Bianchi back in action at Abu Dhabi
The two day test for young drivers came to an end today for Ferrari and the other F1 teams at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit. Newly appointed test driver Jules Bianchi was again on track for the Scuderia, tasked with gathering data on the handling of the car and continuing to get to grips with the intricacies of his new role. The Frenchman completed a total of 93 laps, the fastest in 1.39.916.
“The past two days have been very interesting” – commented Jules Bianchi at the end of the day. “We were able to gather a lot of data to improve our understanding of the handling of the car and for me, it was useful in terms of my work with the team next year. While yesterday we did not run much, today we did a lot of laps and also tried to set some times. The track had improved, also because there were no longer the cones at some corners, so you could cut the line. For me, it was a great way to finish what has been a positive season, given that I finished third in the GP2 championship.”
A normal day of testing, but also a very special one for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, as it brings the curtain down on its collaboration with Bridgestone in Formula 1. It began in 1998 and since then went on uninterrupted until now: during that time, Ferrari won 14 world titles (6 Drivers and 8 Constructors) and 102 Grands Prix.
“I wish to take this opportunity to once again thank Bridgestone for their efforts throughout the many years of our partnership, which saw us enjoy so much success together,” commented Stefano Domenicali. “It has been a pleasure working alongside the people from the Japanese company, getting to know a different company culture to our own and exchanging our experiences always in a professional manner and with a great passion for our work. Arigato gozaimasu, Bridgestone!”
Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro resumes testing at this track on Friday 19 November, when Felipe Massa will be on track.
