Pirelli testing: Massa fast and diligent

Abu Dhabi extends its welcome Formula 1 : after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final round of the 2010 season, preparation for the 2011 season has already begun. Tuesday and Wednesday, it was the young drivers who took the wheel of the F1 cars and, this Friday, the Pirelli tests began for two days. Thus, the twelve teams were able to use, for the first time, the tires developed by Pirelli for the next season.

Some Bridgestone personnel remained on the circuit to monitor tire temperature and pressure, but probably also to ensure a smooth transition. However, all the markings and stickers from the Japanese manufacturer have disappeared to make way for Pirelli.

In these conditions, it is Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) who was the fastest in the morning, in 1:40:861, before Felipe Massa (Ferrari) take the lead all morning. The Brazilian was also the most diligent on the track, with 94 laps covered.

« This is a good way to start in order to begin to understand the behavior of Pirelli tires, says Felipe Massa. I felt comfortable from the start, there were no unpleasant surprises. We tried two different types of tires and acquired a lot of data that will be useful to the Italian firm. »

Felipe Massa has already been able to identify a trend concerning the two types of rubber. “ Regarding the hard tires, there were some difficulties during the long runs, while the soft tires worked well, both during the first laps and after doing a significant number of laps. »

This Friday, a second day of testing is organized. At Ferrari, it's Fernando Alonso who will take the wheel.