Testing times from Bahrain (Overall)
1. RAIKKONEN Ferrari 1m33.350s
2. TRULLI Toyota 1m33.429s
3. GLOCK Toyota 1m33.501s
4. MASSA Ferrari 1m33.615s
5. KLIEN BMW 1m33.666s
3. KUBICA BMW 1m33.702s

Testing times from Jerez (Overall)
1. BOURDAIS Toro Rosso 1m17.472s (2008 car)
2. BUEMI Toro Rosso 1m17.591s (2008 car)
3. HAMILTON McLaren 1m19.632s (2008 Rear wing)
4. ALONSO Renault 1m19.846s
5. VETTEL Red Bull 1m20.738s
6. KOVALAINEN McLaren 1m20.799s (2008 Rear wing)
7. NAKAJIMA Williams 1m20.898s
8. ROSBERG Williams 1m21.217s
9. WEBBER Red Bull 1m21.313s
10. PIQUET Renault 1m21.908s
11. HULKENBERG Williams 1m22.443s

Obviously you have to take into account the fuel loads and weather conditions on the individual days, but just by looking at the fastest times. You can conclude that at Bahrain how closely matched the pace is of the Ferrari, Toyota and BMW.

In Jerez you have to bear in mind that obviously Toro Rosso was running a 2008 car for both drivers and also that Mclaren’s 2009 car had an advantage by running with a 2008 rear wing. Makes you wonder why they are running with a 2008 rear wing at this stage? On the first day of the Jerez test they ran the ’09 rear wing and the car was slower than the Williams and Red Bull? So that means that of the fully-fledged ’09 cars Alonso’s Renault was 0.892 faster than Vettel’s Red Bull. Which is something of surprise considering that Renault seemed to be struggling to get any speed out of their car!

What does everyone else think?

JEREZ TEST – Day Two
Driver: Mark Webber
Car: RB5 – 01
Laps: 83
Best time: 1:21.321
Circuit length: 4.423
Fastest lap: S. Buemi – 1:17.591

Sebastian Vettel was left twiddling his thumbs today. On standby, in case Mark Webber decided not to overwork his injured leg, the German had nothing to do as our Aussie driver comfortably reeled off 83 laps. This was Mark’s first taste of the new car and his first day on track since last year’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

“There were a lot of questions going into today and I answered them,” said Mark at the end of the day. “From my point of view, it all went better than expected and to do over a race distance on my first day back in the cockpit, with several weeks to go to Melbourne is a good thing.”

It was also a good day on the technical front as RB5 ran 100% reliably, with the team working through every point on the job list. With the programme running to plan, the team was able to move on from a basic assessment of the new car, to working on aerodynamics and general set-up.

Seb returns to the cockpit tomorrow.

JEREZ TEST – DAY 2 11 February 2009
Jerez de la Frontera – 4.423 kms
Sebastien Buemi
Chassis: STR3- 04
Best time: 1:17.591
Laps: 143

A long weekend in Jerez

Wednesday in Jerez turned into a race weekend for Scuderia Toro Rosso as the team went through a simulation programme of a Grand Prix qualifying session and a race, including refueling and safety car procedures. It was useful practice for the team and a new experience for our new driver. Other work included an evaluation of the rear suspension and testing of three Bridgestone tyre types super-soft, soft and medium.

“This has been a useful couple of days for me, running in wet and dry conditions,” said Buemi at the end of the day. “Even though we are still in the ’08 car, I have learned a lot in terms of how we operate over a race weekend, as we simulated a qualifying session and the race. It was good preparation and now, all we need is our new car.”

Tomorrow, recently re-confirmed race driver Sebastien Bourdais takes over driving duties.