F1 Testing 2015: Week 3 Barcelona (26th - 1st)

[robbiemc]

Yes, what a great turn-around from yesterday by McLaren. Nearly 100 laps!
Not a bad time, and although it's on softs it still shows the car has promise.

 

[robbiemc]

Well, guess I brought out the 'commentators curse' there.. Button has just stopped on track! Doh.

 

[smr]

Not a bad haul, the car has stopped on track. Also worth bearing in mind that nothing will be cranked up either as they're chasing reliability whereas the others are chasing performance.

 

[The_Abyss]

Not a bad haul, the car has stopped on track. Also worth bearing in mind that nothing will be cranked up either as they're chasing reliability whereas the others are chasing performance.

I don't think it is that black and white at all. All the teams are more than capable of doing more than one thing at once. For example, although they've shown great speed, I imagine Mercedes will be concerned at the number of stoppages they've had in testing to date as will a number of other teams. But McLaren do have a huge amount of catching up to do and will be desperately short of data by the time they get to Melbourne.

 

[Kulealshi]

These cars are so much better looking than last year too it must be said!

Ferrari certainly looks better pace and aesthetic wise, however some of the noses are only a slight improvement in looks. I do prefer the new Merc nose though.

Is Kevin Magnussen scheduled to run in the McLaren tomorrow?

 

[Duke]

Is Kevin Magnussen scheduled to run in the McLaren tomorrow?

Yep.

 

[Mr Jack]

Edit: Re Alonso

Just posted this video

:thumbsup:

 

[Flibster]

So McLaren have managed to fit last years Merc engine in the back of the MP4-30 then?

 

[Jono8]

I have a feeling the front three teams might be Merc, Williams and Ferrari this year.

 

[englishpremier]

So McLaren have managed to fit last years Merc engine in the back of the MP4-30 then?

Well all engines have the same mounting points

 

[deuse]

So McLaren have managed to fit last years Merc engine in the back of the MP4-30 then?

Brawn done it
he went from Honda to Merc and had the fastest car

 

[Locky]

Hammy yet to produce a fast lap..

 

[drunkenmaster]

Not sure what Merc are up to, really changing things, experimental setup, could be a could have engine parts that they think could be awesome but weren't sure would make it, maybe things almost ready that they are wondering if they should use the tokens now or later in the season, that would take some time to change.

Either way, with Rosberg having a fairly significant laps advantage, I wonder if they'll think about doing a half day for each driver tomorrow.


EDIT:- Rumours abound that Rosberg was carrying 30kg of fuel for the fast lap yesterday, another rumour saying while watching the qualy lap Rosberg didn't use DRS either. Which could mean even more speed and Rosberg himself said the car didn't feel great for that lap. Even if they are theoretically that much faster, it won't necessarily translate to more race pace, efficiency wise almost every car could turn up the wick significantly but in terms of finishing the race absolute power and what they can actually run are very different things.


Also Mclaren haven't been out since before lunch either afaik and there was seemingly a leak on the car the last time it pitted based on concrete dust being used to mop up a trail going into the mclaren pits. Already lost a couple hours that they really can't afford to, hopefully they get back out again soon.

 

[drunkenmaster]

Mclaren 39 laps then an oil leak, they've called it a day.

Ham with a 1:24.181 on mediums, afaik that is the fastest time on mediums now, Rosberg did a 1:24.3-ish iirc but the track temps aren't great at the moment so that is exceptionally fast.

 

[drunkenmaster]

Hamilton a 1:23.6.... ON MEDIUMS. Wow, just, wow, wow. You're talking quite easily a 1:22.5 on softs and probably 1:21.5 on supersofts.

EDIT:_ god damned Sky, changed their post to softs not mediums.

 

[smr]

Hamilton a 1:23.6.... ON MEDIUMS. Wow, just, wow, wow. You're talking quite easily a 1:22.5 on softs and probably 1:21.5 on supersofts.

EDIT:_ god damned Sky, changed their post to softs not mediums.

"Hamilton sets an even quicker lap upon his return to the track. On this occasion, it's a 1:23.648 from Lewis. Ahh, but he is on the softs - which explains the sudden half-second improvement"

- Sky Sports

 

[deuse]

1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m23.022s Merc are holding back Grrrrrrrrr

 

[drunkenmaster]

"Hamilton sets an even quicker lap upon his return to the track. On this occasion, it's a 1:23.648 from Lewis. Ahh, but he is on the softs - which explains the sudden half-second improvement"

- Sky Sports

Yup ,the "ahh, but he is on softs" is because before the edited it they said something along the lines of "amazing lap of xxx still on Mediums.. " to which "ahh but he is on softs" makes sense.

Stayed out and did a very similar lap, certainly not close to the best he can do then. I presume went back in then did the faster time on a fresh set. Could be a case of track temp, it dive bombed from 25 to 15c(and was still dropping the last they mentioned it) this afternoon. The 1:24.1 is the fastest on mediums, maybe just can't turn the softs on completely in the cold or as it gets colder.

 

[Duke]

Day 3 pics - https://drive.google.com/folderview...ZBU2t6S2puWGZZd2xXTUUxX3YwbzF0R3M&usp=sharing

 

[Kulealshi]

Conditions seemed cooler in the afternoon compared to the previous day's running, hence the lower lap times. Still, the Merc setting a time faster on the mediums than the Williams on the soft, with more performance expected, is really scary.