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Ferrari seat 'not the plan for next year' - Bianchi

Ferrari seat 'not the plan for next year' - Bianchi

  • Published on 10 Jul 2014 11:22
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Jules Bianchi staked a claim on a Ferrari race seat on Wednesday, setting the pace at the post-British grand prix Silverstone test. Drafted in by Ferrari to replace Kimi Raikkonen after the Finn's high-speed crash last Sunday, Frenchman and Marussia driver Bianchi looked as impressive as Fernando Alonso had been in practice last weekend in the same F14-T car.

Moreover, Bianchi's 1 minute 35.2 laptime was more than a second faster than Raikkonen - who has notably struggled in 2014 - had managed in Silverstone practice. Although clearly part of Ferrari's future plans, the 24-year-old played down the significance of his Silverstone speed, insisting differing wind conditions between the race weekend and the test played a significant role.

"But it's always good to do some good laptimes and to be consistent," he admitted. "Obviously it is much better to do a good job and a good laptime."Nonetheless, Raikkonen is firmly under contract for 2015, and Bianchi acknowledged that a race seat with the Maranello team "is not the plan for next year".

Another major talking point at Silverstone on Wednesday was the prototype 18-inch low-profile tyre being tested by Pirelli and Lotus. In charge was Lotus tester Charles Pic, and he said the tyre seemed "more nervous" than its 13-inch counterpart.

"These are just a prototype concept," explained Pirelli's Paul Hembery. "But if the teams decided that they wanted us to proceed in this direction, we have the capability to come up with a production-ready version in a comparatively short space of time," he added. (GMM)

A photo of the tyre in action can be seen at http://www.lotusf1team.com/ImageGen.ashx?width=1000&image=/media/1408/_r6t4591-2-copy.jpg
F1 News Fernando Alonso Lotus F1 Pirelli Ferrari Marussia

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Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
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Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
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Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
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Brazil Interlagos
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ES Fernando Alonso 14
  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 526
  • Podiums 9
  • Grand Prix 148
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (42)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
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