BMW complete private Valencia test

With gusts of up to 70km/h affecting the Spanish circuit, and debris blowing onto the circuit at one point, Nick Heidfeld spent his second day in the F1.09 focusing on systems checks and gathering mechanical data.

But the German still managed to complete 91 laps and was satisfied with the day.

"Although the test had to be interrupted once when the wind blew some debris over the track, I managed to do some long runs in the afternoon," said Heidfeld.

"I finished the day with some race start simulations on different tyre compounds."

No times were released by the team.

BMW Sauber's managing director Walter Riedl added that while the wind had been inconvenient, at least the track had remained dry - in stark contrast to the weather at Portimao, where most of their main rivals had tested this week.

"We managed to collect a great deal of data and have already made initial progress," said Riedl.

"Although the strong winds made testing difficult during the last two days, we benefited from the fact that the track was dry throughout and outdoor temperatures were higher than during our tests in December, which meant we were able to glean some valuable insights concerning the tyres as well.

"We have already used the 2009 version of the V8 engine with its rev limit of 18,000 rpm, as well as employing KERS.

"Overall we are very happy with the testing, particularly with regard to the high reliability of the new car.

"Now we are naturally very keen to see where we stand in terms of the competition, but we will have to wait for the next test to gain a first impression."