F1 Testing 2017: Week 2 Barcelona (7th-10th)

[drunkenmaster]

Vettel doing a 1:19:3 on softs is more impressive than the ultrasoft runs

Neither are directly impressive times, what is more impressive is that people at the track say he clearly lifted off to push the time up during at least the last sector, could have done it on other straights as well though.

Merc and Ferrari are both no where near the real times they could be getting. Williams... if I had to guess, aren't going to get an awful lot more speed. In a period that is likely to be defined by cornering speed and the majority of the time gained will be from cornering and downforce.... Williams made another ultra slick, lower downforce car. We'll see what Lowe can do but I have extremely low expectations about what the team can achieve this year. Lowe won't have a massive effect on the car design till 2018 now I'd think, even then there won't be nearly the same money available to fix everything in one go.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

Here are the updated fastest times by each team for the whole test so far:

1. Ferrari – 1’19.024
2. Mercedes – 1’19.310 (+0.286)
3. Williams – 1’19.420 (+0.396)
4. Red Bull – 1’19.900 (+0.876)
5. Force India – 1’20.161 (+1.137)
6. Toro Rosso – 1’20.416 (+1.392)
7. Haas – 1’20.863 (+1.839)
8. Renault – 1’21.213 (+2.189)
9. McLaren – 1’21.348 (+2.324)
10. Sauber – 1’21.824 (+2.8)

 

[SS-89]

Video of mclaren breaking down...sounds like a bag of spanners.

https://twitter.com/f1writers/status/839811962867499010

I think it ate itself.

 

[gam3r]

Who do people think are the top 3 fastest and top 3 slowest?

Fairly meaningless at the moment as it's pure speculation..but still fun...

Top 3 Fastest
1) Mercedes
2) Ferrari
3) Red Bull

Top 3 Slowest
1) McLaren
2) Sauber
3) Haas or FI??

 

[MikeTheNative]

Doesn't matter if the McClaren is the fastest if it breaks down every 5 minutes. I hope Ferrari actually is a match for the Merc this year but we have seen similar things the past few years. Teams showing promising pace in testing then miles of Mercedes come the race.

 

[SKILL]

Williams has set some good times to break into that top 3 (replacing Red Bull), but also they've gone for low fuel and flattered before so probably not.

At the other end Haas/FI/Renault all seem similar-ish, and a step ahead of Sauber/McLaren, I'd probably say Renault just for the engine still seeming to be a bit dodgy...

 

[Armageus]

Doesn't matter if the McClaren is the fastest if it breaks down every 5 minutes. I hope Ferrari actually is a match for the Merc this year but we have seen similar things the past few years. Teams showing promising pace in testing then miles of Mercedes come the race.

Reliability can be worked on if the Mclaren was actually on the pace - performance seems to be harder to find.

 

[SS-89]

Alert...We have a rogue Mclaren on track.

15:04 Green flow-viz on the rear wing of the McLaren. Still doing basic aero checks on day seven...

 

[Mark365]

I am hoping both Ferrari and Red Bull out perform the Mercedes over the season.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

I am hoping both Ferrari and Red Bull out perform the Mercedes over the season.

Unlikely.

 

[Deleted member 651465]

May stick £10 on Vettel for WDC. Rather he didn't so we could avoid the finger but they're looking quick.

 

[Shimmy]

First time I have been trackside for testing today, loved it

Have to say I'm fully on the Ferrari hype train, they looked fastest and planted through turn 9 and had amazing traction out of slow corners. The Merc looked fast but not as impressive, perhaps not showing their hand as much. The McLaren actually seems to have good downforce just no power. The Sauber looked awful in comparison to everyone else.

Took many pics and some videos but I don't have laptop with me, will probably do an album on Saturday.

 

[The_Abyss]

Turn 9 is a great test, isn't it. Not all the cars can get round there flat out.

 

[Duke]

Had a great couple of days over there (we went all day on Tues & Wed). Such a good circuit to watch from, especially from the top of the small building inside T1-2 which I think is usually Paddock Club at race weekends. The drive up through the hills and mountains was a good laugh (hire cars ftw ). Just a lack of places to buy food there as mentioned so stocked up at the supermarket near where we were staying and beers didn't get noticed on way in

The cars are a bit louder than the last year or so unless they just sound different there to Silverstone.

 

[SS-89]

Mclaren again...stick or twist time for next season, inclined to think they're better off being a customer team to a solid engine than the sorry state of affairs at Honda.

 

[deuse]

Mclaren again...stick or twist time for next season, inclined to think they're better off being a customer team to a solid engine than the sorry state of affairs at Honda.

Alonso only done 19 laps and the Honda unit gives up. How long will Alonso stay at McLaren?

OMFG
"The McLaren has just exited the pits, but it's ground to a halt once again"

 

[Mr Jack]

Alonso only done 19 laps and the Honda unit gives up. How long will Alonso stay at McLaren?

I'll be astonished if he's racing for them next year. Poor guy, all that talent and so many years of poor team decisions and bad luck leave him with little to show for it. I reckon he's missed his window now. Time is a cruel mistress.

 

[deuse]

I'll be astonished if he's racing for them next year. Poor guy, all that talent and so many years of poor team decisions and bad luck leave him with little to show for it. I reckon he's missed his window now. Time is a cruel mistress.

Alonso himself has made bad decisions going to the wrong team at the wrong time.
At the end of this season Alonso\Bottas\Vettel will be out of contract. This years silly season is going to go in to overdrive

 

[Syla5]

Alonso himself has made bad decisions going to the wrong team at the wrong time.
At the end of this season Alonso\Bottas\Vettel will be out of contract. This years silly season is going to go in to overdrive

If Ferrari are competitive this year its not going to be very silly at all. Vettel will stay.

However Raikkonen's contract only runs to the end of the year so that's an open seat right there if Ferrari are brave enough.

I struggle to see Alonso making out the year if Honda don't turn up at Melbourne with an engine that can do the race distance and at least provide 90%. At the minute not being able to string a race distance together without breaking down is a dire state.

I cant see Bottas doing so badly that Merc will want to get Alonso in and destabilise Hamilton.

Honestly I am not an Alonso fan at all but man hes ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time once to often, and I think the fans have suffered the most because of this.

 

[englishpremier]

Never understand where people get the poor decisions thing from. McLaren, this time round is the only the bad one he's made. He came close to winning with both McLaren and Ferrari in the past. The Renualt move was pretty much forced upon him as his position at McLaren was untenable. There, Lewis (ignoring team orders), Ron (just being Ron), and Alonso (thinking he's a god), were all to blame.