1st Test 2017

[paolow]

Crafty_ said:

I think the midfield (Renault, FI, Williams, STR) is going to be a good battle this year.

Agreed. I believe the midfield will be tighter for lots of reasons. Mcl will be in the mix there too - but ultimately I would be stunned if Mercedes were not out on top ultimately.
Will we have two 'tiers' with RBR Ferrari and Merc in tier one and the others in tier two?

[FourWheelDrift]

Times combined

1. Valtteri Bottas - Mercedes - 1m 19.705s (324 laps) - Ultrasoft tyres - Day 3
2. Sebastian Vettel - Ferrari - 1m 19.952s (267 laps) - Soft tyres - Day 3
3. Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari - 1m 20.872s (234 laps) - Soft tyres - Day 4
4. Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes - 1m 20.983s (201 laps) - Super soft tyres - Day 2
5. Daniel Ricciardo - Red Bull - 1m 21.153s (198 laps) - Soft tyres - Day 3
6. Jolyon Palmer - Renault - 1m 21.396s (174 laps) - Soft tyres - Day 3
7. Max Verstappen - Red Bull - 1m 21.769s (174 laps) - Soft tyres - Day 4
8. Nico Hulkenberg - Renault - 1m 21.791s (169 laps) - Soft tyres - Day 3
9. Marcus Ericsson - Sauber - 1m 21.824s (151 laps) - Super soft tyres - Day 3
10. Felipe Massa - Williams - 1m 22.076s (150 laps) - Soft tyres - Day 1
11. Romain Grosjean - Haas - 1m 22.118s (143 laps) - Super soft tyres - Day 3
12. Kevin Magnussen - Haas - 1m 22.204s (121 laps) - Super soft tyres - Day 2
13. Lance Stroll - Williams - 1m 22.351s (120 laps) - Soft tyres - Day 3
14. Antonio Giovinazzi - Sauber - 1m 22.401s (110 laps) - Ultra soft tyres - Day 4
15. Esteban Ocon - Force India - 1m 22.509s (107 laps) - Super soft tyres - Day 2
16. Sergio Perez - Force India - 1m 22.534s (103 laps) - Super soft tyres - Day 4
17. Stoffel Vandoorne - McLaren - 1m 22.576s (101 laps) - Ultra soft tyres - Day 4
18. Fernando Alonso - McLaren - 1m 22.598s (100 laps) - Ultra soft tyres - Day 3
19. Daniil Kvyat - Toro Rosso - 1m 22.956s (86 laps) - Soft tyres - Day 2
20. Carlos Sainz - Toro Rosso - 1m 23.540s (83 laps) - Medium tyres - Day 3
21. Alfonso Celis Jr - Force India - 1m 23.568s (71 laps) - Super soft tyres - Day 3

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Thursday 2nd March 21:01

[DanielSan]

Red Bull are being very quiet so far, and judging from the Sky interview with Adrian Newey on Monday it sounds like the car is in its most basic design form at the moment with them just focusing on the basic shape and aero being right before they start to add serious updates. I think there'll be a lot of changes on that car for the second test, and even more come Australia, possibly more extreme changes compared to anything else on the grid.

[FourWheelDrift]

Ted's day 4 notebook, he's using Lance Stroll's Williams pen, it's got a dent in it

[MiniMan64]

When you look at it like that it doesn't look too clever for Force India after fairly high expectations?

[Vocal Minority]

They've not done many laps - didn't notice that

Edited by Vocal Minority on Thursday 2nd March 22:06

[confucuis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpJuAxK-fS4

Another clip of from testing. When the Mclaren changes gear it sounds rougher than the rest!

[PhillipM]

MiniMan64 said:

When you look at it like that it doesn't look too clever for Force India after fairly high expectations?

The times don't matter. Are we really expecting a Sauber to be less than a second a lap slower than Hamilton in the Merc?

Teams aren't running anywhere close to flat out, Mclaren and Redbull still have basically some bent up carbon sheet for their floor and diffusers, not even close to race aero packages.

[TheInternet]

FourWheelDrift said:

Times combined
...

Is it just a coincidence that the times are also in the same order as the number of laps completed?

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

It's interesting to see that in qualifying last year the fastest lap was a 1:22:00 dead and in the grand prix itself the fastest lap was a 1:26:something so on the first test basis they are going to be at least 4 seconds quicker - going to be interesting to see if quicker = better racing however.....

[Mr_Yogi]

I just hope there isn't the large delta between qualifying and race laptimes this year.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

I think it'll be the same as it's always been - fuel being the key factor Yogi imo.

[BoRED S2upid]

Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

I think it'll be the same as it's always been - fuel being the key factor Yogi imo.

It was fuel and tyres last year which was rubbish.

[HustleRussell]

They do have IIRC 5kg more fuel this year and this has been factored into the increase in regulated minimum weight so hopefully, while there will always be 'fuel saving' to a degree because it is the fastest way to run a race without pit stops, we'll hear less about it and it'll have less impact on the racing.

ETA: but the cars will be more draggy this season.

On the other hand, the PUs will be getting ever more efficient.

[Adrian W]

Bottas seemed to be getting in as many laps as possible, I wonder how many laps it takes to get used to a new car.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

BoRED S2upid said:

Oi_Oi_Savaloy said:

I think it'll be the same as it's always been - fuel being the key factor Yogi imo.

It was fuel and tyres last year which was rubbish.

Sorry - you're quite right - forgot the tyres bit!

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

[quote=Adrian W]Bottas seemed to be getting in as many laps as possible, I wonder how many laps it takes to get used to a new car.[/quot

As the number 2 he's got to do all the grunt work......

[suffolk009]

FourWheelDrift said:

Ted's day 4 notebook, he's using Lance Stroll's Williams pen, it's got a dent in it

Highlight of the show.

[HustleRussell]

Adrian W said:

Bottas seemed to be getting in as many laps as possible, I wonder how many laps it takes to get used to a new car.

Far fewer than it would take to wear out a Mercedes F1 car apparently!

In all seriousness I doubt Bottas drove exactly the same car for more than one stint all week, the cars are after all ever changing prototypes.

[anonymous-user]

Adrian W said:

Bottas seemed to be getting in as many laps as possible, I wonder how many laps it takes to get used to a new car.

Less than a Grand Prix weekend based on Max winning his first race in a Red Bull.