F1 Testing 2012 - Week 3, Barcelona

From the reports that I have read, most blogs state that RBR looked better (as in, on rails), than the McLaren.

Also consider that RBR have a better design team and I feel that they are more likely to make progress during the season. Another points to consider is that during the break, RBR always come back nigh on unbeatable (this might be because they were work on their car during the break, where other teams take a real break...who knows).

In summary, with the limited evidence we have (predictions are heavily based on guess-work and gut-feeling), I believe RBR will have the best car in race No.1 and also averaged throughout the season.
 
sunama said:
From the reports that I have read, most blogs state that RBR looked better (as in, on rails), than the McLaren.

Also consider that RBR have a better design team and I feel that they are more likely to make progress during the season. Another points to consider is that during the break, RBR always come back nigh on unbeatable (this might be because they were work on their car during the break, where other teams take a real break...who knows).

In summary, with the limited evidence we have (predictions are heavily based on guess-work and gut-feeling), I believe RBR will have the best car in race No.1 and also averaged throughout the season.
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There have also been plenty of trackside reports from the testing to suggest that the McLaren is better than the RBR on some bits of the track. Breaking later, turning in harder and accelerating earlier.

And as for working during the break, that is a mandated 2 week factory shut down. The gates are closed, so it would be rather difficult for the main bulk of the staff to work through it.
 
Skeeter said:
Red Bull in 'no rush' to re-sign Webber

I doubt very much that this is actually about signing Webber, and more about seeing who else becomes available as the year progresses. Hamilton has until 'the summer' to decide if he wants to stay at McLaren, it would seem.
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More like who they will promote for their vast junior programme to partner the no1 world champion they are firmly behind.
 
You would hope that they would promote from within, but Algersuari and Buemi showed that isn't always the case.

If nobody else pops up on the drivers market then Vergne and Ricciardo's managers will be working over drive come mid season :)

I don't know if there is anyone else they might be interested in? If Ferrari drop Massa would they want him? I expect they would like Hamilton but if were honest I doubt he's going to leave McLaren, likewise for Button. Rosberg's got a contract with Merc hasn't he? Schumacher would only be another short term thing. Perhaps Kimi if he performs this year and isn't tied into Lotus?
 
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Skeeter said:
Which is a perfectly fair assumption. Success breeds success.
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lets look at the last 20 years of formula one
88-91 mclaren (4 in a row)
92-93 williams (2 in a row)
94-95 benneton (2 in a row)
96-97 williams (2 in a row)
98-99 mclaren (2 in a row)
00-04 ferrari (5 in a row)
05-06 renault (2 in a row)
07 ferrari
08 mclaren
09 brawn
10-11 redbull

if anything history tells us the odds of the same team winning more than 2 championships in a row is rare.

infact in the history of formula one only mclaren and ferrari have ever won more than 2 titles in a row
 
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Webber must be history soon with Red Bull unless he bucks the trend.

If ;) he had an indentical car to Vettel last season, then he has gone downhill terribly. As much as I like the bloke, he should have been right behind Vettel in every race :\
 
Alibaba99 said:
And as for working during the break, that is a mandated 2 week factory shut down. The gates are closed, so it would be rather difficult for the main bulk of the staff to work through it.
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All I'm saying is that when RBR return from their break, its like the other teams have stood still, while they have moved forward. Make of that what you will.

If it were me, I would certainly not take a genuine break for 2 weeks. There is no way that I would be taking US$400M+/year from sponsors, for us to lose the title, simply because we wanted to take a 2 week holiday. I would have skeleton crew working from home during the 2 weeks, so that when the factory doors open, everybody can hit the ground running (ie. not wasting time on meetings that could've been done during the 2 week break). But hey...that's me.
 
arknor said:
most of this evidence is based on RBR having the best car for the last 2 years so people just assume they will again
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Yes.

Also consider the following:

McLaren - 2 great drivers, with Hamilton badly out of form. A design team who are good...not great...just good.
Ferrari - it is quite possible that Ferrari may need half a season to sort out their car, by which time their rivals may be too far ahead, even for Alonso to catch.
Mercedes - unless they have the best car by far, I can't see how they can win the title. In particular, they are lacking a top line driver.
Renault - same as Mercedes. No top line driver.
RBR - no weaknesses. Best design team. A No.1 driver who broke all sorts of records last year and still improving. A No.2 driver who is backing his team-leader up well and not getting in Vettel's way. A team which seem to be working in harmony. And as you stated: "RBR having the best car for the last 2 years so [people just] assume they will again"

Based on the above and the lack of evidence we have of the "actual" speed of the 2012 cars, if I were a betting man, my money would be on Vettel and RBR.

Bear in mind, after Race1, we shall all have a much better idea of how fast the cars are. As of now, we are merely playing guessing games.
 
Mr Men said:
I doubt any team really has their engineers etc shutting down for 2 weeks.
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My feeling is that McLaren do shut down (properly) for 2 weeks.

McLaren are very proper in how they do things and if they make a promise on something, they are the sort of team who would keep to that promise...even if it means they lose to their rivals as a result. The best example I can think of is in 2008, when they had the best KERS system. In 2010, they decided not to use it, simply because of a gentleman's agreement.

Had it been RBR or Ferrari, with their ruthless competitive streak, I doubt they would've given up on using a device which they had pretty much perfected.

RBR and Ferrari must've thought all their Christmases had come at once, when McLaren gave their word not use KERS in 2010.
 
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