Sakhir Day 2 – Räikkönen leader with a faulty KERS

Kimi Räikkönen for Ferrari set the fastest time on the second day of testing in Bahrain. The good weather allowed the three teams present to cover a significant number of kilometers.

However, the Finnish driver’s day did not go smoothly as he lost three hours due to a cooling problem with his KERS.

This problem allowed Ferrari to experience an emergency situation in case of a KERS failure.

Räikkönen finished the day just over a tenth behind Jarno Trulli’s Toyota, once again highlighting the competitiveness between the teams.

The Italian completed a total of 149 laps and is quite happy with the progress made with the TF109.

« It was a very good test for us, » he explained. « I covered more than 2000 kilometers in three days and I’m happy with the car. It seems competitive and reliable, which gives us a solid foundation for the upcoming season. »

« There is still a lot of time before the first race and many opportunities for the teams to make great strides up to Melbourne. We must then continue to work to maintain the momentum between the factory and the other tests. »

The only other driver in the race today was Nick Heidfeld for BMW. He focused on different mechanical setups.

« Today, I drove the new BMW Sauber F1.09 in warm weather for the first time. The most important thing for me was to learn more about the overall balance of the car, » said the German.

Overall it was a good day, as I tried out different setups. I am already satisfied with how the car reacts to the changes.

Results of private testing Bahrain – Sakhir – Tuesday, February 17, 2009