With both drivers equipped with new chassis, the team kicked off the European season with several key bodywork upgrades: most notably a new front wing (FW4 – essentially a finessed version of the previous front-wing iteration, first raced in Shanghai), rotating rear hubs and a new floor. Today was spent firstly evaluating the new front wing before focusing on the improvements to the floor.
Lewis Hamilton
MP4-24-05
P1 programme - 21 laps – 1m23.077s (14th)
Starting on a green circuit and running on prime tyres throughout, Lewis conducted an opening six-lap run (best time 1m23.850s) to establish a benchmark for FW4. Subsequently back-to-backing it with FW3 and returning again to FW4, he ran four laps, 1m23.121s, four laps/1m23.077s and four laps/1m23.974s). He ended up 14th
P2 programme - 31 laps – 1m22.809s (13th)
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Switching his focus to the new floor – which features a double-diffuser for the first time this season, Lewis again started off on primes and completed a short, four-lap run (1m23.964s) before beginning his programme on the option tyre. Conducting two longer runs (seven laps/1m23.363s and 10 laps/1m23.140s), Lewis felt that the improvements to the car were inconclusive: “We’re still a long way away and I didn’t feel any improvement,” he said. “I think it’s going to be hard work to get into Q3 tomorrow. We’re pushing but unfortunately the upgrades we tried didn’t work for me and the car doesn’t feel like it’s improved. We lose a lot of time in Turns Three and Nine because we can’t carry the speed through the high-speed corners like other teams. But we’ll battle our way through.”
He ended the day with a two-lap run (1m22.809s), more satisfied with his ability to lean on the car, but choosing to curtail the stint after locking up and running wide at the final chicane. He ended the day 13th.
Heikki Kovalainen
MP4-24-02
P1 programme - 17 laps – 1m23.522s (19th)
Beginning the session with FW4, Heikki completed an initial four-lap run (1m24.708s) before reverting to FW2 (the front-end he has preferred since Shanghai) to complete the comparison, he carried out a six-lap programme on the prime tyre (1m23.522s). A third and final run was brought to a premature halt by a gearbox hydraulic problem, resulting in him finishing 19th.
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