By IANS
Chennai : The Force India Formula One team spent a frustrating day trying to complete their programme on Day Three of the final winter testing at the Circuit de Jerez in Spain.
Both the drivers, Ralf Schumacher and Vitantonio Liuzzi, struggled to find the pace and languished at the bottom of the timesheet, two seconds off pace, according to a press release.
Schumacher, without a race seat for 2008, encountered hydraulics problems on his first run and repeated red flags thereafter, cut into his programme that focused on 2008 control systems, general set-up work and tyre evaluation.
Liuzzi, too, spent a difficult Thursday trying to get clear runs between red flags and stoppages for work on his car.
Schumacher was the slowest of the 20 drivers with a timing of 1:21.853 as he completed 72 laps. Liuzzi was marginally better with a 1:21.194 during his 76 laps.
“It was a difficult day today as it was my first time with the team and I had to learn about how to work with the 2008 electronics. Unfortunately, we had some problems with the car in the morning and then lots of red flags in the afternoon, but when we went for the long runs it was quite promising. Although it was a difficult day, it was still good and I think we did get some good information,” Schumacher said.
Technical director James Key said: “Overall, it was a difficult day with several stoppages. However, this morning was quite productive. Tonio (Liuzzi) got a fair few laps in and gave some good feedback, which seemed to take the car in the right direction and his shorter runs were consistent.
“For Ralf, it was more difficult as we had some issues with the car initially, which unfortunately slowed things down, especially as it was his first time with the team and his first without control systems. Over the longer runs, it came together pretty well for him though and he was very consistent.”