Mugello, day 2: Badoer again
The Formula One test continued at Mugello today (Wednesday) under cooler skies - but the top four remained in the same order as yesterday. Everyone improved their times, but the essence of the Bridgestone-exclusive test remained unchanged.
Ferrari continued to work on Japanese Grand Prix setup and tyres, as well as trying a few "new parts" for the Suzuka race. The team would not be drawn into details of these. Michael Schumacher will join the test for tomorrow and Friday, showing he has no intention of resting on his Indianapolis laurels.
At BAR, Anthony Davidson did some work on a 2004-specification rear suspension, whilst Takuma Sato showed he has no ill-effects from yesterday's accident by returning to do 105 laps of tyre work.
"I had no problems with my ankle," said Sato. "It didn't affect me at all. I worked out which were the best hard and soft Bridgestone compounds for Suzuka and found the hard one particularly stable. But of course the conditions and the track at Suzuka won't be the same, so all I can do is make a recommendation based on what I have felt here."
Bjorn Wirdheim was spotted around the BAR motorhome once again today. The Swede, who drove for Jordan on Friday at Indianapolis, also hung around BAR at the recent Jerez test to no avail. The status of his expected test drive for the team remains cloudy.
There were a few spots of rain in the morning, but these were not substantial enough to prevent both BAR and Ferrari from clocking a good number of laps on the lengthy Tuscan circuit. Minardi's Jos Verstappen showed up to entertain for half a day and 59 laps, before the team packed up and closed its brief appearance.
There have been rumours in the Italian media that Gianmaria Bruni could replace Nicolas Kiesa in the second Minardi for the final race at Suzuka. Bruni took part in the Friday test for the team at the US Grand Prix on the weekend. The Italian was not at Mugello today.
Luca Badoer Ferrari B 1m22.259s 96
Felipe Massa Ferrari B 1m22.841s 65
Takuma Sato BAR-Honda B 1m23.559s 105
Anthony Davidson BAR-Honda B 1m24.213s 112
Jos Verstappen Minardi-Cosworth B 1m24.707s 59
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