KIMI GOES FASTEST AS FERRARI SENDS EARLY WARNING TO RIVALS
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen clocked the fastest time on Day 2 of the Official F1 Team Testing at Sepang Circuit today; confirming his rivals’ prediction that he would be the man to beat at the upcoming 2007 Formula One Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix next weekend.
Clocking an impressive 1 minute 35.258 seconds around the 5.543-km circuit, Raikkonen also beat yesterday’s fastest time set by Robert Kubica who said the Flying Finn and his Ferrari Team were performing ‘out of this planet’.
Raikkoneni, who was dominant in his win at the opening race in Australia, however, swept aside suggestions that he would be the main favourite to the Malaysian GP race in Sepang on April 8.
“There’s still two weeks before the race. Anything can happen,” said Raikkonen, adding that he was happy with the performance of the car and that the team would continue working hard to fight for a win in Sepang.
“We will fight for the win,” said Raikkonen, winner of the 2003 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix when he and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya gave the McLaren Mercedes a sensational 1-2 victory.
Though managing to better yesterday’s achievement with a time of 1 minute 35.887 second, Kubica was only fifth fastest among 13 drivers, who competed today who included 2007 rookies McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Vitantonio of ING Renault F1 Team.
The second day of the Official F1 Teams Testing started with drama when 34 minutes into testing, Rubens Barichello blew his Honda engine leaving an long trail of the track; forcing the morning session to be red-flagged.
Barrichello, however, managed to continue with testing; completing 36 laps before passing the car to team mate Jenson Button who managed 24 laps and a best time of 1 minute 36.617 seconds and a poor tenth in today’s classification.
OFFICIAL F1 TEAMS TESTING
FINAL CLASSIFICATION – DAY 2
1. Kimi Raikkonen (Scuderia Ferrari) 1:35.258 – 62 laps
2. Alexander Wurz (AT&T Williams) 1:35.702s – 115 laps
3. David Coulthard (Red Bull Racing) 1:35.712 – 88 laps
4. Ralf Schumacher (Panasonic Toyota Racing) 1:35.751 – 82 laps
5. Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber F1 Team) 1:35.969 1:35.887s – 112 laps
6. Lewis Hamilton (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes) 1:36.115s – 69 laps
7. Takuma Sato (Super Aguri F1 Team) 1:36.306s – 63 laps
8. Rubens Barrichello (Honda Racing F1 Team) 1:36.563s – 36 laps
9. Heikki Kovalainen (ING Renault F1 Team) 1:36.578s – 86 laps
10. Jenson Button (Honda Racing F1 Team) 1:36.617s – 24 laps
11. Anthony Davidson (Super Aguri F1 Team) 1:37.876s – 39 laps
12. Scott Speed (Scuderia Toro Rosso) 1:37.910s – 36 laps
13. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Scuderia Toro Rosso) 1:37.971s – 33 laps
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen clocked the fastest time on Day 2 of the Official F1 Team Testing at Sepang Circuit today; confirming his rivals’ prediction that he would be the man to beat at the upcoming 2007 Formula One Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix next weekend.
Clocking an impressive 1 minute 35.258 seconds around the 5.543-km circuit, Raikkonen also beat yesterday’s fastest time set by Robert Kubica who said the Flying Finn and his Ferrari Team were performing ‘out of this planet’.
Raikkoneni, who was dominant in his win at the opening race in Australia, however, swept aside suggestions that he would be the main favourite to the Malaysian GP race in Sepang on April 8.
“There’s still two weeks before the race. Anything can happen,” said Raikkonen, adding that he was happy with the performance of the car and that the team would continue working hard to fight for a win in Sepang.
“We will fight for the win,” said Raikkonen, winner of the 2003 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix when he and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya gave the McLaren Mercedes a sensational 1-2 victory.
Though managing to better yesterday’s achievement with a time of 1 minute 35.887 second, Kubica was only fifth fastest among 13 drivers, who competed today who included 2007 rookies McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Vitantonio of ING Renault F1 Team.
The second day of the Official F1 Teams Testing started with drama when 34 minutes into testing, Rubens Barichello blew his Honda engine leaving an long trail of the track; forcing the morning session to be red-flagged.
Barrichello, however, managed to continue with testing; completing 36 laps before passing the car to team mate Jenson Button who managed 24 laps and a best time of 1 minute 36.617 seconds and a poor tenth in today’s classification.
OFFICIAL F1 TEAMS TESTING
FINAL CLASSIFICATION – DAY 2
1. Kimi Raikkonen (Scuderia Ferrari) 1:35.258 – 62 laps
2. Alexander Wurz (AT&T Williams) 1:35.702s – 115 laps
3. David Coulthard (Red Bull Racing) 1:35.712 – 88 laps
4. Ralf Schumacher (Panasonic Toyota Racing) 1:35.751 – 82 laps
5. Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber F1 Team) 1:35.969 1:35.887s – 112 laps
6. Lewis Hamilton (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes) 1:36.115s – 69 laps
7. Takuma Sato (Super Aguri F1 Team) 1:36.306s – 63 laps
8. Rubens Barrichello (Honda Racing F1 Team) 1:36.563s – 36 laps
9. Heikki Kovalainen (ING Renault F1 Team) 1:36.578s – 86 laps
10. Jenson Button (Honda Racing F1 Team) 1:36.617s – 24 laps
11. Anthony Davidson (Super Aguri F1 Team) 1:37.876s – 39 laps
12. Scott Speed (Scuderia Toro Rosso) 1:37.910s – 36 laps
13. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Scuderia Toro Rosso) 1:37.971s – 33 laps
