Sakhir Day 4 – Massa Ends February on a Positive Note

Felipe Massa finished the last day of the Bahrain tests of the week on top. With the Ferrari F60, the Brazilian showcased the new potential of the Scuderia by setting the fastest lap time on the track with the 2009 F1 cars. He was ahead of Nick Heidfeld and the BMW F109, as well as Timo Glock and the Toyota TF109.

Massa took over since yesterday for his last tests in February. He tested several settings with the F60, including several on short stints aimed at performance. He also tested new aerodynamic settings. With more than 110 laps, the Brazilian did not encounter any major reliability issues. The same goes for Nick Heidfeld with the BMW. He had to stop twice in the morning but still managed to complete more than 120 laps.

« Even though we lost some time due to a sandstorm last week, this week we had very productive sessions. » Declares Willy Rampf, the technical director of BMW Sauber.

« We were able to run in temperatures similar to those we will soon experience in Europe, and this really helps us to define the right set-up. We are also leaving with a lot of information on the three types of tires available to us as well as with the KERS. »

Timo Glock, on his side, was hindered by a hydraulic problem with the Toyota TF109. He completed only 65 laps and couldn’t finish the scheduled program… « We made good progress this week with the car, despite the problems encountered today. We were immobilized for a good part of the day but I am satisfied, we are making progress and are on the right track. »

The German finishes the week nearly 4 tenths of a second behind Massa’s Ferrari. A reason to be satisfied. The next tests will take place at the beginning of March.

Results Private Tests Bahrain – Day 4 – Thursday, February 19, 2009