Formula One news

Heidfeld sets opening day pace at Jerez

Nick Heidfeld set the pace on the opening day of testing this week at Jerez in southern Spain. The BMW Sauber driver set a best lap of 1m19.042s to finish a tenth up on Jenson Button and over 0.7s up on McLaren tester Pedro de la Rosa.

With 20 drivers in action today it felt almost like a day at a Grand Prix as teams and drivers continued to get to grips with the 2008 regulations which ban driver aids such as traction control. 

Kimi Raikkonen was back behind the wheel of his Ferrari in fourth as the sport's new champion and finished a second off the pace. Nelson Piquet Jr was fifth as he tries to claim a race seat at Renault for next year.

Behind him Bourdais impressed in the Toro Rosso to finish sixth fastest ahead of Paffett in the McLaren, Webber, Gené in the Ferrari and Mike Conway in the Super Aguri.

Further down the order Timo Glock made his debut for Toyota with 69 laps for the thirteenth fastest lap ahead of Fisichella on his debut for Force India. The former Spyker team also tested Franck Montagny today and the Frenchman was sixteenth behind Nico Hulkenberg in the Williams.

Testing continues tomorrow when Lewis Hamilton is expected on track.

more news

• 07 Oct.
  • Toyota targets podium finish at home Grand Prix
  • Trulli enjoys Japanese support
  • Nakajima feels weight of Japanese fans' expectation
  • Trulli hopes for more luck in Japan
  • Button prefers Suzuka to Fuji
  • Rosberg hoping for rain in Japan
• 06 Oct.
  • Sutil hopes to repeat least year's result
  • Howett confident Toyota can finish fourth
  • Alonso expects to be competitive in Japan
  • Korea enjoys F1 demonstration
  • BMW Sauber to continue with Kubica and Heidfeld
  • Van der Drift wins Honda F1 test
• 05 Oct.
  • Ecclestone: Vettel will win the championship one day
• 04 Oct.
  • Massa still confident for championship title
• 03 Oct.
  • Palmer unveils Formula Two plans
  • Heidfeld hopes for better weather in Japan
  • Raikkonen: this is not my year
• 02 Oct.
  • New role for Briatore at Renault
  • Williams retains Rosberg and Nakajima for 2009
• 01 Oct.
  • Malaysia says no to night race
  • Glock has achieved his first season goal
  • Senna confident of 2009 F1 seat
  • Ferrari keeps both test drivers for 2009
  • Slow penalty decision cost Hamilton win - Whitmarsh
  • Montezemolo not a fan of Singapore style tracks
• 30 Sep.
  • McLaren planning upgrade for final race
  • Moscow to start construction work this week
  • Ferrari aims for one-twos in final three races
• 29 Sep.
  • Coulthard not thinking about retirement yet
  • Ferrari to investigate pitstop incident
  • Hamilton: We need to stay focussed
  • Ecclestone delays Indian Grand Prix debut
  • Briatore: Victory won't keep Alonso
  • Raikkonen concedes title hopes
  • Massa not giving up
  • Human error caused Massa pit blunder
• 28 Sep.
  • Renault celebrates 'amazing' victory
  • Photos: Sunday at Singapore
  • McLaren savours valuable points
  • Williams delighted with return to podium

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