Novinky

ISR driver Filip Salaquarda has been through this year’s first official testing. After a ceremonial presentation in Valencia, all teams entered for the Formula Renault 3.5 moved to Barcelona where they made two days’ test runs at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Neither Filip Salaquarda nor his team was satisfied with the course of the opening day. Some gearbox problems did not let the Czech driver cover more than eighteen laps. He lagged behind the fastest rivals by almost five seconds. Filip’s mechanics removed the gearbox failure during a lunchtime break, so Filip could appear on a new set of tyres in the afternoon session. But after a few laps, the potentiometer on the engine ceased to operate, which meant another delay and repair in the pits. Although Filip managed to narrow the gap behind the best drivers to 0.9 seconds, it was impossible to take full advantage of the new tyres.
Day 2 started in the rain. Filip circulated twenty-four laps, and both he and his team could feel that their wet-weather set-up was a success. Luckily for them, the track dried up by the start of the afternoon test session, which the ISR team driver could use to further improve. The result was his ninth fastest time. The winner, Italian Federico Leo, was just 0.295 seconds better.
On the whole, Filip Salaquarda was satisfied with the course of this year’s first tests entered by 24 drivers. “Our mechanics have done a hundred-per-cent job. I’d like to express my thanks for that. On Day 2, I had two sets of new tyres at my disposal. I put in quick times right from the start, and although tyre pressure balance was not optimal, we are quite satisfied with the result achieved.”
Bruno Méndez of Spain, too, made his appearance for the ISR team on the Circuit de Catalunya. In the first place, he was getting the feel of his car. It hasn’t been yet decided whether he would contest a full championship series with the Czech team.
The official testing continued on March 13 and 14 in Jerez.

Results of two days’ testing on March 4 and 5 in Barcelona:
1. Federico Leo        I        1:33,715
2. Daniel Ricciardo    AUS        1:33,734
3. Nathanaël Berthon    F        1:33,752
4. Jean-Éric Vergne    F        1:33,802
5. Sten Pentus        EST        1:33,845
6. Daniil Move        RUS        1:33,859
9. Filip Salaquarda    CZ        1:34,010

První kolektivní test GP2 proběhne ve dnech 6 - 7 - 8. 10. 2009 na trati v JEREZ. Filip Salaquarda, který se také zúčastní, testuje ve dnech 7 - 8. 10. s italským GP2 týmem TRIDENT. Co se týče zkušeností s trati Filip již má z testování formule 3 z roku 2004 však ve formuli GP2 bude Filip sedět poprvé v životě. Společně s Filipem bude v týmu Trident také testovat Stefano Coletti a Edoardo Piscopo.