More fuel for the Rossi/Ferrari connection

[IrocRob]

From www.superbikeplanet.com

Rossi Ninth In F1 Test Today
just a second off Schumacher's time
by dean adams
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Yamaha's Valentino Rossi ended up ninth-fastest today after the F1 test at Valencia, although conditions for the test are not yet known. The test continues tomorrow.

Rossi cut a 1:12.856 today, while fellow Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher lapped at 1:11.831. Schumacher was third-fastest in the test.

Rossi was faster than several "name" F1 drivers including Mark Webber, David Coulthard and Jarno Trulli (the latter of which who was named after 1970's bike racing genius Jarno Saarinen).

After Rossi's wet spin yesterday his Italian rival Max Biaggi seized the moment in order to get back at Rossi for a half-decade of watching the Rossi legend grow worldwide. Biaggi told the Italian press, "This time I have beaten him. I got into a current F1 car and did ten laps at the wet Silverstone track without any problems. I had never driven that track before. At Valencia he already spun after ten corners.

"I don't mind to explain him how not to spin an F1 car. Whenever he likes..."

ENDS

[IrocRob]

More info from SPEED:

Granted, he was driving a two-year old Ferrari F2004 with much less strict aerodynamics and a V10 (albeit limited) engine, but Valentino Rossi's performance in his first "proper" Formula 1 group test session was considered impressive as the five-time MotoGP champion outpaced five F1 regulars at the Valencia circuit in Spain, clocking the ninth-best time in a 15-car field.

After spinning out in his first installation lap under wet conditions yesterday, the Italian managed to cover 51 laps this Wednesday, even though again he spun twice, these times harmlessly, at the same turn 10 that tricked him on Tuesday.

Rossi's best lap of 1:12.856 fell only a second short of the new Ferrari 248 F1 driven by Michael Schumacher, the German posting the third quickest run of the day. Atop the timesheets sat world champion Fernando Alonso and the new Renault R26, with a fastest lap of 1:11.291.

The only man to match Alonso's pace was Jenson Button in the new Honda RA106. The Briton logged 87 laps, 35 more than the Spaniard, to end up just 0.036 away from the Renault.

The McLaren-Mercedes MP4-21 finally showed some speed with Juan Pablo Montoya in fourth, 0.1s behind Schumacher but still a full 0.7s away from Alonso and Button. Rubens Barrichello completed the top-five in the second Honda.
After yesterday's disappointment, Rossi managed to cover 51 laps and clocked the ninth-best time aboard the Ferrari F2004. (LAT Photo)

Jacques Villeneuve was seventh in the BMW F1.06, 1.3s off the leader's pace. Tester Ricardo Zonta had the quickest Toyota TF106 in eighth, less than 0.1s behind the Canadian.

David Coulthard in the Ferrari-powered Red Bull RB2 rounded out the top-10, ahead of Alex Wurz, the quickest of the two Williams-Cosworth drivers, still in the hybrid FW27C. Racer Mark Webber, in the new FW28, completed 68 laps but could do no better than 13th.

Valencia F1 testing times - Wednesday:

1) Alonso, Renault (M), 1:11.291, 52 laps
2) Button, Honda (M), 1:11.327, 87
3) M.Schumacher, Ferrari (B), 1:11.831, 72
4) Montoya, McLaren-Mercedes (M), 1:11.998, 68
5) Barrichello, Honda (M), 1:12.062, 112
6) Kovalainen, Renault (M), 1:12.113, 27
7) Villeneuve, BMW-Sauber (M), 1:12.619, 77
8) Zonta, Toyota (B), 1:12.660, 87
9) Rossi, Ferrari (B), 1:12.856, 51
10) Coulthard, Red Bull-Ferrari (M), 1:12.883, 36
11) Wurz, Williams-Cosworth (B), 1:12.925, 82
12) Paffett, McLaren-Mercedes (M), 1:12.937, 116
13) Webber, Williams-Cosworth (B), 1:13.050, 68
14) Trulli, Toyota (B), 1:13.078, 105
15) Kubica, BMW-Sauber (M), 1:13.332, 65