By Huw Alban
April 13 2006

The Silverstone weather has struck again. Yesterday, dry and sunny, and today overcast and drizzling. Fortunately the weather didn't put pay to Midland F1's technical test programme.

Today the focus of the test was clearly on start procedures. The team were using the back straight of the South Circuit with the M16 running up and down and looping at each end. About one third of the way down was a single bright orange marker which Giorgio Mondini was using as a reference point from which to stop the car and begin the start procedures.

He would undertake two starts from every run and then return to the makeshift garage. Team mechanics would then pour over the back of the car making checks and adjustments. In the background a huge arrangement of computer terminals was present all churning through lines and lines of data – it looked like something out of Star Trek.

Before each run Giorgio received a long list of instructions from members of the team, and as such each start procedure appeared to be slightly different. On returning to the makeshift garage Giorgio would be immediately talking over the radio to the team, using his hands over the steering wheel to help illustrate his descriptions.

Giorgio took an interest in me being there, wanting to have a look at the pictures that I had taken. Team staff too took pity on my damp form inviting me to take shelter under the marquee to get out of the worst of the weather - thank you guys!

It is difficult for me to be able to report with confidence as to what areas of the car the team were watching and adjusting, but I did hear the word clutch and dampers (suspension components) mentioned once or twice. Unfortunately we'll have to rely on the official team press release from today for any other further details.

Christijan Albers took over from Mondini in the afternoon, and it was then that the main purpose for today’s test became clear. Christijan sat down in the marquee and was given a demonstration of a new sequence of button and paddle presses on the M16 steering wheel in order to launch the car from a standing start. Obviously I can’t go into any detail, but Christijan initially looked less than impressed at the complicated nature of the procedure.

In answer to Christijan’s screwed up face, I overheard one team staffer say, “It’s a compromise, and better than Super Aguri getting the jump on you at the start.”

Christijan spent the rest of the afternoon, right up to 5 o’clock practicing this new procedure and getting feedback from the team over how long it was taking for him to get up to optimum revs once the car was rolling.

Today’s test wasn’t as spectacular as before; after all watching a Formula One car shoot up a short straight can only hold so much appeal. Today was technical, with the team and the driver working as one to collect the correct data and feedback. Despite all the negative press, the team looked focused and confident and there was no sign of any hesitation – they were developing this car to go faster for the next Grand Prix.

The next test at Silverstone is in two weeks time for three days. According to one team staffer that chatted to me, Midland F1 are due to attend for two and a-half days of it. Entrance to the circuit for public tests is free, so get planning your journeys now and catch Midland in action for real soon.

My thanks to our contacts at Midland Group, Charlotte at Midland F1, and the staff at Silverstone circuit.

Images taken by MF1O from today’s test can be found here