BMW Sauber (as they remain officially) were once more the second fastest team on the third and final day of testing, Pedro de la Rosa once more the man behind the wheel.
The day also the Spaniard involved in the first collision of the year when he and Nico Hulkenburg's Williams made contact in the morning.
The repairs, technical director Willy Rampf estimates, cost the team around 90 minutes of running as they changes the front wing, engine cover and floor of the new C29 chassis. The incident was the only time of note the new car has been kept off the track with a problem.
“After the roll-out on Monday this was my second day of testing with the new car and I'm happy it was another positive one,” de la Rosa explains glossing over his on track troubles. “We learned a lot about the set-up of the car with these tyres, and also about the direction we have to go in with our work for the future.”
“We are quite satisfied with the first test,” Rampf summarises. “We did exactly 1001 km in total. As well as being reliable, it was important to see that the car responded to changes in the way we expected. The drivers' comments on the car basically were in line with that, which also helps the team to work in the right direction.”
The team will continue work next week in the February 10-13 test at the Jerez circuit.
