ZitatValsecchi spent a day being Kimi Raikkonen 4 March, 2013
Davide Valsecchi wears Kimi Raikkonen’s overalls during Barcelona testing
Davide Valsecchi, the reigning GP2 Series champion, spent a day of testing ‘being Kimi Raikkonen’ and has revealed he will never forget Lotus’ offer of a role in Formula 1 this year.
We reported last month that the 26-year-old Italian risks becoming the first ever GP2 title winner who might never sit on a F1 grid.
But he will at least be Lotus’ reserve driver in 2013, and on Saturday was called up to test the impressive new black and red E21 when Raikkonen called in sick with food poisoning.
“I used Kimi’s seat, overalls, shoes … everything except the underwear,” he said in Barcelona, after Romain Grosjean dashed from Paris to replace him.
Valsecchi said he was happy with the brief opportunity to drive, but Italy’s Tuttosport sensed his disappointment at failing to secure a proper race seat.
“There have been calls,” he is quoted as saying, “but they were all asking for sponsors, and all I offer is a Fiat Punto,” Valsecchi joked.
“Lotus was the only one to call me and really propose something to me,” he revealed. “If one day I become the best in the world, I will remember it.” (GMM)
ZitatVital statistics - 2013’s pre-season testing in numbers 05 Mar 2013
Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg may have left Barcelona with the fastest lap time, but it was Sauber who completed the greatest distance of any of the teams over the 12 days of pre-season testing - just over 5,300 kilometres. With on-track preparations for the 2013 FIA Formula One World Championship now complete, we review the important statistics ahead of the opening round in Australia on March 15-17...
Unofficial test kilometres completed (Drivers): 1. Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber - 2,768 2. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes - 2,640 3. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 2,584 4. Sergio Perez, McLaren - 2,538 = Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber - 2,538 6. Max Chilton, Marussia - 2,536 7. Paul di Resta, Force India - 2,520 8. Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso - 2,455 9. Charles Pic, Caterham - 2,364 10. Valtteri Bottas, Williams - 2,352 11. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari - 2,351 12. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull - 2,343 13. Felipe Massa, Ferrari - 2,336 14. Romain Grosjean, Lotus - 2,270 15. Mark Webber, Red Bull - 2,265 16. Pastor Maldonado, Williams - 2,218 17. Giedo van der Garde, Caterham - 2,149 18. Jenson Button, McLaren - 2,091 19. Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso - 2,051 20. Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus - 1,182 21. Jules Bianchi, Force India/Marussia - 1,165 22. Adrian Sutil, Force India - 1,159 23. Luiz Razia, Marussia - 500 24. James Rossiter, Force India - 270 25. Pedro de la Rosa, Ferrari - 226 26. Davide Valsecchi, Lotus - 74
Unofficial test kilometres completed (Teams): 1. Sauber - 5,307 2. Mercedes - 5,224 3. Ferrari - 4,913 4. McLaren - 4,629 5. Red Bull - 4,608 6. Williams - 4,570 7. Caterham - 4,513 8. Toro Rosso - 4,506 9. Force India - 4,481 10. Marussia - 3,669 11. Lotus - 3,527
917 sets of Pirelli tyres were used in pre-season testing: 30 sets of the supersoft specification 190 sets of the soft specification 383 sets of the medium specification 221 sets of the hard specification 61 sets of the intermediate specification 32 sets of the wet specification
The longest runs on each compound at Barcelona were: Supersoft - 16 laps Soft - 31 laps Medium - 36 laps Hard - 24 laps Intermediate - 47 laps Wet - 48 laps
Unofficial aggregate times from the two pre-season tests at Barcelona: 1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:20.130 2. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, 1:20.494 3. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:20.588 4. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 1:21.266 5. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1:21.444 6. Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, 1:21.541 7. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 1:21.627 8. Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, 1:21.658 9. Paul di Resta, Force India, 1:21.664 10. Sergio Perez, McLaren, 1:21.848 11. Romain Grosjean, Lotus, 1:22.188 12. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 1:22.197 13. Pastor Maldonado, Williams, 1:22.305 14. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1:22.468 15. Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber, 1:22.553 16. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:22.658 17. Charles Pic, Caterham, 1:23.115 18. Jules Bianchi, Marussia, 1:23.167 19. Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso, 1:23.223 20. Davide Valsecchi, Lotus, 1:23.448 21. Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso, 1:23.628 22. Max Chilton, Marussia, 1:24.103 23. Giedo van der Garde, Caterham, 1:24.235 www.formula1.com
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