Barcelona Day 3 – Vettel 1st… Bourdais 2nd on Toro Rosso

Sebastian Vettel was the fastest, again, during the preseason testing in Barcelona (Spain). The young German thus concludes the third and final day of testing at the top with his new team Red Bull. Sébastien Bourdais, who is fighting for his place at Toro Rosso, sets a very good second time. His indirect competitor, Buemi, is third…

Vettel was not disturbed by his move to Red Bull and proved it by clocking the best times over two days of private testing. Today, he outpaced Sébastien Bourdais, his former teammate at Toro Rosso.

The Frenchman is still in the running for a spot next year on the small Italian team. His indirect rival, Sébastien Buemi, is third, three-tenths behind him, but the man from Le Mans is one of the few along with Vettel to lap under 80 seconds.

Gary Paffett is 4th with a 2008 version McLaren. The DTM driver has nevertheless tested the KERS on the MP4/23. He is ahead of Jenson Button’s Honda B. The RA108 was indeed equipped, just like yesterday, with a 2009 configuration front wing. The British driver is more than two seconds off Vettel’s time. A second Honda was running today. That of Bruno Senna, who is testing for a seat in 2009, competing with his GP2 compatriot Luca di Grassi. The Brazilian achieved a good 8th place.

Between the Hondas, the two BMW drivers placed the F1.08 hybrid in 6th and 7th positions; with Klien and then Heidfeld, respectively. They focused on the development of new aerodynamic elements, numerous on this single-seater, and on the development of slick tires, another novelty of 2009.

Nelson Piquet Jr. is 9th with an almost standard R28. He is ahead of the almost different Williams FW30 of Nico Hülkenberg. Like yesterday, the English single-seater is equipped with a rear wing, and only that, in the 2009 aerodynamic configuration.

Eleventh, Luca Badoer was once again part of the action today for Ferrari. The Italian was busy testing slick tires as well as a KERS system that is much more developed than in other teams. The F2008 was modified on the right side to accommodate this jewel. The chassis takes on a rounded shape with an air intake. (See the photo section)

Finally, the Force India team brings up the rear on this last day of testing. Pedro De la Rosa is 13th, just 17 milliseconds behind Fisichella. The McLaren test driver is currently testing with Force India, possibly to join the team in the near future.

See you in three weeks for the next Formula 1 tests. It will still be in Spain, but on the Jerez circuit, on December 8th, 9th, and 10th.

Results of Private Testing – Barcelona – Day 3: