F1 Testing 2012 - Week 2, Barcelona
- Thread starter Duke
- Start date
My gut tells me that they have a car which is at least 2s/lap faster than the the RBR. They shall unleash (yes...UNLEASH is the right word due to its prodigious speed) it in Australia. They shall hit RBR so hard, Vettel won't know where to put his finger.
Petrov to set a new record for earliest in the season championship win too 
When I am talking about Merc using tactics, I am talking "if" they produce the fastest car. It is only under these circumstances that they will play the game. Otherwise, you can expect them to deal with their drivers as they have in the previous 2 years.
The only time MSc would using his political sway is if there is a world title at stake...otherwise, as in the last 2 years, he wont bother.
maybe hamilton will do that like he did with alonso
this was schumacher after his race sim today
ross brawn has seemed a bit wierd in interviews to maybe merc know something we dont
http://abulafiaf1.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/barcelona-testing-23-february-2012-day-3/
His face paints a thousand words. Its been a while since I seen MSC smirk like a child at xmas!
Bring on March.
Quote from Autosport; When asked about his goals for the season, Schumacher said: "Wait and see."
That captions the image perfectly!
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When Alonso was ousted from McLaren, Alonso was a rank amateur at the political game. He has learnt a lot since 2007 (we know this because when Alonso moved to Ferrari in 2010, the very first thing was to rally the entire team, to support his cause...there were no arguments or tantrums, which was his normal behaviour in 2005-2007).
Button knows how to play the game. In fact, the guy is very very clever. He may come over as a very friendly chap, but you can bet that when he joined McLaren, he knew that he had to get members of the team to rally his own cause. He knew that Hamilton would be fast out of the blocks and it would be a long term aim to get the team to design the car to Button's preference. Hamilton doesnt have the guile to do to Button, as he did to (the 2007) Alonso (who at the time was about 25-26 years old (which is quite young) and was inexperienced).
I would liken Button to Prost (who of course was the all time master at playing the political game - he played the game to such a level, that he would have listed in his contract, stating who he did not want as a team-mate [Senna, 1993]. My understanding is that he is the only driver in the last 20 years to ever have such a clause).
Button knows how to play the game. In fact, the guy is very very clever. He may come over as a very friendly chap, but you can bet that when he joined McLaren, he knew that he had to get members of the team to rally his own cause. He knew that Hamilton would be fast out of the blocks and it would be a long term aim to get the team to design the car to Button's preference. Hamilton doesnt have the guile to do to Button, as he did to (the 2007) Alonso (who at the time was about 25-26 years old (which is quite young) and was inexperienced).
I would liken Button to Prost (who of course was the all time master at playing the political game - he played the game to such a level, that he would have listed in his contract, stating who he did not want as a team-mate [Senna, 1993]. My understanding is that he is the only driver in the last 20 years to ever have such a clause).
Soldato
His face paints a thousand words. Its been a while since I seen MSC smirk like a child at xmas!
Bring on March.
Quote from Autosport; When asked about his goals for the season, Schumacher said: "Wait and see."
That captions the image perfectly!
100% agree, the way the team are going about their business this year is miles apart from the last 2 years and really gives me confidence about this season ahead.
Some stats following the end of testing this week - http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2012/02/24/williams-mercedes-lead-testing-mileage-lotus-hit-trouble/
Lots of mileage for the majority of the teams. HRT and Marussia have no 2012 car testing done yet have they? Another year at the back for them.
Lots of mileage for the majority of the teams. HRT and Marussia have no 2012 car testing done yet have they? Another year at the back for them.
Soldato
Some very interesting stats, Williams doing the most laps/distance followed by McLaren.
Then you have HRT with just 108 laps. Why do they bother, such a joke.
Yes a picture of Schumacher means they are going to win, off to the bookmakers
Seems Ferrari a lot more happier today and now have things going in the right direction, lot of work to be done but seems they are right and the final test will see them worry about performance.
Seems Ferrari a lot more happier today and now have things going in the right direction, lot of work to be done but seems they are right and the final test will see them worry about performance.
Soldato
That table is pointless - Figures exclude solo shakedown tests and private tests.
Interview with Ecclestone, regarding Hamilton (staying/leaving) McLaren.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17146175
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/17146175
more pictures for more winsYes a picture of Schumacher means they are going to win, off to the bookmakers
.
i bet you can get good odds on him getting a podium and its quite likely this year imo
people dont miss interviews after the race like this one
0.10 "Hey you, turn around and open your shirt"
0.14 "The ****, you, I want to see them"
0.18 "No not her, you. Yes...."
0.28 "Phwoar....."
0.31 *You think those are real?"....
0.35 *Yep, definately real.*
0.39 *Smiles* "Did you see her ****? Great weren't they?
"
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Man of Honour
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Quality piece of work that is.
Out of interest are there any limits to the engines the teams can use during these tests? Obviously they only have 8 during the season, but presume they must change them each night of the tests to ensure reliable running each day? This would make 12 engines or so, just before the season starts. Anyone got any info on this?
I dont think Alonso was THAT inexperienced at that point, even if he was already a double world champ, I just dont think he bargained for how much McLaren (at that point anyway) were banking on LH being a longterm massive success
Re Prost and that clause, surely you could count on one hand the amount of people who could have had the power to stipulate to a team who their team mate could/couldnt be in the first place (even before actually having the charachter to try and demand it)
for example Schumi has the arrogance before his initial retirement, to not care who his team mate was, because he knew he was likely to beat him anyway (plus majority of the cars were designed to suit him anyway)
Senna was for the most part leathal but fair - he wanted to prove how good he was against anyone and everyone by being in an equal (or less than equal ) car in the first place
imo very few other drivers had the impact on F1 to even attempt to try and get a similar clause put in to a contract (and unless negotiations were a complete bust - would the general public even here about it?)
Plus (this is more a feeling rather than fact) - I would suggest also that in one sense the teams have got a lot stronger ( ie in the 80's and early/mid 90's I got the feeling that the teams had to go out and overtly go and get the top drivers for their car for the next season or whatever, but now its much more like the teams can to a certain extent sit back and wait for a top driver to come to them)