A Youngster break the Fiorano Track Record in a F2008

wapomumalo · 3 Dec 2008, 00:23 (Ref:2346010)

Italian F3 Champion Mirko Bortolotti this week made his F1 test debut at Ferrari's local Fiorano circuit.

In a joint initiative of the Maranello-based team and the Italian governing body ACI-CSAI, he an other Italian F3 runners got turns at the wheel of the constructors' championship-winning F2008 on Wednesday.

He even surpassed the benchmark time set down by regular test driver Andrea Bertolini by nearly three-tenths, and was six-tenths quicker than a time set earlier this year in the F2008 by Kimi Raikkonen, settling a new Track Record for a 2008 car in just 40 laps:

Mirko Bortolotti Ferrari F2008 59.111 40 Laps.

"I was able to get comfortable very quickly," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport, "because this car keeps giving you confidence.

"At the end I captured the record, so it could not have gone better," he added.

But when asked if the next step is a more serious F1 test with Ferrari, Bortolotti told motorline.cc: "No, there have been no invitations like that. Now I have to go and develop myself more, because I am still very young and have a lot to learn still.

Bortolotti, whose plans for the 2009 season have not been finalised, is currently studying for a diploma in tourism. Although born in Austria, Bortolotti has lived most of his life in Italy, and races with an Italian license.

Some of the current Ferrari lineup will have to make room for Alonso in 2010, but after this Youngster´s exhibition, it makes you wonder if it would not be good to dump both Massa and Raikkonen.

FPV GTHO · 3 Dec 2008, 10:38 (Ref:2346271)

I'd be curious to see what trim the car was in when he tested compared to Raikkonen.

An F3 racer braking a record in a Formula 1 car that had also been driven by the world champion seems curious. Perhaps with Ferrari using Badoer and Gene for the majority of testing at Fiorano and thus a relative inexperience of the track for Raikkonen it wasnt so hard to set a faster lap, but still it makes you wonder.

Stefvh · 3 Dec 2008, 10:51 (Ref:2346277)

the f2008 had nothing more than shakedowns at Fiorano.

Marbot · 3 Dec 2008, 11:26 (Ref:2346291)

He didn't break the lap record did he.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...02/ai_n8626362

He broke the benchmark time set by a 2008 car,which you must remember has improved throughout the season.

Knowlesy · 3 Dec 2008, 12:37 (Ref:2346344)

Still quite an impressive debut.

Kempi · 3 Dec 2008, 12:38 (Ref:2346347)

Question is: which tires? The new slicks or the 2008 spec grooves?

Marbot · 3 Dec 2008, 12:53 (Ref:2346361)

19,000 rpm or 20,000 rpm...who knows.

**Bononi** · 3 Dec 2008, 13:04 (Ref:2346366)

Meaning ?

Marbot · 3 Dec 2008, 13:11 (Ref:2346369)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bononi

Meaning ?

Meaning that it could have been fitted with a turbo and booster rockets for all we know.

ralf fan · 3 Dec 2008, 13:58 (Ref:2346396)

Bertolini to Honda?

ivanalesi · 3 Dec 2008, 14:10 (Ref:2346406)

Quote:

Originally Posted by wapomumalo

Some of the current Ferrari lineup will have to make room for Alonso in 2010, but after this Youngster´s exhibition, it makes you wonder if it would not be good to dump both Massa and Raikkonen.

Bertolini, the test driver who set the benchmark time, he has no single-seater experience. He's shaking down Ferraris because he was test driver for the serial cars, then went GT racing and now this is just a gift. So the benchmark isn't that high, yet it was good time considering the 3 drivers had to share the car. May be Felipe or Kimi would have done 57, being 2 sec. off 57 sec mark in your debut sharing the car with 3 other guys is impressive, but not as impressive to dump either race-driver for a yougster to debut.

wapomumalo · 3 Dec 2008, 15:42 (Ref:2346454)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kempi

Question is: which tires? The new slicks or the 2008 spec grooves?

2008 Grooved Tires for all three youngsters.

wapomumalo · 3 Dec 2008, 15:52 (Ref:2346460)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

He didn't break the lap record did he.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m...02/ai_n8626362

He broke the benchmark time set by a 2008 car,which you must remember has improved throughout the season.

Quote:

Rekord (Autos 2008) K. Räikkönen, Ferrari F2008, 1:00.897 Min. (07.01.08)

So Mirko Bortolotti time of 59.111 is 1.7 seconds faster than the previous record. In this test Bertolini also bettered this time by 1.4 seconds, so the RECORD is now OWNED by a YOUNG GUN.

And forget about oldtime records...we are in 2008...and we dont want to know whats the record for 2004 cars or 1997 bicicles...

Long Live to Bortolotti's time...

Marbot · 3 Dec 2008, 18:31 (Ref:2346598)

Quote:

Originally Posted by wapomumalo

Long Live to Bortolotti's time...

Yes,he'll go down in history as the driver who went fastest around Fiorano in a well sorted 2008 F1 Ferrari in 2008 when no one else was really interested in breaking any records anyway.

I wish him all the best with his new career in the tourism trade.

wapomumalo · 4 Dec 2008, 01:58 (Ref:2346978)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

Yes,he'll go down in history as the driver who went fastest around Fiorano in a well sorted 2008 F1 Ferrari in 2008 when no one else was really interested in breaking any records anyway.

I wish him all the best with his new career in the tourism trade.

He´ll have a successful future way after ending his motorsports career...something that some current F1 driver of Ferrari will never have...once Alonso takes over his seat in 2010...

**Bononi** · 4 Dec 2008, 11:27 (Ref:2347143)

Quote:

Originally Posted by wapomumalo

He´ll have a successful future way after ending his motorsports career...something that some current F1 driver of Ferrari will never have...once Alonso takes over his seat in 2010...

Ah... there it is. Would you care to explain in detail to us, how this all will happen ?

Super Hans · 4 Dec 2008, 13:55 (Ref:2347280)

This'll give the lad some publicity, and may help secure get more sponsorship, but you can't read too much into it can you?

Marbot · 4 Dec 2008, 14:13 (Ref:2347289)

IIRC Kimi did his fastest lap on a cold,wet and miserable winters day before the season even started and hasn't been back there since.

But anyway,still a good effort.

wapomumalo · 4 Dec 2008, 19:14 (Ref:2347448)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

IIRC Kimi did his fastest lap on a cold,wet and miserable winters day before the season even started and hasn't been back there since.

But anyway,still a good effort.

As cold and Miserable winter day for Kovalainen to snatch the Jerez Record...

Cold as Hell...tell it to my hands...

Marbot · 5 Dec 2008, 00:58 (Ref:2347733)

Quote:

Originally Posted by wapomumalo

As cold and Miserable winter day for Kovalainen to snatch the Jerez Record...

So which record is that? Possibly the 'fastest Fin in an F1 car at that particular track on that particular day record'.

wapomumalo · 5 Dec 2008, 19:29 (Ref:2348363)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

So which record is that? Possibly the 'fastest Fin in an F1 car at that particular track on that particular day record'.

One possibility as many others...

Case Closed.

**Bononi** · 5 Dec 2008, 19:49 (Ref:2348379)

wapomumalo, have I told you're welcome ?

Read our FAQ, it's mandatory to have a good and long life in our forums.

Read the sticky thread we have here in the F1 Forum, you'll understand how things are here.

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