Vergne fastest again at Yas test on final day
17 November, 2011
Jean-Eric Vergne
Nov.17 (PVM) Red Bull Junior driver Jean Eric Vergne made it three out of three, as he topped the timing sheets at the end of the third and final day of Formula 1 young driver testing at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Sam Bird was second fastest
The Frenchman, driving the all conquering Red Bull RB7, set a time of 1 minute 38.917 seconds and ended the day almost two seconds faster than anyone else on the day.
Vergne completed 46 laps on the hottest day of the test so far, with air temperatures reaching 33C and track temperatures up to 55C. Some reliability issues in the afternoon session curtailed some of the planned running.
Arguably a meaningless comparison, but for the record his time would have put him fifth on the grid for the recent Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Sam Bird was second fastest in the Mercedes MGP W02, after a day spent tinkering with the car’s 2012 exhaust configuration and developing set-up for the soft Pirelli prototype tyre.
Jules Bianchi
Second fastest on the previous two days was Jules Bianchi, but on the final day the Frenchman had to settle for third best time but amassed a whopping 282 laps, over the three days, around the marina based circuit.
Oliver Turvey was on duty in the McLaren MP4-26 cockpit and set the fourth best time of the day, but his programme focused on initial running of aero and mechanical systems for 2012.
Rounding up the top five was Max Chilton in the Force India VJM04 who did 79 laps on the day, focusing mainly on the 2012 Pirelli tyre evaluation.
Also on duty were: Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber), Mirko Bortolotti (Williams), Kevin Ceccon and Stefano Coletti (Toro Rosso), Alexander Rossi (Lotus), Jan Charouz and Nathanael Berthon (HRT), Robert Wickens and Charles Pic (Virgin).
Thursday, 17 November – Test Day 3 at Yas Marina Circuit
|
Pos
|
Driver
|
Car
|
Time
|
Laps
|
|
1.
|
Jean-Eric Vergne
|
Red Bull
|
1:38.917
|
46
|
|
2.
|
Sam Bird
|
Mercedes GP
|
1:40.897
|
104
|
|
3.
|
Jules Bianchi
|
Ferrari
|
1:41.347
|
106
|
|
4.
|
Oliver Turvey
|
McLaren
|
1:41.513
|
89
|
|
5.
|
Max Chilton
|
Force India
|
1:41.575
|
79
|
|
6.
|
Esteban Gutierrez
|
Sauber
|
1:42.049
|
77
|
|
7.
|
Mirko Bortolotti
|
Williams
|
1:43.277
|
74
|
|
8.
|
Kevin Ceccon
|
Toro Rosso
|
1:43.686
|
35
|
|
9.
|
Alexander Rossi
|
Team Lotus
|
1:44.283
|
74
|
|
10.
|
Jan Charouz
|
Lotus Renault
|
1:44.470
|
82
|
|
11.
|
Stefano Coletti
|
Toro Rosso
|
1:44.545
|
48
|
|
12.
|
Nathanael Berthon
|
HRT
|
1:45.839
|
51
|
|
13.
|
Robert Wickens
|
Marussia Virgin
|
1:45.934
|
34
|
|
14.
|
Charles Pic
|
Marussia Virgin
|
1:46.348
|
49
|
Related posts:
- Yas Marina Test Day 3: Red Bull report
- Vergne tops as teenager tests F1 in Abu Dhabi
- Vergne tops first day of F1 young drivers test
- Practice 1: Button fastest in opening session
- Abu Dhabi young driver test shaping up
yeah Vergne dont get used to it, lets see how you go in a Torro Rosso next year
All of them are talented young drivers, but this lap time shows the might of the current REDBULL cars!!