2022 - Preseason Practice Spain

[F1nKS]

Top 4 times

1. Norris
2. Leclerc
3. Sainz
4. Russell

Top Laps
1. Max - 147
2. Alonso 127
3. Tsunoda 121
4. Norris 103
5. Leclerc 80
6. Russell 77
7. Sainz 73


Winners - Ferrari

Looser - Alfa Romeo (27 laps), Haas (43 laps) - both teams had issues.

[F1nKS]

There is a report that two teams have experienced a ground effect resonance somewhere around 250 KMPH. One team is Alfa Romeo. The other is likely Haas (they missed a lot of today due to a damaged floor).

[airshifter]

There was a photo of a decent sized chunk of a Haas car that has departed the car. I'd suspect maybe it had something to do with the resonance issue.


As for times, I don't even really pay them attention at the final testing sessions, much less early in the initial testing sessions. Nobody will show their hand any more than they have to, and usually drivers are lifting to not even show true sector times. The laps counts are similar, though the teams with very few laps usually have something going on. With all the variables in fuel loads, tires, various test sessions the teams run, etc.... it's just a crap shoot until we see them in anger on the track for the first time.

At this point it's all about data and confirmation or denial of what they hope they already know. Tons of flow-vis and all the crazy aero rakes come out, though it seems the rakes get crazier every year. But they more they learn the better, and it's probably time and money well spent.



Note the small pitot tubes installed on the forward edge of the rear wing section.





From what I've seen so far, the award for the most intricate aero rake is currently held by Ferrari. Do you think they want to completely understand how things flow at the back of this car?



You can also see the wastegate exit late in the exhaust, something that many have questioned. Though there is a restriction on how early it can be dumped into the exhaust, it seems Ferrari have gone out of their way to make it very far back.



At least half a day in Barcelona will be wet weather running. If they don't get it naturally they will wet the track some for testing. It should be interesting to see the spray coming off the cars and how it is changed, as well as how the low speed wet running impacts the stability. It's expected that due to the higher weight and suspension restrictions that the cars will be slower through the low speed sections of most tracks, and possibly quicker through higher speed corners.

[Zico]

Wow.. that is some contraption on the Ferrari Airshifter. Nice pic.
Interesting to hear about the ground effect resonance too, I guess the wind tunnels can only provide a relatively small slice of Aero data.

[F1nKS]

Day 2 Ended

Winners is Ferrari and Mclaren

Red Bull had gear box issue

There is video of Ferrari "porpoising"

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...L9LfSutcS.html

[airshifter]

The porpoising issue had a lot of track side mods taking place, and is impacting a number of cars. Some expect that as ride height changes track to track it might be harder for some of the design ideas to cope. But this is F1 and I'm sure they will find a way to deal with it.

Mazepin causes a red flag without a spin..... rare for him! Fuel pump issue for Haas and gearbox issues for RB bring out the red flags.



And aero rakes with some flair added.....

[F1nKS]

The porpoising issue had a lot of track side mods taking place, and is impacting a number of cars. Some expect that as ride height changes track to track it might be harder for some of the design ideas to cope. But this is F1 and I'm sure they will find a way to deal with it.

.

Whichever team(s) has the best Aerodynamic/Suspension team will find a suitable solution. This is a suspension/aerodynamic problem.

[airshifter]

Reports are that most teams sorted out most of the bounce thing already by the third day of testing. It all rests on suspension and floor vs tunnel, making sure to keep that air from stalling. I'm sure they will know enough to look for the long term solution for the second set of testing.