F1 Madness

Tag: young driver test

  • Susie Wolff, Daniel Juncadella to join Maldonado for Williams at Young Driver Test

    Susie Wolff, Daniel Juncadella to join Maldonado for Williams at Young Driver Test

    Susie Wolff and Daniel Juncadella will join Williams driver Pastor Maldonado at the upcoming Young Driver Test at Silverstone.
    Susie Wolff has completed a number of straight line tests for Williams but this will be her first participation in an official test session. She is hoping to get a better understanding of the car which will help her in her development feedback at the factory simulator testing which she regularly participates in.
    “It’s a fantastic opportunity for me, so now it is up to me to prepare myself the best that I can for the day,” she said. “It’s going to be a big challenge but the most important thing is to do a solid and consistent job and to give good feedback to the team to be able to prove I am at the level to compete on a day such as this. Most of my work is based in the simulator which is why this day is so important for me. It will give me a better understanding of what the car is like on track and how that correlates to the simulator which will also help further develop the work I can do there.”
    Daniel Juncadella is currently racing in DTM and like any young driver is relishing the opportunity to test in a Formula One team.

    “It’s a great chance for me and I hope I can help the team next week,” he said. “It’s an important test for any young driver as there aren’t many opportunities to drive a Formula one car. I had my first taste of Formula One as a prize for winning the 2012 Formula 3 Euro Series title, but it was a 2009 car so I therefore see this as being the real deal, having the chance to drive a current car in a full test. I’ve spent a couple of days at the factory getting to know the team and I felt at home. Looking at the history of the team is also amazing and so to get this chance with Williams, a team so many great drivers have raced for, makes it even more special.”

    Now that current race drivers are also permitted to take part in the Young Driver Test, Pastor Maldonado will also get a day behind the wheel of the Williams taking part in tyre development tests for Pirelli.

    Photo: Williams F1 Team

     

  • Red Bull to test Daniel Ricciardo at Young Driver Test

    Red Bull to test Daniel Ricciardo at Young Driver Test

    In a move that has sent the rumour mill into overdrive, Red Bull have announced that Daniel Ricciardo will be testing the RB9 in this week’s Young Driver Test at Silverstone.

    This will certainly give the young Ricciardo’s hopes of replacing fellow Australian driver Mark Webber at Red Bull  next year a boost.

    According to Red Bull, Ricciardo – who is facing competition for the Red Bull seat from Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen and fellow Toro Rosso driver Jean-Eric Vergne – will be in the seat of the Red Bull RB9 on Wednesday afternoon.

    Mark Webber taking his Red Bull RB9 through the testsMark Webber, who is leaving Formula One at the end of the season to race for Le Mans sports car racing with Porsche, will be testing the Pirelli tyres on Thursday afternoon and Sebastian Vettel will be in the car on Friday afternoon.

    Portuguese driver Antonio Félix da Costa who is a member of the Red Bull young driver programme, and would be most likely to replace Daniel Ricciardo at Toro Rosso, will test for Red Bull on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.

    Carlos Sainz Jr will take over for the final morning at Silverstone.

    The Young Driver Test at Silverstone was originally intended to be for young drivers only but after a spate of blow outs during last month’s British Grand Prix, the FIA opened it up to regular race drivers to test for Pirelli.

     

  • Sauber will run Hulkenberg at the Young Driver Test

    Sauber will run Hulkenberg at the Young Driver Test

    The FIA’s decision to allow race drivers to take part in the upcoming Young Driver Test in order to test the new Pirelli tyres has seen quite a few teams opting to make use of the opportunity to run their regular drivers.

    Sauber have announced the they will run Nico Hulkenberg along with reserve driver Robert Frinjs and Japanese driver Kimiya Sato at the 17-19 July test.

    Hulkenberg will be testing on the Thursday afternoon with Frinjs getting track action in the morning as well as on Wednesday. Kimiya Sato will take the C32 around Silverstone on the Friday.

    Sauber have also confirmed that they will be bringing a new upgrade package to the Young Driver Test.