Spanish Grand Prix 2014, Catalunya - Race 5/19

Hamilton just doing what he needs to, when he needs to.

Mercedes still way ahead of the rest - so much for RB having the best aero package. Mercedes seem to have it all at the moment.
 
drunkenmaster said:
Does it seem strange to anyone, Merc have moved the nose back largely to open up the hole at the front of the nose, most of the grid have penis noses to keep the huge gap underneath, Ferrari are the only team with the tiny hole/super low nose. I thought they would for start of Europe have themselves a different nose to be honest, it now looks by quite some distance the least drivable of the "fast" cars. Is the car based on such a different nose fundamentally hurting them?
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Last I heard we have a new nose similar to merc's but it hasn't passed crash testing. God knows why it is taking so long.
 
CaptainRAVE said:
Hamilton just doing what he needs to, when he needs to.

Mercedes still way ahead of the rest - so much for RB having the best aero package. Mercedes seem to have it all at the moment.
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Yep, surly 60bhp is not worth 1+ seconds a lap. But then again I suppose it's not just BHP. The ERS-H isn't as good, so they have to use more ERS-k which destabilises the car. And they have to use more battery to spin up ERS-H removing power from the system.

So perhaps it is all engine issues, but I don't see how they'll get all the issues with that PU solved this year.
 
i dont know how resilient NR is to this sort of beating emotionally?

always like to see ferrari out qualified by lower teams
 
I think where Alonso sits in the championship is a testament to just how good he is. The Ferrari is an absolute dog, just looking at the drivers fighting the car on the cams makes me cringe.

Sounds like their major updates weren't ready for this race though, maybe they can improve.
 
Finners said:
Hamilton always seems to be able to pull it out the bag, bottas for podium?
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Williams is looking ever more like the Merc car of the last 3 years, a fast car but terrible tire wear. Williams have been showing some really bad tire deg. Fast in quali but drop back in the race.

Glaucus said:
Yep, surly 60bhp is not worth 1+ seconds a lap. But then again I suppose it's not just BHP. The eras-h isn't as good, so they have to use more eras-k which destabilises the car.

So perhaps it is all engine issues, but I didn't see how they'll get all the issues with that PU solved this year.
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People keep saying that RBR have by default the best aero, but I've never been convinced of that. RBR were THE aero team for the past 4-5 years but Merc are effectively as of the 2014 car, a team to rival them on track and off track. That car maybe has some engine advantages over other Mercedes teams but the biggest difference between Merc/Mclaren/Williams/FI is downforce.

The RBR is doing better than other Mercedes engine teams so it's not remotely just down to that.

In terms of power, 60bhp, IF it was that, isn't a real measure. Efficiency and brake systems for harvesting the power are a very synergistic system this year. You could have less actual BHP from the engine but harvest power so much more effectively and apply that electrical power better to do better overall.

The overall BHP isn't really as important as the average BHP you can apply via fuel and electrical. I think Merc just have each system working great together with for me looking by far the most comfortable with braking system from start of testing to now. More confident in their braking system they can afford to harvest harder, which compounds the rest of the system.
 
They do have very good aero, you can see that in two ways. First in the cornering and second they are best of the rest, despite not having a mercy engine. I think it is farm more to do with PU than aero. Everything about that PU sucks. Wonder if they'll jump to Honda, can't see mercy giving them their spare engine, but if then no rumors yet and it must be getting close to choices like engines. Can't do any design work without that.
 
Honda would be a tough call. I'm not at all convinced that Mclaren could effectively use a brilliant new engine, so you might get Honda being easily the best engine next year but Mclaren the only team to use it, not use it well so no one really knows it's brilliant, if you see what I mean.

Also wasn't saying RBR don't have good aero, I just don't think they automatically have better aero than Mercedes. They both look a mile beyond everyone else. But the interesting thing is, RBR are a mile ahead of Ferrari in qualifying, easily being second only to Merc, but in race Ferrari looks much closer to RBR than they do in qualifying. You would think to some degree if RBR had the engine/aero combination to be faster in qualifying and Ferrari are another second back from them, the aero/engine combination wouldn't be bad in race either.

I think that points to a relatively good engine in max power output, both fuel and electrical, but over a race distance the efficiency isn't good enough to sustain that level of power usage.

It's better than not having that max power achievable at all, it's less things to fix on the engine. As you say, can't see Merc giving them the same engine, nor Ferrari, which leaves renault or Honda. Stick with Renault and hope for better or pray Honda get it spot on straight away, think Honda are a bigger risk.
 
McLaren have got big problems and having a Honda engine won't help at all. They need a top racing driver asap.
 
Yeah, they have FINALLY recognised something was wrong and actually made changes. They aren't in the same situation as Merc, brawn losing most funding, no development but with one one ace in the hole. Merc rebuilt slowly over 2-3 years and then have a brilliant team making a brilliant 2014 car. Mclaren haven't lost 2/3rds of the team or funding, but do need to rebuild, replace key people and it's about getting the right people in. I think they can turn it around quicker but, it's easier to get a team built for 1-2 years before new regulations come in, the slate gets wiped clean and Merc started with the same strength team as RBR.

1-2 years with the right people in, new aero guys, new guys in key positions making the right decisions and they could be really competitive again. Can't see them doing anything this year at all and probably not being that much better next year(as afaik several of the new guys won't even start till winter).
 
Mclaren and Ferrari are in similar positions, neither lack funding but clearly both teams lack talented engineers. Atleast now I'm sure both teams are aware that this is their problem, seeing as both teams are undergoing restructuring and bringing in new people. Both teams will probably be right up there again in the next few years.
 
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