McLaren completes first test with MP4-23
The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team today concluded its first test with its 2008 car, the MP4-23. Following the launch event on Monday, 7th January 2008 at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, the MP4-23 has completed three positive test days at the Jerez track.
Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen and Pedro de la Rosa were all present for the test, which ran two MP4-23 chassis without any major issues and saw the new car cover over 1,999 kilometres.
The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes engineering team will spend the weekend analysing and working with the intelligence gathered from the three day session as the pre-season development programme continues with force. The test team will then return to track action on Monday with Pedro alongside Gary Paffett, who will be taking the wheel of the MP4-23 for the first time.
Test data:
Dates: Wednesday 9th - Friday 11th January 2008
Drivers today: Lewis and Heikki
Location: Circuito de Jerez
Track length: 4.423km
Weather: Varied, with some showers during the course of the day: Track temperature, 20.1°C / Ambient temperature, 17.5°C
Laps run: Total - 179: Lewis - 86 / Heikki - 93
Kilometres covered: Total - 793: Lewis - 381km approx / Heikki - 412km approx.
Best lap time: Lewis - 1m19.691 at 11:08 / Heikki - 1m19.752 at 11:21
Laps run in total this week: Total - 452: Lewis - 189 / Heikki - 223 / Pedro - 40
Kilometres covered in total this week: Total - 1,999: Lewis - 836km approx. / Heikki - 986km approx. / Pedro - 177km approx.
Best lap time of the week: Lewis - 1m19.132 on Thursday / Heikki - 1m19.462 on Thursday / Pedro - 1m19.655 on Wednesday
