F1 Testing week 2 @ Jerez

[[TW]Taggart]

10:30 Some insight into Schumacher's run by @TeamAnglais: Schumacher's run, in which he did the fastest lap of the test so far, wasn't a low fuel one: 20.3, 21.3, 22.0, 22.6, 22.9, 23.8, 24.2, 24.2, 24.1, 24.6.

But it took a lot of laps for his times to stabilise and when they did he was around one second slower than where the Red Bull was yesterday, and where Massa is on his current run.

 

[Duke]

shumies fastest so far

Just need one for Horner. "This part passes all the tests the infidels have requested"

 

[sunama]

I hope the McLaren isn't that far off the pace (I know its only testing but still)

It was only the first day of testing their new car.
Give them time to dial it in.

Ferrari and RBR have had an extra week of testing their new car, so they are further into their development.

Also bear in mind that over the last few years, McLaren have not been quick off the mark. They tend to bring a lemon to the first GP of the year and then move up the field. As long as they aren't 1s/lap slower than Ferrari/RBR, I wouldn't be worried about McLaren.

It must be said though, that ever since midway season last year, Ferrari/Alonso really are firing on all cylinders and at this stage of the testing (I know it is very early), unless RBR can give Vettel a car which is at least 0.5s/lap faster than the Ferrari, it will be difficult for Alonso to be stopped.

For Ferrari fans (at this early stage), its looking VERY good right now.

 

[sunama]

Just need one for Horner. "This part passes all the tests the infidels have requested"

For Horner, you would need a photo-shopped image of Pinochio with a very long nose.

The guy cannot stop lying and I think its beginning to become second nature to him.

 

[Shimmy]

McLaren have said they're doing system checks for the first one and a half days. So Button should be doing some more meaningful testing of various set ups after lunch.

 

[dalin80]

Heres hoping that when mclaren bolt on the 11 spec front wing it scrapes the floor like DBR's last year.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Hoping the McLaren is faster than the times posted so far. Of course, testing times are pretty meaningless anyway.

Ferrari and Alonso do seem good at the moment - of course we have seen this before with a first race win, then everything falls apart. Certainly will be an interesting season.

 

[sunama]

Ferrari and Alonso do seem good at the moment - of course we have seen this before with a first race win, then everything falls apart.

Last year, I think that after the 1st race (which they won only because the RBR car had a problem), Ferrari and Alonso, lost their way. Alonso was certainly not in top form in the first half of the season. However, after Canada, both Ferrari and Alonso were in World Championship winning form.

I just can't see Ferrari/Alonso losing their way, as they did last year. I really do believe that we are currently seeing Alonso at the absolute peak of his powers right now and unless RBR or McLaren produce a ridiculously fast car, it will be very difficult to beat Ferrari/Alonso in 2011.

 

[englishpremier]

Schumacher on lap 19 of this run at the moment, is setting times in the 1:28 range. If that is tyre drop off that is pretty aweful

 

[Shimmy]

Schumacher on lap 19 of this run at the moment, is setting times in the 1:28 range. If that is tyre drop off that is pretty aweful

Will make interesting strategies though, good thing imo.

Tyres lasted far too long last year. Canada was an excellent race because the tyres fell apart.

 

[Mr Jack]

Tyres lasted far too long last year. Canada was an excellent race because the tyres fell apart.

Aye, and Pirelli were specifically asked to model their tyres on Canada style performance this year, IIRC.

 

[sunama]

Will make interesting strategies though, good thing imo.

Tyres lasted far too long last year. Canada was an excellent race because the tyres fell apart.

100% agree.
And Canada was one of the only truly great dry races last year.

Who needs rain when you can have tyres which degrade rapidly after a few laps?

 

[Goksly]

But thats just so artifical... "hey, please make your tyres cr@p."

 

[Emlyn_Dewar]

I'm all for it personally since we're already stuck with the "you must use both compounds" artificial rule. It just seemed ridiculous that the both compounds seemed capable of covering race distances, yet drivers were being made to pit.
Make the tyres fall apart after a while, at least gives a reason to pit for new ones.

 

[Shimmy]

But thats just so artifical... "hey, please make your tyres cr@p."

Nowhere near as much as the movable rear wing.

You need to have a good setup, driver skill and strategy to get the most out of rapidly degrading tyres.

 

[JRS]

But thats just so artifical... "hey, please make your tyres cr@p."

You'd have thought it'd make it a lot easier for other tyre manufacturers to write their ad copy. Next Bridgestone advert - "Hey, look at Pirelli....those shmucks can't make a tyre last longer than 3 laps, last time we were in F1 even the soft compound tyre could do the best part of a race distance. Don't buy Pirellis, buy our tyres instead!"

 

[Shimmy]

Both new boys Perez and Maldonado having offs:

 

[Mr Jack]

But thats just so artifical... "hey, please make your tyres cr@p."

A lot less artificial than having the forced use of multiple tyre compounds, the ridiculous rear wing rules and the KERS usage and charging rules.

And it's not so much make them rubbish, as make them not very durable.

 

[sunama]

But, are Pirelli allowed to develop their tyres as the season progresses?

What we don't want, are tyres which degrade quickly at the start of the season (offering exciting races, with potentially many pit stops and varied strategies) and by the time we reach the tail end of the season, we reach a point where the softest compound of tyres is lasting the full race distance.

 

[Kerming]

thats not good, i was looking forward to some cool snaps of that new williams.