Motorsports Mondial
Snow in Parabolica
Photo: Lars Kaufmann/Kaufmann Racing
First official Formula BMW Europe test hampered by snow at Monza.
The first official test days of the Formula BMW Europe Season 2010 took place on March 9 & 10 at the “Temple of Speed” – Autodromo Nazionale di Monza.
In the morning session of the first test day, all Josef Kaufmann Racing drivers did their planned testing programme. “Flying Dutchman” Robin Frijns adapted properly to the track and the cold conditions, and recorded the overall fastest lap time of the morning session.
Team’s two rookies, Hannes van Asseldonk, also from the Netherlands, and the Finn Petri Suvanto, first had to learn the track and get used to the low down force level. At the end of the morning session they were 10th and 11th.
In the afternoon the outside temperature dropped to freezing point and the fabled track fell victim to snowy conditions, forcing Kaufmann drivers to carry on the test session on used tires from the morning session.
Frijns did some more laps and finished his test session early. Hannes van Asseldonk and Petri Suvanto continued to gain more experience and mileage. At the end of the afternoon session Kaufmann drivers recorded 6th (Frijns) 12th (van Asseldonk) and 13th (Suvanto) fastest times.
Second day of testing saw more snow which forced cancellation of the session.
The Formula BMW Europe season starts in May as a support race to the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. Kaufmann team is aiming to capture the championship with their Dutch discovery from last season, Robin Frijns, who was Rookie of the Year in 2009.
Their assault on a second successive Rookie of the Year is led by Petri Suvanto, he is rated as the next “Flying Finn” by Kimi Raikkonen’s ex-karting mechanic. Both, plus van Asseldonk, are in good hands with Josef Kaufmann Racing, based in Wolsfeld, Germany.
For more information please visit: http://www.jk-racing.de/
They are also on Das Facebook.
— Nasir Hameed
Racing regards from California.
Nico Rosberg on top in second Friday practice in Bahrain.
Our three new F1 teams at the bottom of the time sheets.
Pos Driver Team Time Laps
Pos Driver Team Time Laps 1. Rosberg Mercedes 1:55.409 23 2. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1:55.854 + 0.445 22 3. Schumacher Mercedes 1:55.903 + 0.494 23 4. Button McLaren-Mercedes 1:56.076 + 0.667 28 5. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1:56.459 + 1.050 18 6. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth 1:56.501 + 1.092 26 7. Massa Ferrari 1:56.555 + 1.146 30 8. Petrov Renault 1:56.750 + 1.341 26 9. Alonso Ferrari 1:57.140 + 1.731 25 10. de la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari 1:57.255 + 1.846 24 11. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1:57.352 + 1.943 27 12. Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1:57.361 + 1.952 29 13. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth 1:57.452 + 2.043 21 14. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes 1:57.833 + 2.424 29 15. Kubica Renault 1:58.155 + 2.746 29 16. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:59.799 + 4.390 31 17. Webber Red Bull-Renault 2:00.444 + 5.035 12 18. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth 2:00.873 + 5.464 23 19. Trulli Lotus-Cosworth 2:00.990 + 5.581 14 20. Glock Virgin-Cosworth 2:02.037 + 6.628 3 21. di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth 2:02.188 + 6.779 21 22. Senna HRT-Cosworth 2:06.968 + 11.559 17 23. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1 24. Chandhok HRT-Cosworth