Notable driver tests through the years

You've seen my avatar but never noticed?

I have a strange obsession for the shown car, probably thanks to some Tamiya catalogue where it was shown with it's special paint scheme.

David Jundt wrote:

You've seen my avatar but never noticed?

I have a strange obsession for the shown car, probably thanks to some Tamiya catalogue where it was shown with it's special paint scheme.

I did notice! Some just choose that car because it looks cool. Most have no idea about the legend or the nostalgia of this beast. Should've known with your legendary status.

Johnny Dumfries testing a Ferrari 156/85 at Fiorano in 1985.

Emerson Fittipaldi testing a Spirit 101-Hart in 1984.  

Michele Alboreto testing a March 85G Indycar at Fiorano.
This car served as a test and research vehicle during the development of the Ferrari 637 Indycar.

Didier Pironi testing an AGS at Paul Ricard in 1986.

Didier Pironi testing a Ligier at Dijon-Prenois,  August 1986.

Johnny Dumfries tests a Benetton in 1988.

James Hunt tests a Williams in 1989.

Senna tests a Lambo-powered McLaren.

Mark Blundell tests a McLaren at Silverstone in 1992.

Senna's Lambo test was after the Portuguese Grand Prix in 1993 and he wanted to use the enjine at both Suzuka and Adelaide, but Ron said no.

Hakkinen also tried the engine twice in 1993.

Mark Blundell was McLaren's official test driver for 1992 after not securing a drive for the season.

So Spirit was kinda sponsored by Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse there, or rather it's Italian division I guess(Topolino is the name in Italy)

Now that Kubica is coming back actually, the pictures of Pironi testing for AGS and Ligier's last decent car of the 80ties seem relevant again.

I suspect Kubica will have to pay some insurance money back since he'll return to race. But with Lotos(or that other Polish company I heard of) backing him, he probably has it easier than Didier back then.

Jimmie Johnson could be interested in Indycar road course drives.
http://classic.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/140373

that lamborghini 3512 V12 for 94 produced massive power and torque over all the evolutions of the years before started in 89 and could be a easy threat for Ferrari to dominate and no doubt Senna would have won with it
its sounded INSANE high pitched but its a fairytail we never saw ...

I seem to recall reports from back then they combined the Lambo engine with TAG electronics and were faster than using the Ford HB right away. Unfortunately, McLaren/Dennis had already signed a contract with Peugeot, so that was a no-no. Turned out the decision for Peugeot wasn't the smartest, though...


...did anyone already mentioned the Nannini/Ferrari test? The '92 Ferrari was beautiful, but else an abomination.

Michael Drechsler wrote:

The '92 Ferrari was beautiful, but else an abomination.

Agreed. I remember when I first saw it on TV in 1992, and I was like, "oh cool! Those oval shaped intakes!" But yes, it was an awful car. Especially on bumpy tracks.

Alessandro Nannini testing the aforementioned Ferrari.

Michael Drechsler wrote:

I seem to recall reports from back then they combined the Lambo engine with TAG electronics and were faster than using the Ford HB right away. Unfortunately, McLaren/Dennis had already signed a contract with Peugeot, so that was a no-no. Turned out the decision for Peugeot wasn't the smartest, though...

What I read is that things were set in motion, but no deal. So they could still have decided to go for Lamborghini...

TBH, it's a good thing McLaren did go with Chrysler and Lamborghini. Soon after a change of personal stopped all the budget for the motorsport side. Plus Peugeot paid McLaren to use the engine. Unlike Chrysler. (Who owned Lamborghini at the time)

Everyone expected Peugeot to succeed due to their success in Sports cars.

Mika Hakkinen testing the McLaren-Lambo combination.

Tony Kanaan drove a Ferrari (it's a 2002 car, not 2006).

Not really a test, but a full blown race entry:



Henri Toivonen in an Eddy Jordan entered Ralt RT3/82-Toyota in the last round of the 1982 British F3-season at Thruxton. Toivonen qualified the car 5th and finished 4th. The race was won by a young Brazilian guy called Ayrton Senna in one of his first races for West Surrey Racing. Julian Bailey finished 10th.

In that same year, 1982, Toivonen also tested Boesel's March at Silverstone and was 1.4 seconds a lap faster than Boesel within a handful of laps. But I can't find pics of that test.

Timo

He also raced a few times in 956 Porsches.