F1: Vergne On Top For Red Bull As Abu Dhabi Test Kicks Off

Formula 1

F1: Vergne On Top For Red Bull As Abu Dhabi Test Kicks Off

Driving a Red Bull car, Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne set the top time as the 2011 Young Driver Test got under way Tuesday at Abu Dhabi...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted November 15, 2011 Abu Dhabi (ARE)

Jean-Eric Vergne stands by in the Yas Marina Circuit paddock on opening day of the 2011 Young Driver Test at Abu Dhabi. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

The three-day Abu Dhabi Young Driver test kicked off in Abu Dhabi Tuesday, as several new faces had their first outings in F1 machinery and regular test drivers enjoyed a rare opportunity to get back behind the wheel.

A total of 14 drivers were in action among the 12 teams, with McLaren and Virgin taking the opportunity to run two drivers for half a day each.

Not surprisingly perhaps, Jean-Eric Vergne topped the times for Red Bull, the Frenchman having already gotten his eye in when he ran for Toro Rosso in FP1 last week. Jules Bianchi was second for Ferrari, and Canada’s Rob Wickens third for LRGP as he took his prize drive for winning the Formula Renault 3.5 title.

Perhaps the most significant debut was that of Frenchman Charles Pic, who looks set to replace Jerome D’Ambrosio at Virgin next year, while Spaniard Dani Clos has a chance of a HRT seat and thus might join him on the 2012 grid.

In reality, overall times have little significance this week, as teams are running different agendas. Most are trying new parts for next season – including exhausts that clear the diffuser as per the 2012 rules – or are running their cars with extra sensors and other test equipment. In addition, 2012 development tires are available and teams can chose when to use them.

Here’s a selection of reactions from the drivers running Tuesday, including some interesting insights into the rookie experience:

Jean-Eric Vergne (Red Bull, 1st): “That was a fantastic day for me. Driving the World Championship-winning car is just great and I liked every lap I did out there. Knowing there are two more days still to do, just makes me smile more. It’s a great opportunity from Red Bull Racing; I’m trying to learn as much as possible and get as much as possible out of it.”

Jules Bianchi (Ferrari, 2nd): “It’s great to be back at the wheel of a Ferrari on a real track. I’ve already driven this car for some aerodynamic testing, but doing it at a real test is a whole different story. Now, I am looking forward to a further two days of testing and we hope to carry on as we have started, with a lot of kilometers completed and trouble free running.”

Fabio Leimer (Sauber, 4th): “To me it was good day. I was able to improve from the morning to the afternoon, and I learnt a lot for my future. I wasn’t only impressed by the power of the car, as actually I didn’t expect it to be so nice to drive. It is so stable and smooth when riding the curbs compared to a GP2 car. I was a bit worried about my neck before the test, but this wasn’t an issue. What I could feel in the end was that the concentration needed during the entire day was quite intense. Obviously, I had to learn a lot about procedures and switches. All in all, I’m happy with what the team and I have done today — it was a great day, full of new experiences.”

Max Chilton (Force India, 6th): “I had been looking forward to this moment all my life and it definitely exceeded my expectations. The performance of the car is just amazing, especially the downforce and traction, which are mind-blowing. The design of these cars is incredible and it’s left me wanting much more. It’s scary how quick you can go through the high-speed corners, but the car is really well balanced and it feels very calm. The morning session flew by really quickly while I was getting used to the car and the systems, but in the afternoon things settled down and we managed to do some good testing. Working with such a big crew was also a new experience for me and it makes life so easy because there’s a person for every job and you can change things really quickly. I want to say thanks to the guys for a great day and I can’t wait to jump back in the car on Thursday.”

Valtteri Bottas (Williams, 7th): “I really enjoyed my first time driving the car on a proper track today. It didn’t take too long to get used to the car but there were still a few new things for me. There is much more downforce and power than the cars I am used to driving, but I really liked it and I think the day went well. It is physically very demanding, but I’ve been doing a lot of training for this and although it is hard in these hot conditions, I could still focus 100 percent on the driving side. I was able to help the team make some progress with some interesting tests for next year. I’m definitely looking forward to getting back in the car tomorrow as I have more to learn and I know I can do better.”

Sam Bird drove for Mercedes on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Sam Bird (Mercedes, 9th): “We did some good work today as the team began on track preparations for the 2012 season. It's fantastic to be behind the wheel of a Formula One car again, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself out there. I'm looking forward to the next two days and making a contribution to the team's work for 2012.”

Rodolfo Gonzalez (Team Lotus, 10th): “We did a few runs in the morning so I could get used to the car which I found very useful and it really helped to improve my style of driving. We ran some aerodynamic tests which took half of the morning, with many small adjustments and setup changes, and then ran tire tests on the 2012 Pirelli tires. I’m very happy with the car, and the team have been absolutely fantastic and given me a lot of help today. I drove the T127 last year which is this car’s predecessor and I can really see the difference and improvements in the T128 and across the whole team. Obviously, the Renault engine and Red Bull gearbox play a big role in the change of the car, but overall it feels as though it has more downforce and is smoother to drive. The rear end is also more stable which gives me the confidence to push into the corners and to get on the power early on the exits.”

Stefano Coletti (Toro Rosso, 11th): “This has been a very exciting day for me, as I finally got to drive a Formula One car for the first time. I found it an amazing experience, from the speed, the huge amount of downforce and the way the engine power pushes you along. Nothing I have driven so far in my career has come close to the feeling I got driving a Formula One car. At first, I found it hard to adapt to the feel of the power steering through the wheel, especially in the high speed corners, but once I got used to it, I could start to enjoy the experience even more. It was interesting testing the new tires and it meant I was fortunate to run with several new sets, which is not normally the case.”

Dani Clos (HRT, 12th): “I’m very happy with how the test went today. The first thing I had to do was adapt to the car as it’s been three years since I last drove a Formula One car and the leap from GP2 is quite notable. In the morning we carried out various aero tests and I think we extracted a lot of information that will be useful for the team. We also tested the three compound tires which helped me to see the different performance and behavior of each one in order to adapt my style to the conditions. In the afternoon we carried out some different tests with the rear end and also with the different tires to try and extract as much data as possible. The planning was good as was the understanding with the team. We could reach a good level of performance with the car and I think that the team was satisfied with me both on and off the track and I’m confident that we have set some solid bases for the future.”

Charles Pic (Virgin, 13th): “Today I had my first run in an F1 car, so it was a very special day but with a lot of new things to learn. The high-speed corners and braking were things I had to adjust to, but I felt my acclimatisation went well. I’m very happy with this first step. At the end, we decided that some changes we need to make would take some time, so it was better to wait until tomorrow and save a set of tires. Wednesday will be a big day for me as there is a plan to do a lot of tire testing, so it is an opportunity I am really looking forward to as I will be able to learn all the types of tire and see how they react. I am really enjoying working with the team. They have been very welcoming and helpful, so I am happy with my first day of testing.”

Adrian Quaife-Hobbs (Virgin, 14th): “It’s been a great experience and I’ve learned a lot. This morning I began with some CSL (constant speed limiter) runs on the straights so the team could conduct some aero measurement work and then I got into the program properly. I ran two sets of new tires and just began chipping away as I learned more about the car and how it reacts. Overall, I’m pleased with the day and it’s been a huge experience for me.”

Unofficial Tuesday times from Yas Marina
1. Jean-Eric Vergne, Red Bull , 1:40.011
2. Jules Bianchi, Ferrari, 1:40.960
3. Robert Wickens, Renault, 1:42.217
4. Fabio Leimer, Sauber, 1:42.331
5. Gary Paffett, McLaren, 1:42.912
6. Max Chilton, Force India, 1:43.016
7. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1:43.118
8. Oliver Turvey, McLaren, 1:43.502
9. Sam Bird, Mercedes, 1:43.548
10. Rodolfo Gonzalez, Lotus, 1:44.022
11. Stefano Coletti, Toro Rosso, 1:45.278
12. Dani Clos, HRT, 1:45.329
13. Charles Pic, Virgin, 1:46.930
14. Adrian Quaife-Hobbs, Virgin, 1:47.292

Adam Cooper notched up his 26th season as a racing journalist in 2010. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.