Valtteri Bottas – Formula 3 tests
We are making preparations for the season 2009,
and our plan is to drive the Formula 3 Euroseries.
First tests of the autumn were driven in October at Hockenheim, Germany
and I got a lot of touch to the car at rainy and cold Hockenheimring.
The tests were driven with the German Mücke Sport team.
The team was very satisfied to the test day.
The next tests were driven in early November in France at the Magny-Cours
track with a French team, ART-Grand Prix and their car.
I was driving at the Magny-Cours for the first time and already
at the forenoon I was slightly faster than the other driver.
We tested during a rain.
In the afternoon we got to test almost an hour in dry circumstances!
The ART team tests continued November 20 th in Dijon, France.
The track was once again, new for me and I found myself being a bit slower
than Bianchi and Vietori testing together with me at forenoon.
During the afternoon, Dijon curves began to fall into place
and I was 0,2 sec faster than my team mates.
The team was happy about the day because it was the first Formula 3 test
driven on dry track and I beat drivers that have driven the Euroseries
for one season already.
The next tests were 26 th -27 th November in Le Mans, France.
On the spot there was, among others, England’s Formula Renault 2.0
Champion Adam Christodolou. During the first test driven on dry track I was
a second faster than the other guys. I drove with new tires 0,2 sec
under the past summer’s Euroseries pole position time.
Second test day was driven on dry track in the morning and
I improved my best time with 0,6 sec and was over a second faster
than the others. Afternoon’s tests were driven in drizzle and
I was 3 seconds faster than the others.
The team was once again quite satisfied with the day.
I was in full flow and good speed in Nogaro, France tests
on 4th-5th December.
The first day was driven in rain, and on the second test day
we got to drive few hours on dry.
The order was: Bianchi, Bottas, Hartley, Tampay, Mäki…
The tests continued on December 9th in Albacete, Spain.
I was the fasted driver of the rainy day. The following day,
I was one of the fastest drivers of the session driven with old tires.
Unhappily I had a braking mistake at the end of the test session and
it ended in driving off the track. The reparation took that much time that
I didn’t have any time to use the new tire set.
The team was however happy with the test day, driven on dry track.
The Formula 3 is a great car to drive. It has good wings and both
the aerodynamics and brakes are better than in the Formula Renault car.
ART-Grand Prix team has won several European Championships in recent years -
and lately last season – so it’s my number one choise when choosing a team for
the season 2009…
Best regards,
Valtteri