UpdateF1 >> Formula 1 News > Badoer rules Barcelona

Former champ has hard day

The much anticipated return of double World Champion Mika Hakkinen had everyone’s attention on day three of the Barcelona test, with the watching many wondering whether the old master still had it in him. The outcome was somewhat inconclusive and, if anything, highlights the astonishing changes that have overtaken Formula One since the great Finn’s last appearance some five years ago.

As per yesterday and Tuesday it was a Ferrari that set the pace, this time that pf Luca Badoer who was joined for the day by Marc Gene. The veteran Italian set a time to beat of 1:16.317 early in the day, and his Spanish team mate managed a best time a second down in sixth position.

Things were much closer fought today as the teams get to grips with the Bridgestone tyres, and second fastest man Heikki Kovalainen, who has been vocal regards the difficulties of the hard ‘control’ rubber, finished the day less than three tenths of a second behind the Ferrari.

BMW-Sauber again proved among the quicker of the chasing bunch, with a late run from Robert Kubica securing third fastest time, just shy of Kovalainen. The man from Poland was partnered today by Timo Glock, who is hoping to secure a test berth at the team alongside Sebastian Vettel. Glock did not disgrace himself at all with a fastest time within a second of his highly rated team mate’s benchmark.

Mclaren-Mercedes were the focus of the day, and Lewis Hamilton must have thanked the team for taking some focus off him by bringing in the teams favourite Old Boy for the day.

Hamilton worked hard all day and set his fastest time, 1:17.077 and good enough for fourth, early in the day, but it was the second Silver car that everyone was talking about this morning.

Mika Hakkinen has always been a popular man, and nothing has diminished in his time away. Here to ‘help’ the team develop the car if you read the publicity, or to add to the publicity machine if you are a cynic, it is fair to say no-one really knew what to expect from a driver who has been away from such machinery for so long.

Ultimately for many, the end result will come as a disappointment. His best time – 1:19.340 – was bettered by everybody, and the name Hakkinen at the foot of the time sheets may be a surprise to some. Take into account, however, his unfamiliarity with Formula One as of now, plus his driving a strange machine for the first time, and a time three seconds off the fastest of the day is actually no disaster. Many have speculated on the true purpose of this test, but almost eighty laps completed indicate something more than just a bit of fun. Mika’s views will be interesting to hear.

Back to the present, and Rubens Barrichello continued Honda’s good weeks running with a fifth place time, a tenth away from Hamilton ahead of him, and half a second up on team mate Christian Klien who came in tenth. Today’s conditions being far more favourable than yesterday, the Honda duo completed a total of 220 laps over the course of the day.

Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli drove for Toyota today, the German setting seventh fastest time and the Italian over half a second down in 13th, and Nelson Piquet Jnr took eighth spot in the second Renault.

Red Bull had David Coulthard and Michael Ammermuller running today, to 11th and 16th positions respectively, and the two Toro Rosso cars set 15th (Scott Speed) and 17th (Tonio Liuzzi) best time.

Anthony Davidson continued plugging on in the ‘Hondaguri’, running 110 laps over the course of the day, and Narain Karthikeyan was the driver with the Williams-Toyota to struggle with today.

A day of interest and expectations, when a former great came back to test the water, and a day that proved just how fast progress moves in modern day Formula One.

Written: Thu, 30 Nov 2006 16:29:18