17/12/2008
NEWS STORY
While BMW, Williams and Red Bull concluded their 2008 programmes at Jerez today and Toyota at Sakhir, McLaren and Ferrari were in action on the Algarve bringing their successful season to a close.
This final outing of the year allowed McLaren to significantly improve its understanding of its interim 2009 aerodynamic package and KERS device. More reliable and more powerful, drivers have already begun refining the utilisation of KERS under braking and, according to the Woking outfit, Pedro de la Rosa finished the test feeling very confident in the big steps taken with the system. Similarly, the team's engineers have gained considerable insight into optimal employment of KERS around a lap.
With no testing scheduled until late January, the entire McLaren team now turns all its efforts towards the development of MP4-24 and its launch, in Woking, on Friday January 16.
Luca Badoer was the last driver to sit at the wheel of the F2008 this year. The Maranello outfit's test driver completed the planned programme at the first ever F1 test at this new Portuguese circuit, working on finding the best set-up for the car on the 2009 slick tyres. He also evaluated new solutions for next season and on endurance testing of the engine.
Today's Times - All Times Unofficial
| Name | Team | Laps | Time | Gap |
| de la Rosa | McLaren | 74 | 1:28.993 | 117.816 mph |
| Badoer | Ferrari | 75 | 1:30.163 | 1.170 |