The second pre-season test of 2012 begins tomorrow at the Circuit de Catalunya.
The four-day test will see the first official appearance of the Mercedes W03.
Vitaly Petrov will have his first run at the wheel of the Caterham CT01 after being confirmed at the team last week.
At Williams, reigning GP3 champion Valtteri Bottas will have a full day in the team’s new car. Bottas will drive for the team during some Friday practice sessions this year.
Rookie Charles Pic will get three days at the wheel of Marussia’s 2011 car. HRT will not run at the first of the two tests at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Here is the full line-up of drivers at the test:
Team | Car | Tuesday 21st | Wednesday 22nd | Thursday 23rd | Friday 24th |
Red Bull | RB8 | Sebastian Vettel | Sebastian Vettel | Mark Webber | Mark Webber |
McLaren | MP4-27 | Lewis Hamilton | Leiws Hamilton | Jenson Button | Jenson Button |
Ferrari | F2012 | Fernando Alonso | Fernando Alonso | Felipe Massa | Felipe Massa |
Mercedes | W03 | Michael Schumacher | Nico Rosberg | Michael Schumacher | Nico Rosberg |
Lotus | E20 | Romain Grosjean | Romain Grosjean | Kimi Raikkonen | Kimi Raikkonen |
Force India | VJM05 | Nico Hulkenberg | Nico Hulkenberg | Paul di Resta | Paul di Resta |
Sauber | C31 | Sergio Perez | Sergio Perez | Kamui Kobayashi | Kamui Kobayashi |
Toro Rosso | STR7 | Daniel Ricciardo | Daniel Ricciardo | Jean-Eric Vergne | Jean-Eric Vergne |
Williams | FW34 | Bruno Senna | Valtteri Bottas | Pastor Maldonado | Pastor Maldonado |
Caterham | CT01 | Heikki Kovalainen | Vitaly Petrov | Vitaly Petrov | Heikki Kovalainen |
Marussia | MVR-02 | Charles Pic | Charles Pic | Timo Glock | Charles Pic |
F1 Fanatic Live will be running on all four days of the test.
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Image © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
20th February 2012, 10:25
I’m surprised Marussia are attending all four days of the test. I think it would be smarter to give the car to Pic for Tuesday and Wednesday, hand it over to Glock on Thursday, and then skip Friday and work out a private test day ahead of the final session. Five days with the MR-01 is better than four.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
20th February 2012, 10:40
@prisoner-monkeys
If that’s an option: What you’re suggesting would require them paying for an entire day’s testing themselves. And it’s clear this is not a team that’s rolling in cash.
matt90
20th February 2012, 12:10
Perhaps it’s something they could try and do with HRT, assuming between the two teams they have the funds.
Jim
20th February 2012, 12:50
or in case of HRT, a car.
O RLY
20th February 2012, 13:00
Depends on how much money an extra day of testing would cost. An extra $10K won’t make much of a difference on their budget.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
20th February 2012, 13:21
I wouldn’t make that assumption.
TheBrav3
20th February 2012, 15:13
Yeah 10k lol for track rental medical staff helicopters hotels team personal and transporting erm no. A redbull team member said to peter windsor recently that 1 extra day onto the end of each grandprix weekend to test would cost 15 million a year. It’s probably an innacurate figure but that’s still per team if all the teams showed up 10k barely gets you a sandwich and a cup of tea in f1.
electrolite (@electrolite)
20th February 2012, 11:51
Still weird seeing Petrov’s name next to Kovalainen’s…
Nixon (@nixon)
20th February 2012, 15:11
Yeah…
Metal Mr. L (@metalluigi)
20th February 2012, 11:54
I keep seeing on different sites that the STR boys are in opposite order.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
20th February 2012, 14:53
@metalluigi This is what Toro Rosso told me today – Ricciardo then Vergne.
zimka
20th February 2012, 12:01
interesting how schumacher is the only driver that will run against the entire field this session (except for Bottas that is).
James (@jamesf1)
20th February 2012, 14:56
And Rosberg of course.
TheBrav3
20th February 2012, 15:15
and charles pic.
oople
20th February 2012, 20:12
Rosberg doesn’t go up against Glock.
But Pic does lol
James (@jamesf1)
21st February 2012, 12:31
I mean in the sense that Rosberg doesnt go up against Schumacher
JCost (@jcost)
20th February 2012, 15:23
Can wait for the real thing, testing is so hard to read, of course we can see who’s not good and who’s on the right track but we don’t have enough information to understand how good or bad they are. Thank God we’re less than a month away from ‘kick-of’.
JCost (@jcost)
20th February 2012, 16:14
*I CAN’T wait.
Alonsomatic (@the0506alonsomatic)
20th February 2012, 16:50
I know…and with 6 world champs, it will be a FEROCIOUS battle and GREAT season!
Shrieker (@shrieker)
20th February 2012, 19:53
Who is Leiws :D
MRFS
20th February 2012, 22:32
Testing on the 22nd, no big deal from McLaren :D
Eggry (@eggry)
20th February 2012, 23:18
3 days for Pic is quite interesting. why?
sato113 (@sato113)
20th February 2012, 23:46
because they’re running last years cars probably. Glock knows it well whereas Pic needs some mileage no matter what car it is.
Sean (@spaceman1861)
21st February 2012, 6:31
When does testing start?
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
21st February 2012, 13:50
@spaceman1861 Today and for the rest of the week.
Akin Aslan
21st February 2012, 10:11
Who is Leiws Hamilton?? He or She is driving on wednesday!