Boullier: the first impression is very positive

Nick Heidfeld had the pleasure of driving the R31 today in Jerez and finished the session at the top of the timesheet.

The team evaluated a new flat floor. The engineers were able to verify its aero characteristics using special flow paint and pressure indicators.

The four types of Pirelli tires were also reviewed successively for the first time, which confirmed different levels of degradation and variations in performance with new tires.

Nick Heidfeld: I really enjoyed this day. It was a pleasure to drive this car, even though, obviously, it takes time to get used to the car and work with a new team. The day went well, without too many problems. Fortunately, the modifications we made to the car went in the right direction, so I was able to push more and more. In terms of lap times, it’s difficult for me to compare with other teams since we don’t know how much fuel they had or what their program was. My first impressions of the car are positive, even though there are always areas that can be improved.

Eric Boullier: « Today, we were able to give Nick time on track and conduct a good evaluation. Our first impressions are very positive: he worked well with the team, provided good feedback, and improved the car throughout the day. We completed 86 laps and the times are encouraging. This is also thanks to the information from Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov and the hard work of everyone in the team. »

Technical notes from Alan Permane:

The purpose of the day was to make the car comfortable for Nick and allow him as much driving time as possible. He adapted to the car and the systems quickly.

We adjusted the settings quite early and changed some details throughout the day, which included weight distribution as well as adjustments for the Pirelli tires.

The afternoon was unfortunately interrupted several times by red flags, which prevented us from completing the planned long runs.