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Maranello 1-2 at Valencia

It has been proposed by some that the current Valencia test will present the clearest picture so far of the expected status quo within Formula One for 2008.

If that proves to be the case then Ferrari have little to worry about, with Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen eclipsing the field with apparent ease in the F2008.

A 1;12.182 from the Brazilian put him almost half a second faster than his World Champion team mate, and further encouragement comes from the 100 laps completed by each driver during the course of a trouble free day.

Of course, testing is just that, and with fuel loads and development programmes to take into account it is difficult to evaluate who was showing true potential, and who may have more to come.

An example occurs in third place, where Nico Rosberg placed what is obviously a very handy Williams FW30, pipping Ferrari’s expected nearest challengers – the McLaren MP4-23 pairing of Heikki Kovalainen and Pedro de la Rosa - by almost quarter of a second with a time set during a lengthy run. Fernando Alonso in the Renault R28was next up, and just shy of the silver cars. That the fastest McLaren time was a second slower than the equivalent from Maranello will elicit either concern or knowing smiles.

Interesting to note that the top six – all in 2008 cars – completed almost six hundred laps between them throughout the day.

With Kazuki Nakajima finishing seventh in the interim Williams FW29b, and Sebastian Vettel and Sebastien Bourdais setting eighth and tenth best times in the revised Toro Rosso STR2, the next focal point of the day came from BMW-Sauber.

While Marko Asmer impressed again in the F1.07 to split the STR pairing, it was the revised F1.08 of Nick Heidfeld – 11th fastest – that had tongues wagging and cameras clicking as it appeared with what can only be described as a hideous front end modification. Reminiscent of a goat, two curved horns emerged from a sculpted nosecone, an obvious development of the ‘twin towers’ vertical flow conditioners tried by the team in the past. Full marks for innovation, but the boys at Hinwil must remember that as a rule of thumb, ugly cars do not succeed.

Toyota continued development work on the TF108 and languished in 12th (Jarno Trulli) and 14th (Timo Glock) positions, David Coulthard had a low key day in the red Bull RB4, Tonio Liuzzi pounded the track for Force India and Alex Wurz made his testing debut for Honda in last years car while he awaits the arrival of the new RA108.

Testing continues toady, and we will bring you any developments.

Written: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:54:42