REPORT: F1 Testing, Silverstone 22st-25rd January

[Minardi fan]

Day one:

Silverstone was invaded today by testing die-hards (and saddos) Minardi fan (moi) and BAR Harlot, to begin another pointless season of watching cars go round the same corner over and over and over and over again. And of standing around gossiping and drinking coffee all day. We were joined by Hakkiman and the usual rag-tag bunch of photographers, jostling for place (and jaffa cakes) at Woodcote.

The morning generally consisted of Fisichella doing not very much, several runs in the old Jordan, and several one-lappers in the spanky new luminescent Jordan. Which looked awful. Nippy. But awful. It also consisted of a strip show and much innuendo. See what yer missing?!

Following the lunchbreak when batteries were recharged and caffeine levels restored, we returned to the terraces. To freeze our a*ses off. Fisichella returned to the track at mysterious fifteen-minute intervals in the new car, before ending the day shortly before 4pm with a run of about 5 laps. By the end of the afternoon, I had managed to acquire a record-breaking SEVEN layers of clothing. And was still freezing my nipples off. Almost literally.



Is this the point where I put lap times? Erm...

[Speedworx]

Doesn't the test finish on Thurday (24th)?

There won't be any times published:

"As the test is a private one no times are released."

That quote taken from www.f1racing.net

[Speedworx]

I have found this:

Giancarlo's first drive in the EJ12
SILVERSTONE, UNITED KINGDOM
Tuesday 22 January 2002

Driver: Giancarlo Fisichella
Chassis: EJ11 / 02 EJ12 / 01

Giancarlo Fisichella had his first outing in the Jordan Honda EJ12 today at Silverstone following the first shakedown of the 2002 car yesterday with Takuma Sato. On the first day of a three-day test at Silverstone, Fischella completed 24 laps in an EJ11 and then ran 17 laps in the EJ12.

The team concentrated on set-up work and system checks, with some single lap runs spent engine mapping for Honda.

Deteriorating light conditions forced testing to stop early around 4.30pm (UK time) however all went according to plan and the team are happy with the assessments executed today.

Head of Race and Test Engineering, Gary Anderson, said, “We have spent the day checking systems, making sure everything is running OK, and we’re happy with the progress. We’ll continue work tomorrow and maybe check a few different aspects of the set-up.”

Commenting on his first outing in the EJ12, Giancarlo Fisichella said, “Driving the EJ12 today went fairly well, although I didn’t do very many timed laps. It looks really good on high-speed corners and I’m excited about having some more time in the car over the next two days.”

Takuma Sato will join Fisichella tomorrow to continue testing both chassis.

DRIVER TEAM TIM

G Fisichella Jordan Honda (B) 1:27.00

(B) Bridgestone

[bella]

you lot are menthol. i went outside for a wee bit of retail therapy this afternoon and my hand froze to my phone after about 3 minutes. and you watched one car? shudder...

only 7 layers of clothing? my, we are living dangerously..