Formula One World Championship 2009
The first multi-team testing session took place at Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona in November 2008, two weeks after the end of previous season.All teams, except Toyota, took part in the testing session where some teams tested their new aerodynamics package and slick tyres. BMW Sauber and Williams were amongst the forerunners in this case, with the German manufacturer running b! oth rear and front wings to 2009 specifications. The team's test driver, Christian Klien, labelled the car the ugliest car he'd ever seen. F1 newcomers Sébastien Buemi, Lucas di Grassi and Bruno Senna tested for Toro Rosso and Honda respectively. Takuma Sato returned for a test with Toro Rosso and WRC Champion Sébastien Loeb tested for Red Bull. McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa also tested for Force India, an exercise seen as a part of the teams' new technical partnership. Red Bull, Toro Rosso and Renault were the only teams to use solely their 2008 cars (albeit with slick tyres), whilst the other teams also tested 2009 interim cars during the 3-day test.<-more->
The next test took place at Jerez in December 2008, and was attended by six teams. Toro Rosso candidate Sébastien Buemi topped the time-sheets on all three days, defeating rival candidates Takuma Sato and Sébastien Bourdais. The test also saw the McLaren team debut a front wing and nosecone designed to 200! 9 specifications, as well as stripped bodywork. BMW Sauber and! William s continued running the interim cars which debuted at the previous test, while Renault and Toro Rosso continued running their 2008 cars with slicks and simulated downforce-levels.
Following the first launches, the teams returned to the track on the 19th of January for more testing. Toyota, McLaren, Williams and Renault tested at Algarve again together with Toro Rosso, which used their 2008 car. Sébastien Buemi, in his first outing as confirmed driver for the Toro Rosso team, topped the first three days in the interim car. Heavy rain hampered the teams in the first two days, and only on Wednesday could the drivers test the new cars on the slick tyres. On Thursday, however, the rain returned, and testing was stopped early in the morning as the medical helicopters could not take off in the torrential rain. Ferrari intended to test at Algarve as well, but moved the test to Mugello, where the rain continued to limit their testing amidst mounting concerns over the F60's! legality. BMW Sauber, meanwhile, enjoyed warmer weather testing the F1.09 at Valencia.
On 9 March, testing started at Barcelona with the new team, Brawn GP, making an impact by leading the times early in the day. Toro Rosso also launched the STR4. This was the first test in which all teams used their 2009 cars. BMW Sauber led the times while Brawn GP finished fourth. On day three, Brawn GP's Jenson Button was fastest by just over one second to Ferrari's Felipe Massa completing 130 laps. On day four Rubens Barrichello became the first driver to get into the 1:18s.
On 15 March Renault, Brawn and Williams started the last teams public test at Jerez. Brawn, again, led the standings 0.6 seconds ahead of Renault's Fernando Alonso, completing 107 laps. On day two, Fernando Alonso completed 107 laps and finished 0.55 seconds ahead of Barrichello, who completed 61 laps, and ahead of his teammate, Jenson Button who completed 12 laps, by 0.5 seconds and over a s! econd ahead of Lewis Hamilton who was still struggling in the ! MP4-24. Button led the final day 0.2 seconds clear, completing 114 laps ahead of Williams driver Nico Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Jr. and Hamilton. The testing carried on at Jerez with McLaren and Williams staying. McLaren showed good progress after slicing a whole second off their pace with Williams driver Nakajima almost 2 seconds behind in the FW31. On day two Nakajima led by 0.4 seconds to McLaren. McLaren slashed some more time out of the MP4-24, while importing over some new parts from Woking. McLaren and Williams then returned to Britain to finish off preparations for Australia; leaving for the season opener on Monday to join the rest of the grid.
McLaren have been experiencing some problems with the car lacking rear downforce. At the penultimate test of the season in Barcelona, the McLaren car was rarely less than 1.5 seconds off the pace. Felipe Massa stated he had never seen McLaren so far behind.
A major source of controversy throughout the winter season were the re! ar diffusers. Three teams – Toyota, Williams and Brawn GP – launched their cars with a diffuser that uses the rear crash structure in order to generate additional downforce.These designs were quickly protested, and just days after the cars were unveiled, rival teams asked the FIA for a clarification on the matter. With only days to go before the start of the 2009 season, the rear diffuser designs once again attracted controversy with Red Bull's motor racing advisor Helmut Marko declaring that the other seven teams will unite to lodge an official protest should they be used in the race. On the Wednesday of the first race an official complaint was launched by other teams against the rear diffusers of the Williams FW31, Toyota TF109 and the Brawn BGP 001 saying that they were illegal, but after analysing the cars the FIA reported that the cars were not illegal. The other six teams filed an appeal which was heard on 14 April 2009 – the week prior to round three of the champions! hip, the Chinese Grand Prix — and a result was decided on Wedn! esday 15 April. The FIA deemed the cars' diffusers legal after much deliberation.
source :.wikipedia.org
