The Mild Seven Renault F1 Team today concluded this week’s test session at Valencia, Spain. Both race drivers continued their development programmes with the new R25.

The team had planned to conduct race simulation work today, but a high number of red flags, combined with a mechanical failure on Fisichella’s car during his simulation, meant that plans were changed. Both drivers thus worked on an experimental comparative set-up programme, exploring their team-mate’s set-up solutions, and both found some interesting directions in which to work at the upcoming tests in order to optimise the performance of the R25. Tyre testing also continued ahead of the opening races of the season.

Chief Test Engineer Christian Silk commented: “We made more good progress this week with the set-up of the car, and today’s comparative programme allowed us to make further advances in our understanding of the R25. Overall, we are very pleased with the car’s performance: we know that it is sound and quite competitive. We are still experiencing some problems, but that is normal at this stage of the season, and we will begin testing solutions next week in Jerez.”

The team’s next test session is from 8 – 10 February, at Jerez, with Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella.

Unofficial Times:

Driver	Team	Laps	Best Time
Raikkonen	McLaren	1.08.998	95
Wurz	McLaren	1.09.949	109
Trulli	Toyota	1.10.192	90
Alonso	Renault	1.10.309	54
Sato	BAR	1.10.465	126
Fisichella	Renault	1.10.501	67
Heidfeld	Williams	1.10.506	96
M Schumacher	Ferrari	1.10.875	43
Webber	Williams	1.11.123	58
Barrichello	Ferrari	1.11.131	44
Button	BAR	1.11.564	112
R Schumacher	Toyota	1.11.573	48
Rossiter	BAR	1.12.676	24
Carroll	BAR	1.13.968	37