F1 testing in Spain

Some interesting comments from Alonso in regard to testing the F2012:

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Fernando Alonso says he has already seen positive signs from the new F2012 that it is able to generate heat into its tyres more quickly than was the case with its predecessor – a key aim for the team this year.

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Alonso sees early signs of Ferrari tyre warm-up breakthroughJames Allen on F1

Alonso has a reputation of telling it like it honestly is when talking about his cars characteristics.
Further on in the article he does say reliability and aerodynamics are issues that need to be sorted out.

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"I think we’ve managed to get more out of the tyres right from the first lap, which is something we weren’t able to do last year. What definitely needs improving is the aerodynamics and the reliability"

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Write Ferrari off at your own peril!

Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in.

Welcome back Mr Alcatraz.

Thanks Koz
:s ailor: I guess they will let anyfreakin'body on this forum. ;)

I think it might take Ferrari a race or two to come to life but I do feel they will be championship contenders this year. The new Red Bull is looking sweet. I think they will also be championship contenders. The McLaren I'm not so convinced about yet. In all probability we haven't seen too much from the McLaren boys yet and they seem to be concentrating on high fuel runs. I'm not convinced, based on current testing and comments from Lewis that it is a massive improvement over last years car. Time will tell.

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Originally Posted by The Black Knight

I think it might take Ferrari a race or two to come to life but I do feel they will be championship contenders this year. The new Red Bull is looking sweet. I think they will also be championship contenders. The McLaren I'm not so convinced about yet. In all probability we haven't seen too much from the McLaren boys yet and they seem to be concentrating on high fuel runs. I'm not convinced, based on current testing and comments from Lewis that it is a massive improvement over last years car. Time will tell.

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Excellent observations! :up:

http://thumbnails46.imagebam.com/174...d174325034.jpg

I think that among other things, Ferrari are trying to come up with a solution of blowing their Beam Wing with the proper exhaust configuration without burning the rear components off. That is probably one of the aero issues Alonso was referring to. In the following image you can see they are really protecting the lower part of the rear wing supports inside and out with some extra (temporary) heat resistant material.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7040/6...aa5e90d5_z.jpg

BTW does anyone want to take a stab at what that small tube in the first image leading to just under the beam wing that I put an arrow at is for?

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Originally Posted by Mr Alcatraz

BTW does anyone want to take a stab at what that small tube in the first image leading to just under the beam wing that I put an arrow at is for?

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I'd guess at the exhaust air exit from the intake just below the airbox inlet. From your final pic, it looks to exit just under the rainlight

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Originally Posted by The Black Knight

I think it might take Ferrari a race or two to come to life but I do feel they will be championship contenders this year.

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Oh I agree but winning is one thing and being a contender is another.

Vettel/Newey/RBR are the guys to beat so to win WDC you have to get the ball rolling with race wins.

Cars are so reliable these days that Id rather be hunted than the hunter - that's why Alonso is a double WDC. When a car loses outright pace Alonso has the calibre to keep the momentum and fight for podiums and even Button scraped by in 2009 with IMO questionable performances when the going got tough.

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Originally Posted by Mr Alcatraz

I think that among other things, Ferrari are trying to come up with a solution of blowing their Beam Wing with the proper exhaust configuration without burning the rear components off. That is probably one of the aero issues Alonso was referring to.

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No, its data correlation ie. simulation data vs. real data.

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Originally Posted by Mr Alcatraz

BTW does anyone want to take a stab at what that small tube in the first image leading to just under the beam wing that I put an arrow at is for?

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It's not a tube, its part of the monocoque. It looks like a tube because of light reflection.

I think it is a bit optimistic to say that Ferrari will be a title contender at this stage. Better just wait and see. I think you shall not take for granted that this car has a huge development potential. It may have, but on the other hand it may hit a ceiling and not get anywhere either. Like Renault with its radical car in 2011, which they were unable to develop. And besides all, in order to beat Red Bull you need a brilliant racing car, not just a "fine" one. A fine one would be enough for 3rd in WCC like Ferrari has achieved in the past two seasons. And I think it is reasonably to expect such outcome now as well.

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Originally Posted by wedge

No, its data correlation ie. simulation data vs. real data.

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Yes that is their major aero issue. I was getting a little carried away with the blown beam wing issue.
I pulled this off of twitter, its translated from Spanish so it's a little disjointed. I don't know if, or how much of an insider he is so I have definately taken it with a rather large pinch of salt:

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joseluisf1:

"Telemetry test indicated that the F2012 lost downforce in curves inexplicably, lost balance and traction"
"These sudden loss of downforce were random, as this not occurred in the same part of the same curve"
"During a pit stop to solve a problem of reliability, Alonso and Fry spoke in depth about this strange behaviour"
"Apparently, during the conversation to Fry 'is turned on the light', I call Tombazis and began to make some laps"
"They've "armed" the car with 'aerodynamic markers' and were looking back to back flow and suspicions from Fry seemed to be confirmed"
"In Maranello confirmed the cause: several pieces of 'material progress' yielded to the pressure and the flow was diverted improperly"
"That was the reason that the problems were not detected in the tunnel, parts of the model did not have that problem"
"In production are sleepless in order to investigate why those pieces behaved so, failure to manufacture and / or misscalculation?"

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Looks like Ferrari got the flexing bits wrong again.