, Webber, Hamilton & Button
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
29th January 2011, 20:02

3 cars just sounds messy to me.
1. wasiF1 (@wasif1)
  30th January 2011, 1:41
  
  Yes just imagine the pit lane mayhem when all they need to switch from dry tyre to wet just like in the German GP 08?
  1. Gridlock
    30th January 2011, 4:44
    
    Ferrari can’t even run a pit strategy for one car…
  2. Burnout (@burnout)
    30th January 2011, 4:51
    
    They managed fine with 30 car grids till 1993. 3 car teams are wrong for a lot of other reasons, but crowding on the track is not a major one.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
30th January 2011, 6:43

Putting Hulkenberg in the Force India is a waste of time. Paul di Resta needs as much time as he ca to develop the car. Adrian Sutil needs to log hours so that the team have data to run with. Hulkenberg isn’t a rookie, so he doesn’t need any time in the car. And he’s only been in the sport for a year, so he probably won’t be able to provide the same level of feedback as Sutil.

At least Force India aren’t running the VJM04.
Kaushal
1st February 2011, 6:35

Narain is confirmed for HRT for today

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55 comments on “Driver line-up set for first F1 test of 2011”