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Abu Dhabi Young Drivers Test 2011: Full 3-Day Report (MGP)

By | Published Saturday, 19 November 2011

As usual, Formula 1 teams are participating in an official test session for young drivers immediately after the grand prix held at Abu Dhabi. This year, GP2 talent Sam Bird took part in the event for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS and was in charge of the Silver Arrow for three days. His best result was achieved in the last day of testing through consistent work and pace: he ranked 2nd in the official standings, falling 2 seconds behind Red Bull's Jean-Eric Vergne.

Check out the full 3-day report after the break!


DAY 1

Two days after the 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Formula One’s Young Driver Test began at the Yas Marina Circuit this morning.

GP2 driver Sam Bird is driving for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS at the test and had the first of his three days in the car today.

- The team ran 2011 Pirelli tyres throughout the day whilst working on some development items for 2012
- A transmission issue cost some running time in the morning, however the lost time was recovered in the afternoon session
- Having used the team’s simulator extensively, Sam was quickly up to speed, and showed impressive pace and consistency
- The team plan to start evaluating the 2012 Pirelli tyres tomorrow

Sam Bird
“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. Many thanks to MERCEDES GP PETRONAS for giving me this opportunity.”

TIMES

Pos Driver Car Time Laps
1. Jean-Eric Vergne Red Bull 1:40.011 83
2. Jules Bianchi Ferrari 1:40.960 85
3. Robert Wickens Lotus Renault 1:42.217 78
4. Fabio Leimer Sauber 1:42.331 67
5. Gary Paffett McLaren 1:42.912 41
6. Max Chilton Force India 1:43.016 81
7. Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:43.118 71
8. Oliver Turvey McLaren 1:43.502 35
9. Sam Bird MERCEDES GP PETRONAS 1:43.548 53
10. Rodolfo Gonzalez Team Lotus 1:44.022 87
11. Stefano Coletti Toro Rosso 1:45.278 87
12. Dani Clos HRT 1:45.329 68
13. Charles Pic Marussia Virgin 1:46.930 30
14. Adrian Quaife Hobbs Marussia Virgin 1:47.292 32

DAY 2

On the second day of the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi today, Sam Bird continued his work at the wheel of the MGP W02 car.

- The team focused on 2012 Pirelli tyre evaluations throughout the day with short runs in the morning and longer runs this afternoon
- Consistent driving from Sam allowed the team to collect plenty of data, along with his feedback on the feel of the tyres
- Sam and the team will complete the test tomorrow on the third and final day.

Sam Bird
“We made some very good progress with the programme today and were able to achieve all of the goals that we intended. It was interesting to try out the new 2012 Pirelli tyres for the first time, and I enjoyed the experience. Overall it was a very good day for us and I’m looking forward to completing our programme of test items tomorrow.”

TIMES

Pos Driver Car Time Laps
1. Jean-Eric Vergne Red Bull 1:40.188 43
2. Jules Bianchi Ferrari 1:40.279 91
3. Gary Paffett McLaren 1:41.756 71
4. Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:42.367 88
5. Johnny Cecotto Force India 1:42.873 84
6. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1:43.637 96
7. Sam Bird MERCEDES GP PETRONAS 1:43.734 94
8. Kevin Korjus Lotus Renault 1:43.776 70
9. Luiz Razia Team Lotus 1:43.944 89
10. Kevin Ceccon Toro Rosso 1:44.808 97
11. Jan Charouz HRT 1:46.644 56
12. Charles Pic Marussia Virgin 1:46.698 61
13. Nathanael Berthon Marussia Virgin 1:48.646 9

DAY 3

The third and final day of the Young Driver Test took place in Abu Dhabi today, with Sam Bird rounding off the test programme for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS at the Yas Marina Circuit.

- The team ran a 2012 exhaust position this morning and collected data to help develop our package for the new regulations
- This afternoon, we returned to a standard car specification and focused on developing the set-up of the car on the soft Pirelli tyre
- The three day programme has been extremely productive and enabled Sam to complete over 1394 kms of running

Sam Bird
“We again had a very good day today and were able to cover a lot of mileage with 104 laps in total. We were focusing on further development work for 2012 which went well and the team are very positive about the results gained. I would like to say thank you to MERCEDES GP PETRONAS for trusting me with the driving responsibilities for this three-day test. It’s been a very positive and enjoyable experience for me, and I’ve greatly enjoyed working with the team.”

Ross Brawn
“We have had a very good test in Abu Dhabi this week, and my compliments to Sam and the team at the Yas Marina Circuit for their efforts over the three days. The test has enabled us to make a good start to our 2012 preparations, and provided a wealth of data for our engineers to study. Sam has performed extremely well this week, providing consistency and accuracy in both his driving and feedback, and our engineers in Abu Dhabi have been very impressed with his contribution.”

TIMES

Pos Driver Car Time Laps
1. Jean-Eric Vergne Red Bull 1:38.917 46
2. Sam Bird MERCEDES GP PETRONAS 1:40.897 104
3. Jules Bianchi Ferrari 1:41.347 106
4. Oliver Turvey McLaren 1:41.513 89
5. Max Chilton Force India 1:41.575 79
6. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1:42.049 77
7. Mirko Bortolotti Williams 1:43.277 74
8. Kevin Ceccon Toro Rosso 1:43.686 35
9. Alexander Rossi Team Lotus 1:44.283 74
10. Jan Charouz Lotus Renault 1:44.470 82
11. Stefano Coletti Toro Rosso 1:44.545 48
12. Nathanael Berthon HRT 1:45.839 51
13. Robert Wickens Marussia Virgin 1:45.934 34
14. Charles Pic Marussia Virgin 1:46.348 49

* Official photo and details courtesy of MERCEDES GP PETRONAS *

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

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UAE F1 Grand Prix 2011: Race Report - Fantastic win for Lewis in Abu Dhabi (VMM)

By | Published Sunday, 13 November 2011

LEWIS HAMILTON
- MP4-26A-03
- Started: 2nd
- Finished: 1st
- Fastest lap: 1m43.461s (+0.849s, 3rd)
- Pitstops: Two: laps 16 and 40 (Op-Op-Pr)
- 2011 points:227 (5th)

“This result is just fantastic. I’m usually my own biggest critic – I’m always hard on myself when I make mistakes – but I really felt like I maximised everything today. To be able to sustain that kind of pace, under constant pressure, and not make mistakes, is really satisfying.


“For most of the race I was concentrating on managing the gap to Fernando [Alonso]. He’s such a strong driver. He’ll never give you an inch, in fact. Into the closing laps I found myself beginning to think about victory, but I didn’t want to do that really so I kept saying to myself: ‘Don’t even go there!’

“It worked: I stopped my mind from wandering and I didn’t allow myself to think about the win until I’d crossed the line.

“To have Jenson on the podium alongside me was great – great for me, great for him, great for the team, and a great boost as we move towards the end of the season. The team has been fantastic all weekend – the strategy, the pitstops, everything – really top-class. The whole package came together today and I owe everyone a big thank-you.

“This is so uplifting – for the team and for me. To be able to walk away with a smile feels just fantastic: victory is good for the soul.”

JENSON BUTTON
- MP4-26A-04
- Started: 3rd
- Finished: 3rd
- Fastest lap: 1m43.154s (+0.542s, 2nd)
- Pitstops: Two: laps 16 and 36 (Op-Op-Pr)
- 2011 points: 255 (2nd)

“It was a difficult race for me, as I had a KERS Hybrid issue, which is admittedly very rare for us. After about 15 laps it stopped working – and that doesn’t just affect your power out of the corners, it affects engine braking too.

“Fortunately, my engineer came over the radio and told me they’d found a way to make it work again – but it meant pushing lots of buttons on the steering wheel every couple of laps because it only returned intermittently. So I’d arrive at a corner and not know whether I had any engine braking because I had no warning. So selecting the right spot at which to brake was tough.

“Still, as I say, it’s extremely rare for us to encounter a problem with our KERS Hybrid. Mercedes-Benz has done a great job this year, and in fact I’d say theirs is the best and most reliable unit in the pitlane: a fantastic system, in fact. So as I say it was a rare issue – and, although the problem made for a tricky drive for me, it also made it even more satisfying to manage to keep it together and end up on the podium.

“Last of all, I want to say: ‘Fair play to Lewis.’ He did a great job today. It’s very positive to move towards the end of the season on a high, because it’s the best possible way to build for the new season.”

MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team Principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

“Lewis drove an utterly faultless race today, taking the lead at the second corner and controlling the gap back to Fernando with consummate skill over the remaining 54 laps. To put it simply, he was brilliant today.

“Jenson, too, drove a truly excellent race, managing KERS Hybrid problems throughout, and emerging with a hard-won third place and 15 valuable world championship points to consolidate his second position in the drivers’ world championship.

“While I’m on the subject of KERS Hybrid, it’s worth paying tribute to the excellence of our Mercedes-Benz system. It’s been fantastically reliable all season, and has delivered considerable performance benefits too; today’s hiccup was therefore extremely rare. So I want to say a big “Bravo!” to all the guys at Brixworth [Northamptonshire, UK], where Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines is based, for a job very well done all year.

“Returning to the subject of today’s race, it’s always a great feeling to see two Vodafone McLaren Mercedes drivers on the podium together, and today I’m particularly delighted for Lewis, but also for Jenson, and of course for the entire team too.

“It was Lewis’s 17th career grand prix victory, all of them scored for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, his third of the season, and the sixth time this year we’ve had occasion to pull on our famous Vodafone rocket-red victory T-shirts.

“But 2011 isn’t done and dusted yet – from here we’ll travel to Brazil, and the famous Interlagos circuit, over whose majestic twists and turns Lewis and Jenson will be trying their damnedest to score Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’ seventh victory of the year.

“Bring it on!”



























* Official photos and report courtesy of VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES *

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

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UAE F1 Grand Prix 2011: Race Report - Nico P6, Michael P7 (MGP)

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Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher made up one place on their grid positions in today’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to finish in sixth and seventh places respectively at the end of the 55-lap race at the Yas Marina Circuit.


• After an entertaining battle between the pair on the first lap, Nico emerged ahead in P6 by the start of lap two
• Nico and Michael both followed a two-stop option/option/prime tyre strategy today
• Nico stopped on laps 17 and 48, with Michael coming into the pits on laps 16 and 42
Nico Rosberg
“It was an interesting race for me today. The start didn’t work out very well as I tried to overtake Felipe but suddenly there was no space left. Michael was able to overtake me, and we had a fun battle before I took the place back. From then, I was able to handle my tyre situation very well. I stayed out a bit longer before the second stop as there was some grip left, and it was better to stay out with the softer tyres. With the prime tyres, I had some understeer which made it impossible to overtake Felipe towards the end. Thanks to my engineering team who did a brilliant job here and I was quite happy with my car all weekend. Our pit stop guys were also great again, and that’s why we achieved a good result today. It makes me look forward to Brazil and hopefully we can achieve another good result there.”

Michael Schumacher
“A reasonable race today and some reasonable points I would say. Considering that we did not manage to find the perfect balance yesterday, we managed to get the maximum out of our situation today. But then, I did lose some small parts of the car which cost us some balance, and towards the end I had a slow puncture, which is why I had to park my car at turn two. The tyres gave up rather early in the first stint but that was due to our tyre strategy yesterday when we wanted to save a fresh set for the race. I therefore had quite used tyres for the start. We now have to look into the data and make sure we are well prepared for the last race of the season which we want to finish as well as possible.”

Ross Brawn
“A very lively first lap between our drivers today which was highly entertaining. We’ve often said that they are free to race as long as they keep it sensible, and it was good to see today. Nico had the stronger pace this evening, and his lap times during the race were quite encouraging. Our performance today reminds us of the little bit that we have to close down to become truly competitive, but it is within reach. Both Nico and Michael drove extremely well, and with good pit stops and a sound strategy, we achieved possibly the best results that we can at the moment.”

Norbert Haug
“Sixth and seventh places for Nico and Michael are the best possible results with our current technical package, and our team has now finished in the top six rankings for the fifth time in the last seven races. These positions are certainly not our ultimate target but during the building-up time of our team, it is nevertheless positive to get the best possible results. A big thank you to the organisers of the spectacular race here in Abu Dhabi which creates a great atmosphere and fantastic television images. In this ‘home’ race for our team, we have achieved the results that we are currently capable of, and we want to come back next year with a quicker car and a better performance for our partner and co-owner Aabar. Congratulations to Lewis Hamilton and McLaren Mercedes for their victory today, which is the 71st Grand Prix win for McLaren Mercedes since 1997. Compliments also to everybody at Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines for having six Mercedes-powered cars between P1 and P9 today.”






* Official photos and report courtesy of MERCEDES GP PETRONAS *

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

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UAE F1 Grand Prix 2011: Qualifying Report - Lewis P2, Jenson P3 (MGP)

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LEWIS HAMILTON
- MP4-26A-03
- P3 programme: 1st, 1m38.976s, 17 laps
- Qualifying:
- Q1: 1st, 1m39.782s (on Primes)
- Q2: 2nd, 1m38.434s (on Options)
- Q3: 2nd overall*, 1m38.622s (on Options)

“It would be nice to have had pole position, but that Red Bull, as always, is very quick in Q3! Still, we’ve got our car to a point where it works particularly well on certain tracks, and we always seem to go well here.


“To be as competitive as we’ve been this weekend is very encouraging – we’re on the front row so we can have a good race from there. And, for the first time in quite a while, my long-run pace was pretty good too, and I think we had more fuel on board than some of the other teams. I feel really good about tomorrow, in fact.

“I hope I have a good start – I really want to get into Turn One first. But, if I can’t, I’ll follow Sebastian [Vettel] as closely as I can, I’ll try my hardest not to let him get more than a second ahead, and I’ll try to get ahead through the DRS zones.

“Last year I started second but braked early into Turn One and let Sebastian have the corner. I’ve just told him that’s not going to happen tomorrow, though…”

JENSON BUTTON
- MP4-26A-04
- P3 programme: 4th, 1m39.429s (+0.453s), 16 laps
- Qualifying:
- Q1: 3rd, 1m40.227s (on Primes)
- Q2: 5th, 1m39.097s (on Options)
- Q3: 3rd overall*, 1m38.631s (on Options)

“I haven’t really been able to find a balance that suits me perfectly this weekend. The car changed quite a lot for qualifying. In practice I’d been struggling with the rear end; but, during qualifying, I suddenly had great rear grip and masses of understeer – so the car felt completely different to me.

“Obviously, there’s only a certain number of things you can do during the qualifying session to counteract that, so we used everything we could to make the car work reasonably well, and I felt much happier as a result.

“Third isn’t a bad place from which to start – hopefully we’ll get one over on the Red Bulls tomorrow.”

MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team Principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

“It may sound a little churlish to say that we’re a bit disappointed with second and third today, but the honest truth is that we are.

“Granted, second and third is a pretty creditable result – it’s a platform from which we can win tomorrow in fact – but I don’t mind admitting that we were eyeing pole position today.

“Lewis and Jenson both did a good job though – and, looking forward, they’re both great racers and we think we’ll have a strong race package for tomorrow. Our long-run pace has been impressive all weekend, and we think we’ll be in good shape on both the Prime and the Option [tyre].

“People tend to opine that it’s difficult to overtake here in Abu Dhabi – and so it is. But there are two DRS zones, and of course there’s also the all-important drag down to the first corner. Beyond that, you’ve got to get the strategy right, and let’s just say that we intend to pile the pressure on tomorrow afternoon!”














































* Official photos and report courtesy of VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES *

Copyright © 2011, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

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