Valencia, LH 5th in testing...

[Tony 1234]

what's that all about, thought he would be 1st or second (Kovi second) hope the new Mac car suits Lewis's style

Tony (worried)

[kevin ritson]

Oh no, it's all over....


It's testing. Not who can go the fastest but about developing the car and with new rules there are engine maps and diff and brake settings to work through that have to be consistent for the races.

It's also January 25th. More than 6 weeks from Melbourne, so worrying about the fastest time of the test is not important.

[stockhatcher]

i think over the winter he's forgotten how to drive, or maybe the Liana has given him a few bad habits... oh well back to button then..

[Tony 1234]

kevin ritson said:

Oh no, it's all over....


It's testing. Not who can go the fastest but about developing the car and with new rules there are engine maps and diff and brake settings to work through that have to be consistent for the races.

It's also January 25th. More than 6 weeks from Melbourne, so worrying about the fastest time of the test is not important.

But I would have thought Lewis would have STILL wanted to be fastest even if he was testing etc?

Tony (still concerned)

[FourWheelDrift]

They don't always test the best setup for the circuit they are driving, the don't race at Valencia so no point in getting the cars precisely setup for it and with 2 cars on track they could have been running 2 slightly different setups for the car and getting feedback for both for baseline setup analysis. Possibly with thoughts to what they will do in Melbourne.

[Rocky Balboa]

Don't know why your worried?

Michael Schumacher was never the fastest in testing and then used to blow everyone away!

Its the race that counts, not whos got the fastest lap in winter testing!

[moffspeed]

This time last year we had a Super Aguri near the top of the testing times, didn't really set the world alight during the '07 season though.

Winter testing is just that...winter testing.

[kevin ritson]

Anyone can go fast in testing, take out all the fuel, don't bother ballasting up the car and all of a sudden you're fastest.

But unless you're desperate for sponsors (remember when Jordan used to do this?), all you've done is wasted a few grand and lost valuable set up time.

[mark69sheer]

Nothing to worry about. so many variables. possibly even sandbagging so the other teams feel confident when they shouln't.

[Dunit]

I agree , they are never going to show their true pace till the last few laps of quali in Melbourne

[Jinxy]

From an ear in the pit........they were working on completely different setups, including fuel loads...

[nioks]

kevin ritson said:

Anyone can go fast in testing, take out all the fuel, don't bother ballasting up the car and all of a sudden you're fastest.

I can think of at least one French team that may have already done that this year!

[Teppic]

FourWheelDrift said:

They don't always test the best setup for the circuit they are driving, the don't race at Valencia so no point in getting the cars precisely setup for it and with 2 cars on track they could have been running 2 slightly different setups for the car and getting feedback for both for baseline setup analysis. Possibly with thoughts to what they will do in Melbourne.

Just to point out (although I'm sure you know) but they are racing at Valencia this year, so there would be some point in getting the car set up for the track.

Still, testing means nothing. Didn't Honda roll out a car a few years ago that was blisteringly fast in testing yet nowhere in the races (and I'm not thinking about 2007 - that wasn't fast in testing either)?

[stephen300o]

Most of the teams have very different agendas on any given test,
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/...

[FourWheelDrift]

Teppic said:

FourWheelDrift said:

They don't always test the best setup for the circuit they are driving, the don't race at Valencia so no point in getting the cars precisely setup for it and with 2 cars on track they could have been running 2 slightly different setups for the car and getting feedback for both for baseline setup analysis. Possibly with thoughts to what they will do in Melbourne.

Just to point out (although I'm sure you know) but they are racing at Valencia this year, so there would be some point in getting the car set up for the track.

They are racing on a completely new street circuit in Valencia this year, not the circuit (the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana) that they have been testing on this week and the same track raced on by the WTCC, MotoGP and WSBK.

[Teppic]

FourWheelDrift said:

Teppic said:

FourWheelDrift said:

They don't always test the best setup for the circuit they are driving, the don't race at Valencia so no point in getting the cars precisely setup for it and with 2 cars on track they could have been running 2 slightly different setups for the car and getting feedback for both for baseline setup analysis. Possibly with thoughts to what they will do in Melbourne.

Just to point out (although I'm sure you know) but they are racing at Valencia this year, so there would be some point in getting the car set up for the track.

They are racing on a completely new street circuit in Valencia this year, not the circuit (the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana) that they have been testing on this week and the same track raced on by the WTCC, MotoGP and WSBK.

You are, of course, absolutely correct. Brain fade on my part.