F1 is (nearly) back
The countdown to the biggest season of Formula 1 in history has begun as 11 Grand Prix teams enter their third day of testing at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain today (February 9).
Seven times champion Michael Schumacher was quickest in the first two days' testing – but he has been driving a 2011 Mercedes, as his team monitors the performance of the new Pirelli tyres. Schumacher's car for 2012 is still under wraps.
Whether it is the only thing under wraps, nobody knows. Strategies differ for the early-season testing sessions. Early results will be treated with caution, as drivers adapt to cars handling very differently to last season: this year's models have lower noses and are without off-blown diffusers, which will affect both the quantity and quality of down force on the cars.
Suggestions of 'sandbagging' hang in the air – of confident teams recording slower times deliberately, to avoid their technical innovations attracting too much attention from competitors. There is still time for teams to take 'inspiration' from their rivals' designs, ahead of the Australian Grand Prix on March 18.
Nonetheless, after two days, excluding Schumacher's old Mercedes, the fastest team, as per the entire 2011 season, was Red Bull, with Mark Webber registering a lap of 1 minute 19.18 on Day 2 of testing.
The leading British driver is Paul di Resta; starting his second season with the Silverstone-based Force India team, the Scot was sixth fastest on Day 2.
McLaren's Jenson Button, runner-up to Sebastian Vettel in last year's Drivers Championship, was eighth.
Another early pacesetter has been 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen. Returning to F1 with Team Lotus after two years rally driving and NASCAR, the Finn clocked the fastest lap time of the first day, 1 min 19.67.
The 2012 season promises to be the biggest ever – for the first time, there are 20 races on the schedule; and Raikkonen's return means there are an unprecedented six world champions on the grid. Meanwhile, the rules on overtaking have been formalised to discourage 'blocking' and encourage more exciting racing; and new, colour-coded Pirelli tyres will offer TV audiences an at-a-glance insight into teams' race strategies.
Photo: World champion Sebastian Vettel driving the 2012 Red Bull in testing at Jerez. (Getty Images)
