Juan Pablo Montoya arrived in Valencia this morning to take over driving duties of the MP4-21 from Kimi Raikkonen, who was unable to test today due to a bad cold.
With improved weather conditions at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Team McLaren Mercedes was able to complete a more meaningful day of testing on the dry track. First thing in the morning, the track was damp and as a result the team only left the garage for installation laps prior to running beginning in earnest shortly after 11am.
In the MP4-21 Juan Pablo completed over 270km of the Spanish track on his third day of running in the team’s 2006 car, since its shakedown on Monday, 23rd January. The Colombian set the third fastest time of the day, with a 1m11.978.
Juan Pablo’s work focused on achieving long runs with the MP4-21, because of the number of team’s on track this was subject to two red flag interruptions caused by other drivers, however he was able to complete two stints of 17 laps. In addition he worked through some set-up programmes.
Test driver Gary Paffett continued in the interim MP4-20 working on Michelin tyre development. Gary covered 450km over 115 laps, ending the day in eleventh position on the timesheets, with a 1m12.937.
Juan Pablo will be joined in Valencia tomorrow by Pedro de la Rosa who will take over testing the MP4-20 from Gary Paffett.
Press release
McLaren Mercedes
