Force India Paul Ricard test notes 2008-05-15

15 May 2008 – Force India's Monaco Grand Prix preparations continued today at the Paul Ricard HTTT track in the south of France. Adrian Sutil took over from Tonio Liuzzi for the morning's run on the 2D-SC configuration of the track, designed to simulate the bumpy, twisty conditions of the Principality. Giancarlo Fisichella drove in the afternoon to have the opportunity to evaluate the new aero package that will be introduced for the next race of the season.

Adrian completed 66 laps in the morning and tested the supersoft and soft tyre compounds available for the race. The German's fastest lap was a 1min 07.104. Giancarlo continued the programme in the afternoon, completing a further 64 laps.

Giancarlo will be first out in the car tomorrow morning to test the team's Canada aero package on a longer version of the Paul Ricard track. Adrian will take over for the afternoon to bring the test to a close.

Team quotes Dominic Harlow, chief race and test engineer ‘Both race drivers used the day for Monaco preparation working on general setup, tyre evaluation and getting another read on some of the development items that were started on the first day. No major problems aside from a light rain shower at lunchtime. We will move to work on Canada simulation tomorrow, but always with an eye to the weather…'

Adrian Sutil: This morning went without any problems and we ran through our programme to prepare for Monaco. We tried the tyre options available for the race and again with the softer tyre we struggled to get the temperature into them on the first lap. There is some bad graining and it's not easy to drive, but we have managed to work with them better than we did in Turkey. The aero package for Monaco feels good and, although you can never completely tell how it will perform on a different circuit with different corners and surfaces, it does make you more prepared and you can predict in certain circumstances what it will do. Tomorrow we will move to the longer circuit and the Canada package with longer straights and some more chicanes.'

Giancarlo Fisichella: We made some progress today with the Monaco set-up. We had some problems with understeer and tyre graining at some points, but this also happens during the race too, so we could prepare for it. We didn't have any major problems and could put a lot of mileage on the parts for next week, so it looks good.'

-credit: fi