Barcelona Second Testings (12/3) Day 5 - Flooding!!

12/3/11,

The strong rain didn't allow the teams to do their jobs in the last day of the tests in Barcelona!!

The weather forecast predicted that the tests will be done in a rained Saturday, the 12th / 3 in the region of the Circuit de Catalunya and all these were verified above. The groups which have chosen to stay until the last day of testing at Barcelona saw the heavens open and the track was filled with so much water, so in the biggest part of the day the teams were unable to do more laps even to test the rainy tires of Pirelli.

These groups were McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Williams and HRT. HRT did not even tested their car, even though in Barcelona the weather was sunny and the shock absorber of the car which was presented yesterday at the office. Ferrari did not do anything after lunch and began packing. Alonso made only 5 identification laps in the morning and that was the job of the whole day. In the morning Schumacher made his appearance, who delivered the W02 to Rosberg after 5 non-timed laps. 

The other three teams have tried to do something and in the afternoon we saw a few timed laps. The track of course was always very wet and the rain did not stop to fall throughout the day. In these circumstances Nico Rosberg in his Mercedes was the fastest driver with 1:43.814, while making the most laps of the day from all the other drivers and covering almost 35 laps. “We tested a couple of things during some shorter runs, but it was very dangerous out there: very slippery and lots of aquaplaning,” commented Hamilton, third in the times. “This definitely isn’t normal Spanish weather! We learnt a bit about the Pirelli intermediates and extremes, but there was so much aquaplaning that it was a bit too risky to do longer runs.” Pastor Maldonado was the second fastest driver and Lewis Hamilton finished the day in the third position. 

The next Formula One track action will be first practice for the Australian Grand Prix on March 25-27.The tests were completed and the teams will meet again each other on 25 March at Albert Park for the free trials of the Grand Prix in Australia.

1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes GP, 1:43.814, 35 laps
2. Pastor Maldonado, Williams, 1:44.333, 23
3. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 1:44.560, 33
4. Michael Schumacher, Mercedes GP, no time, 5
5. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, no time, 5