Williams F1 Barcelona Test 19:02:2013 Day One

Driver: Pastor Maldonado
Chassis / engine: FW35-01 / RS27-5253/3
Location: Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona 4.655km
Objectives: Aero evaluations, tyre testing and component checks
Weather: Dry and cool
Air & track temps: 9-14ºC / 14-33ºC

After the launch of the Williams FW35 the Williams team would get down to work on the first day of their four day test at the Circuit de Catalunya. Pastor Maldonado would complete one lap prior to pitting to have the new FW35 checked out. After around forty minutes Pastor would return and would set a 1m:29.550 to be the quickest at this stage, prior to pitting. The day was going to be one of data collection for the new car as the Williams team assesses their 2013 challenger.

Pastor would return to the track for a series of slower laps with his best time a 1m:27.708 prior to pitting. After a short break Pastor would return and would set a 1m:27.203 prior to make a brief visit to his pit. Pastor had completed seventeen laps at this point with an hour and a half of the day completed. After a further quick stop
Pastor would set a 1m:26.980 improving on his best. But as other drivers started to get on with their test programmes it would be Rosberg who would go fastest with a 1m:24/520, seeing Pastor 2.4 seconds further back. Pastor was now third behind Vettel. Pastor's next series of laps would see him set times in the 1m:28s prior to
pitting. Pastor was running on the hard Pirelli tyres.

After a thirty minute break Pastor would head back out and would complete a series of laps with times ranging from a 1m:25.332 to a 1m:28.387. Having completed thirty seven laps he would pit again. At this time Raikkonen was fastest with a 1m:23.571, seeing Pastor 1.761 seconds behind. A further seven laps with Pastor setting times from a 1m:28.5 to a 1m:32.504. Quickest now was Vettel with a 1m:23.290 running on the hard tyres. A quick two lap run from Pastor would see him set a new personal best lap time with a 1m:23.733 to now be just 0.687 seconds behind Vettel. The team would now have some time to evaluate the data gathered in the morning with a lunch break.

Williams technical director Mike Coughlan would say: " We have come here to concentrate on performance." Pastor would return to the track to commence testing focusing on tyres. He would start a series of laps with a 1m:34.217 followed by laps in the 1m:32s. He would pit having completed a total of sixty one laps. After a lengthy break Pastor would return to the track and would complete a longer run with times ranging from 1m:27.459 through to 1m:32.390. Vettel would set a new quickest time with a 1m:22.965 seeing Pastor now 0.768 seconds behind. Vettel's
time was set on the medium tyre.

Pastor would finish the day in fifth with a best lap time of 1m:23.733, but this was set on the softer tyre.

Mike Coughlan, Technical Director: It was a very good day for us, with Pastor completing 86 laps, the second-highest of any team today. Pastor was very comfortable in the car which was shown by his early lap times. We had a small water leak this afternoon on a development part, but we were able to fix it quickly to
complete our tyre programme. We feel confident in the core reliability of the FW35 and look forward to continuing with Valtteri tomorrow.

Pastor Maldonado: It was a good day today. I felt happy after the first run this morning and we then completed a busy day of testing. It was great to get out on track in the new car. The FW35 feels like we have made a real step forward. There is still a lot to discover with the new car, but this is a good starting point for us for the season.

The Williams F1 Team will be back on track tomorrow, Wednesday 20 February, with Valtteri Bottas driving the FW35 for the second day of the test.

DRIVER      	TEAM 	    	 TIME      BEST / TOTAL
						  LAPS
1 N Rosberg 	Mercedes 	 1:22.616  47 / 54
2 K Raikkonen 	Lotus F1 Team 	 1:22.623  38 / 44
3 F Alonso 	Ferrari 	 1:22.952  100 / 110
4 S Vettel 	Red Bull Racing  1:22.965  50 / 66
5 P Maldonado 	Williams F1	 1:23.733  46 / 86
6 D Ricciardo 	Toro Rosso 	 1:23.884  42 / 73
7 S Perez 	McLaren Mercedes 1:24.124  13 / 77
8 P Di Resta 	Force India 	 1:24.144  27 / 82
9 E Gutierrez 	Sauber F1 Team 	 1:25.124  54 / 68
10 M Chilton 	Marussia 	 1:26.747  61 / 65
11 C Pic 	Caterham F1 Team 1:27.534  17 / 49