Jerez testing: day 1 rookies vs. day 2 rookies

Today’s comparison of the rookies at the Jerez test might be much more brief than yesterday’s analysis, if only because it has all been said already, and, as determined yesterday, the times do not really matter.  What matters is that fans of and those involved in Formula1 have something to talk about that involves actual on-track action.  As previously mentioned, a complete rundown of those testing for the three days can already be found here at F1B.  As a note to those who may be confused, Bertrand Baguette will, it has been reported, drive for Sauber on Thursday after starting the test Tuesday driving for Renault.  Also, Jules Bianchi has signed a long-term contract with Ferrari, in an “undefined” role with the Italian team for an undetermined length of time after testing for the team at Jerez.

To begin, there is a lovely note about the very fast pace of McLaren test driver and oldest of the young drivers, Gary Paffett, already written by negative Camber here at F1B.  Full of Christmas cheer, it encourages longtime fans of F1 to give Paffett another chance.  He was, in fact, blisteringly fast Wednesday, setting a 1:18.718 lap time, which is nearly a second faster than Tuesday’s fastest time of 1:19.158, set by Andy Soucek in a Williams, as well as being faster than the benchmark time set by Sebastian Vettel in March at Jerez, 1:18.055.  Paffett also bettered his time from yesterday (1:19.426).  He had no “teammate” Wednesday, but had already set a faster time than fellow McLaren driver Oliver Turvey did Tuesday.

There are myriad comparisons in times to be made, but only two will happen today: between teammates from Wednesday’s times and between the results of those who tested both days so far.  Further analysis will be made over the entire three day test this weekend.

The three fastest drivers (for a complete list of Wednesday’s drivers and times, see that already published by F1B) had no competition from another driver in the same machinery.  Paul di Resta, fourth in the Force India with a 1:19.411, had fellow driver JR Hildebrand set a 1:20.517, nearly a second slower from the American.  In fifth, Esteban Gutierrez had no competition Wednesday, setting a 1:20.190.  Sixth and seventh were the Brawns (Mercedes?) of Mike Conway and Marcus Ericsson, posting times of 1:20.222 and 1:20.440, respectively.  The two-tenths difference could be negligible, or two rows of grid positions in qualifying.  With Bianchi ahead of them, the Renault teammates of Lucas di Grassi and Ho-Pin Tung were separated by nearly six tenths.  With di Grassi’s role as test driver this season, one would presume that he would be able to outstrip much of the filed the way Paffett did, except for the in-season testing ban.  Perhaps Romain Grosjean would have done better before crashing?  Hard to say.  Finally, Mirko Bortolotti posted the slowest time of a 1:21.761.

Moving on to the drivers who tested both Tuesday and Wednesday: of the six who did so, one would expect all of them to set faster times than previously, if only due to an increased comfort in and awareness of the top-flight cars.  Not so.  Half of them posted slower times than Tuesday’s.  Bianchi, he of the long-term, unidentified role (replacement for Luca Badoer, perhaps?) was nearly a full second slower in his second day of Ferrari testing than his first.  Conway slowed by three tenths in his Brawn, while Ericsson was one tenth slower in the sister car.  Paffett was the most improved, setting a fastest lap seven tenths faster than previously, while Ricciardo was just over three tenths faster in the Red Bull and Hildebrand improved by two hundredths of a second.

The only driver on track Wednesday in Jerez with a driver’s contract for F1 in 2010, Nico Hulkenberg set a suitably fast lap in the Williams, a 1:19.184, barely slower than Soucek’s fastest time Tuesday and second fastest Wednesday.  More times and more analysis to come Thursday, with a final comparison of all lap times, improvements and such to come on Sunday, the regular column day.

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