Modified F1 cars give glimpse of 2009

The look of things to come in F1

(GMM) Formula one observers this week got a clearer glimpse of the appearance of next year's grand prix racers.

Earlier this year, eyebrows were raised when Williams became the first team to test a rear wing designed to the specifications of the radically different 2009 aerodynamic regulations.

The thin and high wing returned to the track this week, when the 23-year-old British driver Jonathan Kennard made his formula one test debut with the Grove based team at the Kemble (UK) airfield.

The car featured not only the radical rear wing, but a 2009-specification front wing, which according to the regulations is bigger and wider.

The modified Williams will be tested properly and publicly at Barcelona next week.

Elsewhere, at Ferrari's private test circuit Fiorano, Luca Badoer got down to work in the Italian team's interim car F2008K.

The machine does not yet feature the 2009 wings, but it is equipped to carry extra ballast to simulate a KERS system, and at Fiorano it is reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport that some of the components for the energy-recovery technology are already aboard the F2008K.

Gazzetta said Ferrari's KERS system will be located near the floor in the middle of the chassis.

Badoer's car has also been stripped of all the extra bodywork appendages, like flip-ups and winglets, which are not allowed in formula one from next year.