Busy day of testing for Toro Rosso and Coletti
Today was the first of three days of testing referred to as the Young Driver Test at Abu Dhabi. Clearly, with no on-track testing until February once this session is over, for Scuderia Toro Rosso and all the other teams taking part, the test is also a very important chance to assess various elements aimed at the 2012 season. Sitting in the cockpit of our TR6 today was Stefano Coletti.
Laurent Mekies, Chief Engineer: “We had a very busy morning, in which we concentrated on acquiring aero measurement data, trying various ideas that might be useful for next year’s car. In the afternoon, we carried out a very comprehensive evaluation of the tyres Pirelli plans to use for next year. Stefano did a good job of trying the different specifications and comparing them to the current baseline we have from this year’s rubber. Overall, it was a good day’s work and Stefano tackled the task in a serious manner, delivering us with a trouble free performance that meant we completed plenty of laps, which is exactly what we wanted with a view to next year.”
Stefano Coletti: “This has been a very exciting day for me, as I finally got to drive a Formula 1 car for the first time. I found it an amazing experience, from the speed, the huge amount of downforce and the way the engine power pushes you along. Nothing I have driven so far in my career has come close to the feeling I got driving a Formula 1 car. At first, I found it hard to adapt to the feel of the power steering through the wheel, especially in the high speed corners, but once I got used to it, I could start to enjoy the experience even more. It was interesting testing the new tyres and it meant I was fortunate to run with several new sets, which is not normally the case.”
