Formula 1 Pre-season Testing February 2020

[Supersam83]

Barcelona testing schedule:

Circuit de Catalunya

Wednesday, 19 February - Friday, 21 February

Wednesday, 26 February - Friday, 28 February

F1.com said:

2020 pre-season testing kicks off on February 19 – and after a long, F1-less winter for fans, the sport is coming back with a bang, with all six days of testing set to be broadcast live on F1 TV Pro for the very first time, alongside a full live timing experience.

Subscribers to F1 TV Pro*, as well as Sky F1 UK and Sky F1 Italia viewers, will be able to tune into live coverage of the tests at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya from 0900 to 1300 CET and then again from 1400 to 1800 each day – that’s February 19-21 and February 26-28 – as the teams descend on the Spanish track to get their first look at the pecking order for the 2020 season.

F1 TV Pro will also host a daily Tech Talk show – analysing the latest innovations the teams are trialling for 2020 – as well as full coverage of the new lunchtime press conferences, due to be held daily across testing. Sky F1 UK’s round-up show will also be available on F1 TV Pro.

Improving the viewing experience even more, meanwhile, with 2020 marking the first year that pre-season testing will be an official F1 event, the teams have all unanimously agreed not to use vanity screens during testing – a move that coincides perfectly with F1’s extended coverage!

As if that wasn’t enough, all F1 TV subscribers will have access to a much richer Live Timing page on the official F1 app this year, with fans able to follow all of the drivers’ lap-by-lap performance live using the fantastic lap segment feature, while also comparing drivers’ lap times against one another.

Live text commentary, in-session clips and full live timing will also be available right here on Formula1.com.

2 Days to go!

[Supersam83]

Schedule for Test 1 so far.

[Supersam83]

Class of F1 2020 via F1 twitter:

[Supersam83]

Just as a reminder to everyone, here is the full list of the fastest times from last years pre season testing just for comparison:

DRIVERS

Sebastian Vettel [Ferrari] 1:16.221 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 534 laps
Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes] 1:16.224 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 638 laps
Charles Leclerc [Ferrari] 1:16.231 (C5, Test 2 Day 3) 463 laps
Valtteri Bottas [Mercedes] 1:16.561 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 552 laps
Nico Hulkenberg [Renault] 1:16.843 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 509 laps
Alexander Albon [Toro Rosso] 1:16.882 (C5, Test 2 Day 3) 489 laps
Daniil Kvyat [Toro Rosso] 1:16.898 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 446 laps
Carlos Sainz [McLaren] 1:16.913 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 473 laps
Romain Grosjean [Haas] 1:17.076 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 407 laps
Lando Norris [McLaren] 1:17.084 (C5, Test 2 Day 3) 400 laps
Pierre Gasly [Red Bull] 1:17.091 (C5, Test 2 Day 3) 439 laps
Daniel Ricciardo [Renault] 1:17.114 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 452 laps
Kimi Raikkonen [Alfa Romeo] 1:17.239 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 497 laps
Lance Stroll [Racing Point] 1:17.556 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 336 laps
Kevin Magnussen [Haas] 1:17.565 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 403 laps
Antonio Giovinazzi [Alfa Romeo] 1:17.639 (C5, Test 2 Day 3) 425 laps
Max Verstappen [Red Bull] 1:17.709 (Test 2 Day 4) 394 laps
Sergio Perez [Racing Point] 1:17.791 (C5, Test 2 Day 4) 289 laps
George Russell [Williams] 1:18.130 (C5, Test 2 Day 3) 299 laps
Robert Kubica [Williams] 1:18.993 (Test 2 Day 4) 268 laps
Pietro Fittipaldi [Haas] 1:19.249 (C4, Test 1 Day 3) 61 laps


TEAMS

Ferrari 1:16.221 (997 laps)
Mercedes 1:16.224 (1,190 laps)
Renault 1:16.843 (961 laps)
Toro Rosso 1:16.882 (935 laps)
McLaren 1:16.913 (873 laps)
Haas 1:17.076 (871 laps)
Red Bull 1:17.091 (833 laps)
Alfa Romeo 1:17.239 (918 laps)
Racing Point 1:17.556 (625 laps)
Williams 1:18.130 (567 laps)


POWER UNITS

FERRARI 1:16.221 (2,790 laps)
MERCEDES 1:16.224 (2,382 laps)
RENAULT 1:16.843 (1,834 laps)
HONDA 1:16.882 (1,768 laps)

[Supersam83]

This is why I love F1 testing because of spotting these new loopholes that the teams try and find and exploit.

Also the reaction of the other teams wondering why they didn't come up with these ideas...

Maybe focusing everyone on the front of the car stops everyone snooping and looking at the rear of the car where the real trickery is happening

[Supersam83]

Ted Kravitz said:

"A senior source at Mercedes has confirmed that a) we’re not imagining it, the trombone steering, b) it’s something that’s on the car and not ostensibly something just for testing and c) it’s a steering mode. So, it’s another element of what the steering can do.

"In the way that Mercedes do, and they’re so clever, they thought ‘maybe we can do something like the way the steering changes the ride-height when it’s on full lock’ in different track conditions."

Mercedes have confirmed that it exists...

Edited by Supersam83 on Thursday 20th February 11:56

[Supersam83]

TheInternet said:

Definitely looking forward to the technology trickle-down so I can have this on my car.

Yep next big thing, I can see it now...

Introducing the all new Mercedes Benz A180d AMG Line now with DAS.

[Supersam83]

Ferrari in Vettel's hands has already stopped out on track and caused 1st proper red flag of the test...

[Supersam83]

Bottas is now down to a 1:16.417

2 tenths away from the fastest time in testing last year.

Mercedes are fast!

[Supersam83]

Holy poop!

Bottas sets a 1:15.732!

Pole position and lap record is 1:15.406

Mercedes Benz have created a monster!

[Supersam83]

TheDeuce said:

No, but the comments were significant so it won't be long until the quotes are all over the net.

In a nutshell: "we're not as fast as Mercedes and we don't expect to be as fast at the start of the season, maybe we can catch them at the end."

There goes that battle for 2020 then

He also said that they have changed the way they conduct testing this year and haven't done any performance runs yet which will be done next week.

[Supersam83]

rallycross said:

Will be interesting to hear of this is something driver or team related ( or both ).

Maybe a sabbatical / year off but not leaving the team.

His father and brother shown at the track as well.

Maybe could be something big annouced?

[Supersam83]

Ferrari seem to be doing some sandbagging with not having run the PU at full power yet.

I know it's probably wishful thinking but just imagine if this whole "we are behind Mercedes and Red Bull" is just Ferrari playing everyone and when they turn up the PU in Melbourne we see the real Ferrari pace.

I just want a competitive season at the top

[Supersam83]

cuprabob said:

... and only to find out that both Mercedes and Red Bull were sandbagging too

[Supersam83]

What about when McLaren obtained (stole) Ferrari design blueprints in 2007 and used bits of this in their car for 2007 and 2008 when Hamilton won his 1st championship?

At least the Racing Point "Pink" Mercedes is copied design concepts by the engineers and not from actual Mercedes 2019 blueprints stolen from Mercedes themselves.

[Supersam83]

Hamilton in the W11 stopped out on track with a PU problem...

Maybe there's some light at the end of the tunnel of this season.

[Supersam83]

Jolyon Palmer said:

"Charles Leclerc is doing a really really long run at the moment, and he's blowing the rest of the midfield out of the water to the tune of around a second a lap and that's even Racing Point, who people are saying they are in a fight with"

"Actually the lap times Leclerc is doing, are actually bang on what Lewis Hamilton did on his long run yesterday."

"Whatever happened to Mercedes last week, they are not as quick this week, but Ferrari right now are on par with Mercedes right now."

Interesting view from Jolyon Palmer on sky sports website...