The Life of a Test Driver
Get to Know a Little More About the Almost Famous Drivers
In the world of Formula One, there are not a lot of people more important than test drivers.
These are the guys that test the cars that the regular drivers get to drive on the big stage we call Formula One. They run all the setups, they run new aerodynamic equipment, new tires and test every major component and structure of the car. On a typical day, a test driver might get up at 6:00am; have a quick breakfast and starts his first laps at around 9:00. Lunch lasts about an hour and they would normally finish the day’s work around 6:00pm. After this of course he has to debrief with the team, which might last another two hours. Unfortunately with the new restriction of only 30 000km of testing per year, test drivers don’t get the amount of work done they used to.
“As far as development of the car goes, and nurturing new test drivers is concerned, it is bad.” Williams test driver Narain Karthikeyan said.
For those lucky few who also get to drive on Fridays now, it is a very important role within the team. It is their job to find the best setups and configurations for the car that the drivers could use during qualifying and the race. The vast experience that can be gained from testing on a regular basis is not only a great way to enter the sport, but also can help with team structure and laying the foundations for a future union of driver and team.
It has however lately emerged that the regular drivers are not too happy with the test drivers taking over the Friday duties. Some drivers feel that they need the extra track time in order to prepare for qualifying and the race themselves, and with limited testing this year, the role of the test driver is less than ever.
"I think it's a pity that the Friday sessions aren't held as pure test sessions where you could use - for instance - three cars," Mario Theissen said.
There are various drivers who have made it to full time drivers from being test drivers early on in their careers. World Champion Fernando Alonso and David Coulthard are a few examples. Lately we have also had Robert Kubica which was a revelation in Friday practice sessions in 2006, so much so that Jacques Villeneuve had to make way for the young man mid season, in part due to the impressive driving by Kubica. Robert is now a full time driver for BMW.
Some drivers have also moved in the opposite direction, from being full time drivers to test drivers, Christian Klien, Marc Gené and Pedro de la Rosa are probably the most notable examples. This should not be seen as an indication of lesser talent. In the world of Formula One, getting and more importantly keeping, an F1 seat is not always easy, unless you are the cream of the crop.
"His abilities are just the same as a race drivers, and he does exactly what the race driver does.” Bryan Lambert once said.
Of today’s current list of test drivers, there are definite future full time drivers and maybe even a potential world champion. Some of the guys to look for in the future will be Nelson Piquet, Jr., Sebastian Vettel and Michael Ammermüller.
Not everyone makes it into the world of Formula One, but being a test driver is as close as you can get to being at the top of the sport.
