Max: "The car has more grip and is well balanced"
Published on 01 March 2016 by Stefan Meens
Nico Rosberg kicked off the second pre-season test in style. The German clocked the fastest lap of the morning session (1:23.022) aboard his Mercedes. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) and Fernando Alonso (McLaren) completed the top three. Max Verstappen managed 59 laps in the new STR11 (including the 2016 livery and several updates). He was fifth fastest (1:25.356).
“Things went well, we were able to a lot of laps, which is always positive”, says Max in his lunchbreak to Verstappen.nl. “We're constantly trying to improve the set-up of the car. Especially when you have new parts, you have to set up the car again.”
Having driven two days in the previous pre-season test last week, Max can notice a difference driving the updated ST11. “The car has a bit more grip and I definitely can’t complain about the balance”, explains the Dutchman who is putting the new STR11 through its paces. “Everyone is pushing, but our main focus is the set-up of the car. If you get that right, the fast laps will come.”
At the start of the session, most teams are straight out of the box for their installation laps. Max has to wait a moment. The team are still putting his name and number on the car, as the ST11 was unveiled only briefly before the session gets underway.
Apart from Manor, all teams are completing plenty of laps. An oil leak limits Rio Haryanto’s running to a single installation lap. Meanwhile it is business as usual for Mercedes with Rosberg adding 82 laps to his already impressive pre-season testing tally. Not only is the Mercedes reliable, it appears to be fast too with the German setting the fastest time of the morning.
After a tough first pre-season test in terms of reliability, Renault are off to a good start with Kevin Magnussen able to complete 54 laps. Nevertheless, the team will hope to find more pace with the lap times still trailing the top teams. A few pit boxes down the road, at McLaren, a similar sentiments are shared. After limited running last week, Fernando Alonso completed a very useful 50 laps this morning.
For Sauber it was an important day as it was the first time its new contender, the C35, took to the track. Initially it looked good but after 42 laps, Felipe Nasr returned to the pits with his Sauber not sounding healthy.
In the afternoon, the teams will resume testing. Max and Scuderia Toro Rosso will focus on long runs.
Pre-season test II, day 1 - Circuit de Catalunya - Tuesday 1 March
1. Rosberg Mercedes 1:23.022 82 2. Räikkönen Ferrari +1.814 42 3. Alonso McLaren +2.230 50 4. Bottas Willliams +2.233 58 5. Verstappen Toro Rosso +2.334 59 6. Hülkenberg Force India +2.932 50 7. Kvyat Red Bull Racing +3.205 22 8. Gutierrez Haas F1 +3.639 23 9. Nasr Sauber +3.901 42 10. Magnussen Renault +3.959 54 11. Haryanto Manor F1 geen tijd 2
