The second round of testing for Formula 1 teams headed to Jerez where some 12 drivers took their turns on the track with their new cars and for some, their new teams. 11 out of the 13 registered teams were there except for USF1 and team Campos who both have yet to unveil their cars for the upcoming season. This of course, have been the center of the topic for the season opener where Datuk Jean Todt, said that teams could miss the first 3 rounds of the season but the FIA had come down hard on the comment saying that they would face penalties if they do.
Having said that, the focus must have been on the Lotus F1 team which was Malaysia’s own package where the third and reserve driver Fairuz Fauzy took the car for the spin. He set a personal best lap time of 1:31:848 and completed a total of 76 laps. That placed him in eleventh where the last place was Timo Glock who tested for Virgin Racing, another ‘new’ team.
Sebastien Vettle of Red Bull Racing was the fastest with the time of 1:22:593 ahead of Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton as well as comeback champion Michael Schumacher who managed the fastest time of 1:23:803 and set at sixth position. The other bigger news for the Lotus F1 team is that Fairuz Fauzy has completed his ‘test’ for the Formula 1 Superlicense. His take on the 76 laps at Jerez in the Lotus car meant that he has now achieved the benchmark set to obtain the license where apart for the experience and participation in motorsports, the driver must also have driven 300 kilometers in a competing Formula 1 car. The 76 laps meant that he took the car for a 334 kilometers drive. Should Heikki Kovalainen or Jarno Trulli be sidelined due to unforeseen circumstances, Fairuz would be called upon to take the stands.
