F1 2010: Testing sessions thread

Well, the first cycle of testing is over. In BBC Live feed Ross Brawn has already admitted that "Ferrari has looked most impressive and we are a bit behind." Button looked strangely uncompetitive today - still adapting to the car?

Based on what we have seen so far, it looks like Ferrari may be in front with Sauber/McLaren (at least the one with Hamilton behind the wheel) closely following. But it remains to be seen whether Ferrari chasers have more unlocked potential left in car development. Also can't wait to see that new RB6 in the next tests. :)

By the way, de la Rosa and Hülkenberg collided today. No surprise there - one hasn't raced for ages in F1 and the other has never done it. :p :

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Originally Posted by jens

By the way, de la Rosa and Hülkenberg collided today. No surprise there - one hasn't raced for ages in F1 and the other has never done it. :p :

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A case of premature race fever, I guess.

Or maybe de la Rosa just didn't wanna get passed by a guy half his age! :D

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Originally Posted by truefan72

from the autosport live blog

12:56 And speaking of lunch, Michael Schumacher had some pasta at Ferrari's hospitality yesterday

Why is he having lunch with Ferrari?
Why can't he stick with the Mercedes crew and leave that past association behind. And that goes withthe red helmet thing as well.
If I was Mercedes GP, I'd be pissed. At this early stage he needs to show more loyalty/interest to the team that he is with, not having lunch over at his old team and cajoling with their staff. Don't like it one bit!

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Maybe Michael just prefers Italian pasta to whatever Brawn were serving up? :)

Well I've really enjoying seeing F1 cars in action again after a long (artificially long) winter break.

It would seem no one team has stolen a huge advantage on another like last year (yet) so I'm really hoping for an exciting and competitive season ahead.

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Originally Posted by RS

Maybe Michael just prefers Italian pasta to whatever Brawn were serving up? :)

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could be. Italians do make some great food ;)

found some videos of today ( and other days)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhh0v...eature=channel

part 2 of Valencia day 3, great stuff, good quality
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYV_h...eature=channel

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Originally Posted by truefan72

from the autosport live blog

12:56 And speaking of lunch, Michael Schumacher had some pasta at Ferrari's hospitality yesterday

Why is he having lunch with Ferrari?
Why can't he stick with the Mercedes crew and leave that past association behind. And that goes withthe red helmet thing as well.
If I was Mercedes GP, I'd be pissed. At this early stage he needs to show more loyalty/interest to the team that he is with, not having lunch over at his old team and cajoling with their staff. Don't like it one bit!

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Because Schumi does not have a self-esteem problem and when you have been with a team and been so successful, one remain friends.

There WAS a time when drivers of different teams would during practice and testing go and sit with other teams - Lauda and Hunt for example.

Teams would help each other if needed - such as changing and engine [imagine THAT!!!] and when every single thing a driver or team did was not over analyzed.

The best comment before Interlagos in 2009 was that of Anthony Hamilton - lets remember he said, its all good fun.

Schumacher owes Mercedes nothing. He is paid to race and will do his best.

Thats why I miss Kimi Raikkonen - that he will not be racing in f1 in 2010 is a great pity.

But he never pretended that this was some sort of "team sport". Its not. It is a sport of teams amd drivers who are individuals - and no ampunt of the artificial "strategy" nonsense that has been part of racing swops the reality for the pretense. He did his thing and went home.

He never insulted or criticized another driver or team, or even his own when someone like Alonso would have been blabbering and bleatiing like a little spoilt baby.

And is Kimi noticed for his achievements? No. There is always whining that somehow he did not "lead" and pull the dysfunctional Ferrari team togethere - well BOO-HOO!

So let Schumi have lunch with friends - he is intelligent and understands that being collegiate has nothing to do with not getting his job done, namely - beating Ferrari and all the others.

I hope Schumi does NOT wear that awful and very outdated RED helmet design.

The basic black he wore today - the new Schuberth helmet - looked far more suitable than the red in the W01.

I think even at this early stage he is doing his usual holding back and on different laps testing the quick ability in sections of the track.

Remember - Schumi was always able to literally change and adapt each lap. His amazing ability to bamboozle and outwit the opposition was well known.

I do advance that Schumi is sandbagging as usual - underestimating him will be the biggest mistake for anyone.

I see Petrov and Button - did the lowest amount of laps, with Massa almost three times their quantity and most other people 20 to 40 laps more.

Nice to see all the cars available out there, but the next test will begin the real work and maybe we will be able to guage tthis season's pecking order better.

Really excited about the beautiful Virgin-Cosworth [it looks like a Red Bull car] and this season's RB06. Until the car runs on track this first test has essentially been an "installation" test.

I don't think Schumi should change his helmet design. Helmets are supposed to be a personal aspect of each driver and I don't like it when a driver changes his helmet to suit the corporate image of his new team (Button in 2009, Kubica in 2010 and Alonso in 2007 for example).

I can't believe that Schumi having lunch can be an issue. Does it really matter who, what and where he does for lunch?

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Originally Posted by Hawkmoon

I don't think Schumi should change his helmet design. Helmets are supposed to be a personal aspect of each driver and I don't like it when a driver changes his helmet to suit the corporate image of his new team.

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Agreed, they should keep the same helmet design. I thought racing drivers were a superstitious bunch anyway?

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Originally Posted by henners88

Do abit of corporate networking or insist that its paramount for your company to have a presence in the paddock club at Silverstone this year.. ;)

If you sit on the banking you'll be labelled as a gormless geek with no idea whats going on. :p

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And whatever you do, dont press your face up against the fence, or you instantly become a stereotype.....

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Originally Posted by tamburello

So Fernando, in his first test for the Scuderia, sets a 1:11.470, the second fastest car sets a 1:12.094.

Oh look, thats 6/10ths.

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Second fastest was Massa wasn't it? Was he 6/10ths quicker than his team mate who has not driven since he got sprung from his drive in Hungary last year???

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Originally Posted by AndyL

English summer.

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Whats that???????

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Originally Posted by henners88

I don't think that comment was even worthy of a response, he'll only discredit the irony and add your name to his signature.

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Don't tell him my real name is Terry Feckwit then, will you????

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Originally Posted by I am evil Homer

On lap 2 of a massive 8-lap stint....must have been really heavily fuelled ;)

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Ferrari's pre-occupation at this early stage in testing is Massa's speed and reactions compared to his team mate. I can well imagine they were running the same fuel loads over the three days to run a suitable comparison.

My understanding is that McLaren and Mercedes have been concentrating on longer runs, dialling the cars in to heavy fuel configurations how they will effectively run two thirds of each race this year.

This will determine the approximate number of tyre stops required.

Still, lets see if Mr 6/10ths lives up to his self styled monica.

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Originally Posted by jens

Button looked strangely uncompetitive today - still adapting to the car?

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:up:

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"We have done a lot of work today and it has been really useful. In a way it would have been nice to get some more testing done, set-up work, but this test was always to get used to the environment inside the cockpit, get used to working with the team and to run through all the checks that you always do at the first test."

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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/81251

Mercedes Confirm Nick Heidfeld as Reserve & test driver for 2010


Nick Heidfled is "very pleased" to join Mercedes GP F1 team:

“I am very pleased to be joining the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team. It’s the team which has attracted the most interest in the close season, not only because of the comeback of Michael Schumacher, but also because this season sees the return of the Silver Arrows cars as a Mercedes-Benz works team for the first time in over fifty years. Whilst I would of course have preferred a seat as an active driver, I am really proud to be part of the new Silver Arrows team. I have seen how committed everyone at the team is and I feel the same. I will be doing my very best to support Michael and Nico this year.”

http://bit.ly/cCmRr2

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Originally Posted by f1indiablog

Mercedes Confirm Nick Heidfeld as Reserve & test driver for 2010


Nick Heidfled is "very pleased" to join Mercedes GP F1 team:

“I am very pleased to be joining the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team. It’s the team which has attracted the most interest in the close season, not only because of the comeback of Michael Schumacher, but also because this season sees the return of the Silver Arrows cars as a Mercedes-Benz works team for the first time in over fifty years. Whilst I would of course have preferred a seat as an active driver, I am really proud to be part of the new Silver Arrows team. I have seen how committed everyone at the team is and I feel the same. I will be doing my very best to support Michael and Nico this year.”

http://bit.ly/cCmRr2

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So, all that talk of Mercedes not being especially bothered about being an all German piloted team.....

Hmmmmmm

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Originally Posted by SGWilko

Whats that???????

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The English summer? This year it's scheduled for three days in July.

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Originally Posted by Dave Brockman

The English summer? This year it's scheduled for three days in July.

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I guess that isn't going to be the 9/10/11 July then? :p

So we will seeing All British Versus All German team.....
Cool

Eagerly waiting for the season to start

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Originally Posted by f1indiablog

So we will seeing All British Versus All German team.....
Cool

Eagerly waiting for the season to start

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Beach towels at dawn.....

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Originally Posted by SGWilko

Don't tell him my real name is Terry Feckwit then, will you????

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No need, you'd already made that abundantly clear.

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Originally Posted by tamburello

No need, you'd already made that abundantly clear.

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Dang, you spotted it. you is clevererer that wot I fort.

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Originally Posted by henners88

I don't think that comment was even worthy of a response

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Because it's true.

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Originally Posted by tamburello

Because it's true.

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Surely, you would need to compare times against like for like machinery, wouldn't you? Because it is not the same otherwise, is it? Because it is different, isn't it?

Don't want to be comparing ioan's apples with his plums now, do you......

Over the three days of testing from Valencia, the ferrari pilots posted the following fastest times;

Massa - 1:11.722
Alonso - 1:11.470

Assuming they both drove the F10 to the same spec, same engine blah blah blah, I make that difference to be.......

Drum roll, if you please

..........0.252. So, shall we be generous and say 2.6/10ths?

Ba dum, tish.

I thank you.

Schumacher is the real 0,6 secs man. When he took over from Rosberg on Monday, he improved the time just by that much. Alonso is just a pretender. :p :

Well, I can certainly see the Alonso "car-development" myths coming back this season if Ferrari is a top car, much like they were created back in 2007 with McLaren. The fact that Ferrari's F10 was topping timesheets already before Alonso had ever sat in the car has nothing to do with it, of course. :p :

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Originally Posted by jens

Based on what we have seen so far, it looks like Ferrari may be in front with Sauber/McLaren (at least the one with Hamilton behind the wheel) closely following. But it remains to be seen whether Ferrari chasers have more unlocked potential left in car development. Also can't wait to see that new RB6 in the next tests. :)

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Count out Sauber. They've been doing short runs and searching for sponsors trick.

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Originally Posted by wedge

Count out Sauber. They've been doing short runs and searching for sponsors trick.

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The same was said about Brawn last year and secondly I don't see a reason, why BMW-Sauber couldn't have developed a good car for this season. They may not be good enough to fight it out for outright wins, but I think they are generally quite competitive.

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Originally Posted by henners88

Theres an easy answer to that my boy. Felipe was driving the car that Alonso had originally made 6/10ths quicker.. :p

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I hadn't thunk of that...... ;-)

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Originally Posted by jens

Well, I can certainly see the Alonso "car-development" myths coming back this season if Ferrari is a top car, much like they were created back in 2007 with McLaren. The fact that Ferrari's F10 was topping timesheets already before Alonso had ever sat in the car has nothing to do with it, of course. :p :

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Apparently Onslow was developing the car last year while racing for Renault, clever little bunny wot he is....

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Originally Posted by jens

The same was said about Brawn last year and secondly I don't see a reason, why BMW-Sauber couldn't have developed a good car for this season. They may not be good enough to fight it out for outright wins, but I think they are generally quite competitive.

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Was it? Because Honda bankrolled the entire season so they never needed the money.

I think the Sauber times are 'false' in that they won't be scrapping for wins but points finishes look like a good potential.

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Originally Posted by tamburello

So Fernando, in his first test for the Scuderia, sets a 1:11.470, the second fastest car sets a 1:12.094.

Oh look, thats 6/10ths.

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Oh yes!! The same 6 tenths that he forgot at Mclaren when he went back to Renault. Also, his 6 tenths seem to have gobsmackingly amazing telepathic power, helped Ferrari throw all money and resources into this car WHILE Fernando was driving for Renault.

I'm a believer!!! :eek:

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Originally Posted by jens

The same was said about Brawn last year and secondly I don't see a reason, why BMW-Sauber couldn't have developed a good car for this season. They may not be good enough to fight it out for outright wins, but I think they are generally quite competitive.

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Brawn was super consistant with decent amount of laps last year http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2009/0...melbourne-win/

Sauber have shown their pace on short 10 lap runs

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http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2010/0...n-in-valencia/

His (PDLR) long runs were varied, the fastest in the middle of the day was a ten lap run in which his times compared with the Ferrari, but I would guess that he was running less fuel for that run.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sarahholt...ff_to_a_f.html

The Swiss-based team are certainly showing signs of competitiveness but their times are tempered by the fact that they were not set during longer runs on the track, which could mean they had less fuel on board.

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BMW Sauber is one of the three best cars!

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Originally Posted by henners88

I trust next time Lewis makes a comment about his input in the car, you the other tifosi massive won't be quite as quick to judge on this basis. We all live happily ever after. :)

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Since you are an expert in dredging through my old posts (and failing to find anything, but we'll airbrush that out for now) when have I being quick to judge on that before?

I have no doubt that Lewis Hamilton is capable of driving development forward, either through feedback, technical input, charisma or sheer bloody willpower.

It is sad that the majority of his fans can't bring themselves to do the same towards his rivals, but that isn't his fault either.

Lewis has faults, far more than his fans can bear to accept, but an inability to bring pace to a car isn't one of them.

Much the same with Fernando.

Just in case any part of that was aimed at me, I'll repeat what I've said so many times before: I respect Alonso's ability as a driver, and as one of the top men in the sport right now. You don't win two championships by accident.

I just don't want him to blummin' well win anything else - ever!

Not supporting somebody doesn't automatically mean not respecting their achievements.