****Winter Testing #1 Jerez****

[Vocal Minority]

As many laps as the last 2 days combined now.

I rather expect the lap times are a result of feeling their way around the car, rather than it being a 7 second a lap off the pace lemon.

[simonpeter]

With only 18 cars racing I think that ticket prices and TV money should be reduced inline with the show. Perhaps it should be called Formula 0.8 from now on as it is a poor shadow of its former self.

LaurasOtherHalf said:

This thread's the perfect example of why testing won't be televised

[aberdeeneuan]

By the sounds of it, it's a packaging issue - you'd never find that if you'd strapped it to a P1. It's in the guts of the engine, the car is very tightly packaged and it just takes time to get at it and fix it.

If it's still running like a dog in the test in Barcelona, then it's time to panic.

Also, bear in mind it was a damp and slippery track this morning and I suspect they're still doing systems checks. Even Mercedes were doing that, they claimed they'd not done any setup work and all they are doing is proving the cars balance, tweaking the aero parts and making sure the engine, powertrain and all associated systems are working fully. Which is a tad ominous really if it goes that fast without the optimised setup on the car.

[suffolk009]

simonpeter said:

With only 18 cars racing I think that ticket prices and TV money should be reduced inline with the show. Perhaps it should be called Formula 0.8 from now on as it is a poor shadow of its former self.

LaurasOtherHalf said:

This thread's the perfect example of why testing won't be televised

18 cars racing assumes that Force India show up.

[Richard-G]

Alonso now up to around 30 laps, things are improving it seems. No indication on outright pace yet but times are consistent.

a friend of mine at jerez tells me that the car sounds different today than it did on Sunday and Monday.

[Some Gump]

Last run he was give or take nearish to Mercades. Worst was 2s slower, best .8s faster than rosberg. To me, that implies a car working at at least 95% full power (yesterday people were reporting Honda not at full chat on straights etc).

[NRS]

Scuffers said:

007 VXR said:

iirc. against the rules ?

Not that I am aware of no?

track test time and wind tunnel work are restricted, workshop running time or engine dyno work is not.

remember, at this point they have yet to homologate the powertrain, so they can still do anything they like.

Cooling etc would have been different. Since the car would be continuously evolving then how to cool the engine would change etc. I'm no mechanic, and yet even I can see how things would be changing all the time. There is mention of Australia and no points are given to a car a year behind development. However remember the engines will have limited changes allowed for the next number of years. So if they are really conservative they're basically stopping themselves winning for the next x number of years. In this way they may write of a number of races/ a season, but assuming it is competitive (thus the aggressive design which is causing problems) then it will probably be worth it.

Remember, Mercedes effectively won because of their engine last year.

[FourWheelDrift]

Richard-G said:

Alonso now up to around 30 laps, things are improving it seems. No indication on outright pace yet but times are consistent.

a friend of mine at jerez tells me that the car sounds different today than it did on Sunday and Monday.

That's more laps now than Red Bull since Sunday?

[anonymous-user]

NRS said:

Remember, Mercedes effectively won because of their engine last year.

What!? Not true at all.

[Scuffers]

RenOHH said:

NRS said:

Remember, Mercedes effectively won because of their engine last year.

What!? Not true at all.

Just about to say that.

Yesterday, the engine sounded ste, nothings to do with packaging or heat.

Good to here it's running better today, but two days wasted chassing installation issues.

[Richard-G]

FourWheelDrift said:

Richard-G said:

Alonso now up to around 30 laps, things are improving it seems. No indication on outright pace yet but times are consistent.

a friend of mine at jerez tells me that the car sounds different today than it did on Sunday and Monday.

That's more laps now than Red Bull since Sunday?

indeed hes now at 32, doing quick sectors but then backing off.

least it goes to show the baseline works (we think) just got to make sure its fast now! (they hope)

Edited by Richard-G on Tuesday 3rd February 11:35

[London424]

It looks like all teams are putting some half decent milage in.

Good news all round.

[marcgti6]

Times and number of laps here - http://www.pitpass.com/53267/Morning-times-from-Je...

[NRS]

Scuffers said:

RenOHH said:

NRS said:

Remember, Mercedes effectively won because of their engine last year.

What!? Not true at all.

Just about to say that.

They had better aero/chassis against the other teams with their engine, but when you look at all the teams with their engine it generally stood out against the rest of the engines. Red Bull had big problems with their engine, but the chassis and aero seemed to be very good.

[slinky]

suffolk009 said:

18 cars racing assumes that Force India show up.

If they can find a tub for the year, or get dispensation to run the '14 chassis..

[London424]

McL are done for the day...power unit removal and inspection due to loss of cooling water pressure.

[woof]

London424 said:

McL are done for the day...power unit removal and inspection due to loss of cooling water pressure.

I wonder if JB is question all those contract negotiations for exactly what ?
I just hope McL can sort it out. Really would like them to get back up the sharp end.

[PhillipM]

Not a massive issue mind, it's likely just a failure due to vibration that wasn't experienced on the test rigs, it's pretty common with both hoses and exhausts, we seen it across many teams in testing over the years, lets face it, this is why they go testing. Better to find the problems now than at a race.

I'd be a lot more worried if they don't show improvement test on test, as that would mean they have more serious installation issues and they haven't been able to improve with the data they take away from the previous tests, but anyone shouting doom and gloom from them fixing expected issues from the first test alone needs a slap

[anonymous-user]

NRS said:

Scuffers said:

RenOHH said:

NRS said:

Remember, Mercedes effectively won because of their engine last year.

What!? Not true at all.

Just about to say that.

They had better aero/chassis against the other teams with their engine, but when you look at all the teams with their engine it generally stood out against the rest of the engines. Red Bull had big problems with their engine, but the chassis and aero seemed to be very good.

Where DO you get this bks from?

[NRS]

REALIST123 said:

NRS said:

Scuffers said:

RenOHH said:

NRS said:

Remember, Mercedes effectively won because of their engine last year.

What!? Not true at all.

Just about to say that.

They had better aero/chassis against the other teams with their engine, but when you look at all the teams with their engine it generally stood out against the rest of the engines. Red Bull had big problems with their engine, but the chassis and aero seemed to be very good.

Where DO you get this bks from?

Lets hear your reason for why Mercedes (and the other teams using their engines did well)?