Teams geared up for intensive three days of testing at Mugello
30 April, 2012
Apr.30 (Apex) The Formula 1 circus (minus HRT) will descend on the Mugello circuit, in the hills of Tuscany, for the fourth official F1 test of the season, and the first in-season F1 testing in recent years – from Tuesday 1 May to Thursday 3 May.
Formula 1 world descends on Mugello this week
HRT announced last week that they would not be making the trip to Italy, but the other eleven teams will be present – many with their reserve drivers also on duty.
McLaren is the only team who will not have either of their drivers, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton, on duty in the cockpit of the MP427. Instead they will run reserve drivers Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey.
Ferrari have decided to give Fernando Alonso an extra day behind the wheel of the F2012. The Spaniard will run on Tuesday and Thursday, while teammate Felipe Massa will get only Wednesday in the cockpit.
Sauber also have Kamui Kobayashi doing two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, with Sergio Perez penned down to take over the C31 on the final day.
Reserve drivers Jerome D’Ambrosio (Lotus), Valtteri Bottas (Williams), Jules Bianchi (Force India) and Rodolf Gonzalez (Caterham) will be in action for their respective teams on the opening day at Mugello.
Red Bull and Toro Rosso reserve Sebastien Buemi is not slated down for any testing during the three days.
Subbed by AJN.
| Tuesday, 1 May | Wednesday, 2 May | Thursday, 3 May | |
| Red Bull | Mark Webber | Mark Webber Sebastian Vettel |
Sebastian Vettel |
| McLaren | Oliver Turvey Gary Paffett |
Gary Paffett | Oliver Turvey |
| Ferrari | Fernando Alonso | Felipe Massa | Fernando Alonso |
| Mercedes | Nico Rosberg Michael Schumacher |
Michael Schumacher | Nico Rosberg |
| Lotus | Jerome D’Ambrosio | Kimi Raikkonen | Romain Grosjean |
| Sauber | Kamui Kobayashi | Kamui Kobayashi | Sergio Perez |
| Toro Rosso | Jean-Eric Vergne | Jean-Eric Vergne Daniel Ricciardo |
Daniel Ricciardo |
| Williams | Valtteri Bottas | Bruno Senna | Pastor Maldonado |
| Force India | Jules Bianchi | Paul di Resta | Nico Hulkenberg |
| Caterham | Rodolfo Gonzalez | Vitaly Petrov | Heikki Kovalainen |
| Marussia | Charles Pic | Charles Pic Timo Glock |
Timo Glock |
* HRT will not be present at Mugello
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- Class of 2012 set for great F1 world championship season
- Melbourne Practice 1: Button quickest from Hamilton
I would like to know the reason why Lewis is not going. He wanted to go. If the team management could answer this, there would not be any conspiracy theories involving Whitmarsh which is dominating comments on different F1 websites.
They could also have practised the pit stops with Lewis in the car.
What? did Jenson get his way in preventing Lewis from getting testing time in Mugello. WTH? There is alot to learn about this years crappy tyres and Mclaren wants to play nice with Jenson.
The reserve drivers are not racing the championship.
All the championship rivals will be testing. Seriously Mclaren WTH?