Driver: Valtteri Bottas
Chassis / engine: FW35-01 / RS27-5409/3
Location: Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona 4.655km
Objectives: Tyre testing, mileage and some set-up work
Weather: Cloudy and cold with some rain
Air & track temps: 7-10ºC / 7-16ºC

The final four day test for the Williams F1 team prior to the first round of the 2013 season in Melbourne would again see them at Barcelona. The first day would see Valtteri Bottas take on the testing duties on a day that would see light rain in the morning seeing a mix of intermediate and full wet tyres been used. Valtteri would complete the usual installation lap prior to a break of around forty five minutes before he returned for some wet weather running. He would go out on the intermediate tyre and his lap times were in the 1m:49s but after a few laps he was down into the 1m:48s with a 1m:48.915. Massa was quickest at this time with a 1m:42.963, from Vergne and Webber. Valtteri's times seemed to indicate that he was running with a heavier fuel load. He would pit having completed nine laps.

After a short break Valtteri would return to the track while at the front it was Vergne who was now fastest with a 1m:42.155 on what was still a wet track despite it having stopped raining. Valtteri's lap times were again in the 1m:49s as he started his next run. The Williams team had hoped to do more aerodynamic evaluations but with the weather they would change their programme. Also it was announced that Pastor would be driving on Friday and the pair would share the driving on Saturday and Sunday. As Valtteri continued to lap the circuit his lap times would fall into the 1m:50s. The rain would start to fall heavier again as Valtteri pitted after five timed laps. He had completed sixteen laps so far in the day.

After a half hour break Valtteri would return to the track to complete a further short run with times in the 1m:48s and 1m:47s. He would follow this with a run with six timed laps with a best of 1m:45.457, having completed twenty nine laps. At this time the quickest lap time had been set by Hamilton with a 1m:41.614 on what was a drier track. The rain would again to fall even heavier but Valtteri would continue returning to the track to complete another run with times ranging from 1m:52.365 to 1m:47.712. He would pit briefly but would pit as a result of a red flag with a Sauber off the track. Valtteri would return to the track once it went green but again the rain would become heavier and he would pit after one lap of 1m:49.418 running on wet tyres. But Valtteri would continue putting in laps looking to gain wet weather running in his car. He would pit as the lunch time break commenced having completed forty four laps.

Valtteri's next run would not take place for a further two hours but his lap times would improve as the track conditions improved setting times ranging from 1m:42.191 down to a 1m:39.844. This time would be the first into the 1m:39s seeing Valtteri fastest. The track was wet but it was not raining. The first lap of his next run which would see him on dry tyres would see him set a 1m:38.722 to be just 0.628 seconds behind what was now the quickest time set by Massa with a 1m:38.094. Valtteri would then put in two slower laps but would then set a 1m:37.384 but Massa would also improve with a 1m:36.245 running on the medium tyre. Valtteri would then pit and Massa would set a 1m:32.849 as the track conditions continued to improve. This would see Valtteri fourth as Massa set a 1m:32.677. Hamilton was second followed by Gutierrez.

For his next run Valtteri would go out on the super soft tyre as drivers started to swap the quickest time with Hamilton now fastest with a 1m:31.829. But now it was Perez's turn to be fastest with a 1m:30.127. Valtteri would move briefly into second with a 1m:31.187, but was passed by Webber as the times continued to fall. Perez would be the first into the 1m:29s with a 1m:29.940. Webber would set a 1m:27.487 to be fastest with Massa second as Valtteri pitted having completed sixty seven laps. Gutierrez was next fastest with a 1m:27.021 with the times now really failing to give any real indication of performance. With less than an hour remaining Valtteri would return to the track completing eight five laps by the end of the day and finishing fourth overall.

Mike Coughlan, Technical Director: The conditions today made it difficult for us to complete our planned programme, but we were able to get some useful tyre data. It was good mileage for Valtteri, as he was able to try a mix of tyres running from the wet, onto the intermediate and finally onto dry tyres this afternoon. It’s a good grounding for him and he brought the car home safely despite the tricky track conditions. The FW35 has now completed another 85 laps without any issues.

Valtteri Bottas: It was a good day overall and we had no problems with the car. It’s a shame we were disrupted a bit by the wet weather, although this did allow us to run on the wet, intermediate and dry tyres. I clocked up a lot of mileage for myself and was able to get more experience driving in difficult conditions. It was cold, wet and windy all day, and particularly slippery on track this morning.

The Williams F1 Team will be back on track tomorrow, Friday 1 March, with Pastor Maldonado driving the FW35 for the second day of the test.