While the team's test driver Christian Klien was chosen to run both days on the KERS-powered car – having to stop off track during Tuesday's testing due to a mechanical failure with the system – Nick Heidfeld had to familiarize himself with the new control slick tires that are to be used next year. With the slick tires having the same surface-dimensions as compared to the grooved ones, it is expected that F1 drivers would benefit from better grip during next year's racing.
“There are differences in setting up the car, but it is mainly because of the tires, not the aerodynamics. Everyone knows that the rears will go off like crazy and that's the main thing to work on. You have a lot less downforce that obviously gives you less grip in general, but the biggest challenge is the tires. We seem to have proportionally too much grip on the front compared to the rear,” said Heidfeld after the second day of testing at Jerez.
The same problem in terms of losing rear-side grip was signaled by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen during the first day of the Jerez test meeting. With the front tires benefiting from better grip, tire wear comes into play, affecting the front ones first. Having a different level of tire wear between the front and rear side of the car leads to oversteering situations.
The rear tyre wear is very bad. It is completely different to Barcelona where nobody could heat them up. The problem is the degradation of the rear tires. It's bad, but at least it's good that everyone is in the same position.
However, Heidfeld remained confident that he will be able to overcome these situations in the testing sessions to go before the season opener at Melbourne.
“After testing at two different circuits I am starting to understand the tires a lot more and we will not have the same problems. I think I understood quicker and easier with this year's tires than with last year's.
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