McLaren Data:Hamilton vs Alonso/Räikkönen/Montoya? (Flemke?)
Discussion
Apologies for another 'ATTN: Flemke' question, but going on previous posts you appear best placed to possibly know the answer.
Alike Ferrari with their lap of Fiorano circuit, have McLaren a similar test? If so, how does Hamilton compare to their previous drivers?
And, does anybody know how Räikkönen compares to Schumacher on Fiorano?
Alike Ferrari with their lap of Fiorano circuit, have McLaren a similar test? If so, how does Hamilton compare to their previous drivers?
And, does anybody know how Räikkönen compares to Schumacher on Fiorano?
Sorry, I'm not Flemke, but I'll have a go anyway.
Ferrari is the only team with its own circuit. McLaren simply tests at regular circuits like everyone else.
With regard to Raikkonen vs Schumacher lap times around Fiorano, it's an almost impossible comparison. Circuits never behave the same two days in a row because of factors such as temperature, humidity, wind direction, recent rainfall etc, so unless the two were on track on the same half hour of the same day with exactly the same spec of car and fuel load (which they may have been, of course, I don't know) any comparison of ultimate speed isn't possible. The same applies to Hamilton vs anyone at McLaren.
Ferrari is the only team with its own circuit. McLaren simply tests at regular circuits like everyone else.
With regard to Raikkonen vs Schumacher lap times around Fiorano, it's an almost impossible comparison. Circuits never behave the same two days in a row because of factors such as temperature, humidity, wind direction, recent rainfall etc, so unless the two were on track on the same half hour of the same day with exactly the same spec of car and fuel load (which they may have been, of course, I don't know) any comparison of ultimate speed isn't possible. The same applies to Hamilton vs anyone at McLaren.
I'm not sure that I'm Flemke either, but, regardless of that, McLaren do have what they say is an incredibly sophisticated and realistic simulator.
Hamilton, I am told, is the quickest ever on it. Then again, he spends a huge amount of time on it.
One chap has told me that, in Raikkonen's five years with the team, he never once saw him near the simulator.
Last autumn, when Hakkinen was trying the simulator out, for a laugh he wanted to see what would happen if he drove his virtual car into the barrier. The crash simulation was so realistic that he nearly broke his thumb!
Hamilton, I am told, is the quickest ever on it. Then again, he spends a huge amount of time on it.
One chap has told me that, in Raikkonen's five years with the team, he never once saw him near the simulator.
Last autumn, when Hakkinen was trying the simulator out, for a laugh he wanted to see what would happen if he drove his virtual car into the barrier. The crash simulation was so realistic that he nearly broke his thumb!
Ahonen said:
With regard to Raikkonen vs Schumacher lap times around Fiorano, it's an almost impossible comparison. Circuits never behave the same two days in a row....
I know, but humour me 
flemke said:
Hamilton, I am told, is the quickest ever on it. Then again, he spends a huge amount of time on it.
One chap has told me that, in Raikkonen's five years with the team, he never once saw him near the simulator.
Maybe Ron should have put a minibar in the simulator - it'd have been sure to have seen more of Kimi then... One chap has told me that, in Raikkonen's five years with the team, he never once saw him near the simulator.
flemke said:
Last autumn, when Hakkinen was trying the simulator out, for a laugh he wanted to see what would happen if he drove his virtual car into the barrier. The crash simulation was so realistic that he nearly broke his thumb!
That's excellent. I bet Ron tried to charge him for the 'damage' Away from tabloid/The Cock speak, how highly do McLaren rate Hamilton? Rather, compared to their previous drivers, for raw speed and race craft, how does he compare?
flemke said:
Andy M said:
Away from tabloid/The Cock speak, how highly do McLaren rate Hamilton? Rather, compared to their previous drivers, for raw speed and race craft, how does he compare?
I can't address this as specifically as you are asking for, but I may be able to do so after tomorrow.
They never test at Lyden. Many many years ago McLaren was going to move the whole company there, but the move was not favourable by many people and hence MTC was built.
McLaren test mostly at Valencia, Barcelona, Paul Ricard, Monza, Silverstone and also at Elvington for straight line testing. They have also done "fly-away" testing recently. When I was on the test team we mostly went to ones I have mentioned. There was also the odd test at a small circuit in France, for the life of me I have forgotten and also Mugello-though this was very rare and only happend when two tests happend at once. Since the testing cut backs this doesn't happen
McLaren test mostly at Valencia, Barcelona, Paul Ricard, Monza, Silverstone and also at Elvington for straight line testing. They have also done "fly-away" testing recently. When I was on the test team we mostly went to ones I have mentioned. There was also the odd test at a small circuit in France, for the life of me I have forgotten and also Mugello-though this was very rare and only happend when two tests happend at once. Since the testing cut backs this doesn't happen
Interesting quote from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula...
the article said:
But it is clear who is potentially the most dangerous Ferrari driver as long as the man Di Montezemolo calls "the real Raikkonen" has indeed finally emerged - there have already been murmurings from within the team that Raikkonen has forced them to re-evaluate their understanding of what is possible, even with Schumacher as their reference point.
Andy M said:
Interesting quote from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula...
That could be right - I doubt that any of us on PH are capable of judging that, nor anyone in the motorsport media.the article said:
But it is clear who is potentially the most dangerous Ferrari driver as long as the man Di Montezemolo calls "the real Raikkonen" has indeed finally emerged - there have already been murmurings from within the team that Raikkonen has forced them to re-evaluate their understanding of what is possible, even with Schumacher as their reference point.
Then again, de Montezemolo isn't capable of judging it properly either. What is worse for Ferrari is that he is a highly biased judge.
We know that he is slavishly enamoured of Raikkonen - to the extraordinary degree that he forced out Schumacher in order to make things easier for Kimi.
Todt is Massa's patron, although his view too might be quite subjective, what with his son's financial dependence on Massa.
flemke said:
Andy M said:
Interesting quote from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula...
That could be right - I doubt that any of us on PH are capable of judging that, nor anyone in the motorsport media.the article said:
But it is clear who is potentially the most dangerous Ferrari driver as long as the man Di Montezemolo calls "the real Raikkonen" has indeed finally emerged - there have already been murmurings from within the team that Raikkonen has forced them to re-evaluate their understanding of what is possible, even with Schumacher as their reference point.
Then again, de Montezemolo isn't capable of judging it properly either. What is worse for Ferrari is that he is a highly biased judge.
We know that he is slavishly enamoured of Raikkonen - to the extraordinary degree that he forced out Schumacher in order to make things easier for Kimi.
Todt is Massa's patron, although his view too might be quite subjective, what with his son's financial dependence on Massa.
My contacts at Mclaren say;
Kimi: Split. Guys on the race team say he was faster even than Senna on the day, test team guys say he was a lazy git who never did any work.
Montoya: Spoilt. Could be very fast on the day but not prepared to put in the work. Very easily distracted and didn't concentrate enough on his fitness. In his mind, the greatest racing driver who ever walked the planet.
Hamilton: Leaves everyone for dead in the simulator, fast, totally focused on the job at the moment but concerns are already being raised about some of the company he's been seen with lately.
Kimi: Split. Guys on the race team say he was faster even than Senna on the day, test team guys say he was a lazy git who never did any work.
Montoya: Spoilt. Could be very fast on the day but not prepared to put in the work. Very easily distracted and didn't concentrate enough on his fitness. In his mind, the greatest racing driver who ever walked the planet.
Hamilton: Leaves everyone for dead in the simulator, fast, totally focused on the job at the moment but concerns are already being raised about some of the company he's been seen with lately.
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