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47 posts & 24 voices | Started 2 years ago by glenp | Latest reply from thepurist

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glenp - Member

Here comes the test that shows us a hell of lot more.

The time for sandbagging (or indeed grabbing headlines falsely) is over. The cars will be tested now in more or less their finished form and teams will not be so shy to show their hand. Plus Barcelona is much more indicative of a car's general quality, esp total downforce and aero efficiency.

Webber's flying at the mo - I've had a tenner e/w on him for WDC. Mind you, I did that last year too...

(No doubt some people who declare they ave no time for F1 will spend some time telling me that, but feel free!)

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

F1 Boring!

Nah, Barcelona will be interesting up to a point but it's still hard to really be sure until the end of Qualy who's where - the fuel loads just make so much difference that if any of the top teams felt that they had an advantage, they could just run the whole test with 20kg extra always in there. Unlikely maybe but you never know...

Posted 2 years ago #
the-muffin-man - Member

I don't think even this week tests will show the true form - even now there's still a massive spread between the top and bottom times. And if the times are true then it looks like Lotus and Virgin couldn't even keep up in a GP2 race never mind F1!!

I don't think there's much between any of the big teams - Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull look to have a bit of a gap on the rest though.

Posted 2 years ago #
Nig E5 - Member

50 on Alonso to be world champ, (unless you know your only fools and horses this could be wasted on you)

Posted 2 years ago #
andytherocketeer - Member

More likely to have an E/W bet on Vettel tbh.
But if I were to show my hand now, I'd say Alonso will win it fair and square in Brazil

Posted 2 years ago #
glenp - Member

Testing is heavily restricted and this is the last test - no team is going to waste this valuable time running heavy for no good reason. They might roll-off or short shift down the straights, but unlikely too.

New teams do indeed look woeful, but no surprises there.

USF1 doesn't even have a car. No surprises there.

Posted 2 years ago #
ziggy - Member

Still unconvinced testing times will give an indication of who's fastest. Most people seem to be overlooking fuel consumption, Ferrari is widely regarded to have the thirstiest car on the grid, having to put 10 more kilos in at the start could take 0.5 secs of a lap alone.

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a number of cars this year run out of fuel.

Posted 2 years ago #
the-muffin-man - Member

Alonso will never win 'fair'

There's just as good reason (if not more) to run heavy as light - they know light, they have data going back years on this. Its how the cars work on a heavy and varying fuel load that they need to work out this season.

Posted 2 years ago #
glenp - Member

Alonso never win fair? What, the 2xWDC, in a Renault?

He'll be awesome this year.

Agree fuel consumption (and front tyre wear) will be the big unknowns.

Posted 2 years ago #
the-muffin-man - Member

I was referring to his toys-out-of-pram, mardy, foot-stamping attitude rather than his driving ability.

He's not my favourite driver!

Posted 2 years ago #
glenp - Member

Well - we'll never know the truth of what happened at McLaren. They are such a controlling organisation. I personally see no reason to doubt Alonso's version of events - this character that you ascribe to him was not assumed before that year, or since.

Posted 2 years ago #
the-muffin-man - Member

Never liked him before the McLaren farse and still don't care for him - he's just not my favourite driver. Some drivers you take to some you don't!

Posted 2 years ago #
Lucas - Member

Alonso = dick dastardly, will throw a big wobbly mardy arse fit when he is not allowed to beat Felipe. At least he's at Ferrari this year, a team which I have another unfounded hatrid of.

My wife is Spanish and we have great discussions every time a race is on. One of us usually ends up crying.

Posted 2 years ago #
atlaz - Member

Remember, Lotus and Virgin are tooling around with new boys and reserve drivers rather than anyone with any experience. Wait until their "proper" drivers get back in.

Posted 2 years ago #
whippersnapper - Member

One of us usually ends up crying

that'll be you then Lucas

I may have missed something above, or indeed in the news, but how are those crazy Germans doing?

Posted 2 years ago #
uplink - Member

I'm not entirely sure we'll learn who is quickest

I seem to recall Alonso in the Renault was fastest last year in the final Barcelona test

Posted 2 years ago #
glenp - Member

Wait until their "proper" drivers get back in.
Will take a bit more than that. Like half a decade of building and improving.

Look at Toyota for an example of how difficult it is to start a team and build a car from scratch. Knocking on $4 billion later and no results to speak of.

If Lotus or Virgin pick up even a single point I'd be surprised. Not that I don't want them to, but they just won't.

Posted 2 years ago #
Lucas - Member

That's why I said one of us - I was trying to save my dignity

Posted 2 years ago #
glenp - Member

Last year the consensus was trying to figure out who could manage not to get lapped by the Brawn cars. If Renault popped a solitary quick lap in then no-one paid any attention.

Bit like I'm not too impressed with any quick time posted by a car with no sponsors on it...

Posted 2 years ago #
thepurist - Member

"It's only testing" is the big caveat all the time. No need for anyone to run a legal car if they don't want to, so someone who wants to turn the screw on sponsorship deals could run an underweight car with minimum fuel to get some fast laps in (if they want to). Word is that the Ferrari seems to be the best of the bunch with fuel on board, but from what I've read the longest runs have been around the 30 lap mark so that's still not representative of a real starting weight, nor of the expected short stint/long stint tyre usage pattern.

Nothing is real until 12th March!

Posted 2 years ago #
glenp - Member

The problem with 'doing a Prost" is that you waste this last test. If you've already got stickers on the car it won't happen.

Posted 2 years ago #
the-muffin-man - Member

Looks like Ferrari have some new wheels - neat way around the hub-cap ban!...

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

It's funny though that their wheel covers are clearly in breach of the spirit of the new wheel cover rules but perfectly legit but Ferrari were the team that complained (and continue to do so) about the double diffusers which are exactly the same...

Posted 2 years ago #
dickie - Member

World Superbikes start this Sunday - proper racing!! And 7 Brits in it to win it.

Posted 2 years ago #
glenp - Member

Yea but F1 has started already! Well, it has for the nerds like me.

Posted 2 years ago #
thepurist - Member

@glenp - for nerds like us, does it ever stop?

Posted 2 years ago #
glenp - Member

I almost prefer the closed season! Now that is sad!

Posted 2 years ago #
clubber - Member

dickie - Member
World Superbikes start this Sunday - proper racing!! And 7 Brits in it to win it.

Zzzzzzzzz

Posted 2 years ago #
Pook - Member

dickie - Member

World Superbikes start this Sunday - proper racing!! And 7 Brits in it to win it.

don't they have to go dead slowly around corners?

Posted 2 years ago #
The Beard - Member

I'm looking forward to Di Resta getting a race seat half way through the season when Force India sack someone again!

These new teams are a joke, they'll be no more than mobile chicanes. Bernie should have let people like Dave Richards back in rather than wasting everyone's time with Team America and the like.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bimbler - Member

McLaren esque fugly bit added too

Posted 2 years ago #
thepurist - Member

Not quite Bimbler - thought the McLaren was using the shark fin to duct air to a slot on the rear wing - Ferrari obviously haven't got that page back from the copy shop yet...

Posted 2 years ago #
Bimbler - Member

Ferrari obviously haven't got that page back from the copy shop yet...

Posted 2 years ago #
cullen-bay - Member

being an F1 geek is great, but when im trying to find news in winter, sometimes its difficult to find.

Posted 2 years ago #
thepodge - Member

Pook - don't they have to go dead slowly around corners?

i can get round corners much faster on my fazer than i can in my car

Posted 2 years ago #