Spanish Grand Prix 2015, Catalunya - Race 5/19

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118929?_ga=1.225639578.1437493890.1430815009

"McLaren-Honda will use this week's in-season test at Barcelona to assess a raft of new mechanical and aerodynamic parts in a bid to ignite its 2015 Formula 1 season.

Oliver Turvey is at the wheel of the MP4-30 at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya on Tuesday, with Jenson Button at the helm on Wednesday.

Racing director Eric Boullier believes the test is crucial if McLaren is to make progress following a troubled and point-less start to the campaign with new power-unit supplier Honda.

"We've a lot of components [to test] - it's the whole car," Boullier told AUTOSPORT.

"Mechanically there have been a lot of new parts designed, and a lot of aero stuff, a lot of progressive stuff we are going to try.

"It's a very, very interesting two days for us because we are developing a new philosophy, and there is a lot to extract.

"It's also about understanding the direction we want to go, and we hope to achieve this."

The test will also enable McLaren to get on top of the issues faced by Button during Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix.

The 2009 world champion complained the first 30 laps of the race were the scariest of his life due to the rear end of the car continually snapping out on him.

Switch changes and new tyres helped alleviate Button's fears to some degree, although Boullier is convinced the problems experienced by the 35-year-old will not reoccur.

"At the previous four races the car was nice to drive," said Boullier.

"Because of one problem in one race it doesn't mean anything for the future.

"Most of the teams complained about rear grip, and it was the same for our car.

"Although I don't have all the information from the shakedown of his car, if there was something wrong I feel it was a one-off."
 
The usual PR rubbish from McLaren then - these will be the upgrades that will make all the difference. I get that they are looking to the long term, but it is all a bit of a gamble at the moment and if they don't win anything in the next few years they are going to be in an even bigger mess. They are lucky their road cars are so fantastic, otherwise I cant imagine any of this helping their image much.
 
“I am very happy with the move [to McLaren]. I was in the Ferrari last year half a minute, a minute behind Mercedes and on Sunday they were 43 seconds behind in Barcelona. Nothing has changed – and that is one of the reasons why l moved. I saw nothing change for five years and l didn’t want a sixth or seventh.” - Alonso
 
smr said:
“I am very happy with the move [to McLaren]. I was in the Ferrari last year half a minute, a minute behind Mercedes and on Sunday they were 43 seconds behind in Barcelona. Nothing has changed – and that is one of the reasons why l moved. I saw nothing change for five years and l didn’t want a sixth or seventh.” - Alonso
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That's a really bad example though. Without Ferrari covering Hamilton's second stop, Vettel lost a truck load of time. He could have been right up there with him at the end.
 
I'm just waiting for that smile that Alonso seems to permanently have at the moment as though everything is fine to turn into a nervous, hysterical, twitchy laugh.
 
koolpc said:
Ferrari look like the only team to challenge Mercedes but i do think that Hamilton will switch to Ferrari next year. Watch this space!
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Why would he? Mercedes have everything he wants. A competitive car. A good management. A useless teammate.

He would give that up and risk Ferrari where he would have to compete with Vettel, and possibly not have a competitive car?
 
The_Abyss said:
Alonso played a very good, supportive PR game at Ferrari for the first 3 1/2 years or so. It is early days at McLaren so he's still willing to do the same.
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Which year was it at Ferrari where he basically single handedly dragged the team along with his positive PR when any other driver would have just laid into how crap the car was?
 
MooMoo444 said:
Why would he? Mercedes have everything he wants. A competitive car. A good management. A useless teammate.

He would give that up and risk Ferrari where he would have to compete with Vettel, and possibly not have a competitive car?
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Competitive but for how long? Good Management but he still hasn't signed a contract. Useless team mate is rather harsh!
 
drunkenmaster said:
So you'll make a reply about my post but won't actually respond to the points made in it?

Can you honestly not see the difference between Rosberg not getting within a second, and rarely closer than 1.5 seconds behind, not even trying and at a track that has ample overtaking opportunities and Hamilton being well within a second for long periods of time at a much worse track for overtaking.

You think it's a sensible comparison to compare Rosberg whining without trying when it was fully possible and Hamilton telling his team it's not going to happen AS HE IS TRYING to overtake, while he's closer and gets very close multiple times over?
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Ok, I will reply. I disagree that you say that Barca is hard on the tyres. Yes, maybe last year, but not this year given that Pirelli said that the changes they made to the tyre made it not the limiting factor for the race...

http://www.pirelli.com/corporate/en...h-grand-prix-preview-barcelona-may-7-10-2015/

So this means that Hamilton could have always given it the beans more and not kill his tyres.

So basically, regardless of this chat, it doesn't matter because one track is different to the other, so we can't really compare the two races and how both drivers reacted to the conditions.
 
Firstly you are quite literally wrong. Barcelona has a more abrasive surface, one of the worst of the year, this is fact. Also the link you provided doesn't remotely say what you suggest it does. He said it wasn't a REAR limited track anymore but a FRONT limited track. It was absolutely still tire limited pace and their pace was incredibly obvious proof of that, Vettel's pace dropping off, tire deg was fairly high.

Likewise it is also a tight and twisty track, again even in the link you provided Hembry says this, pointing out that almost every time someone on pole wins here because it's a known non passing track.

It is 100% a worse track on tires than China and it is 100% a worse overtaking track than China. These are facts, not randomly made up things. These things were talked about by the pundits pre race and even at the last race when looking forwards. Everyone complained it was a boring race with little overtaking, I think effectively what every proper overtake was done on the start finish straight. The only ones I can remember were two on Grosjean in a corner... but Grosjean missing turn 1/2 led to two cars passing him in turn 3.

The exact situation compared to China can't be compared, but we know Barcelona is harder to overtake at and worse on tires, and Hamilton spent an entire stint tucked up closer to Vettel TRYING to overtake than Rosberg did when he didn't try to overtake at all.

The only thing stopping Rosberg overtaking was that Hamilton was faster than him, the track gave him every chance to do so, everything was against Hamilton in Barcelona... but he still tried. That is the difference.

If you get within a second, actually get close enough to use DRS and close on the straight, do this for 5+ laps, then at the end of the stint complain about attempting to overtake destroying your tires... that is entirely fair. When you refuse to get close, when you don't get within one second, when you make no attempt at all and you complain you had to pit early because when you got close your tires got destroyed... it's pathetic.

Rosberg 1.5 seconds back "my tires got destroyed, he's going to slow, woe is me". Hamilton 0.3-1 second back "it's impossible to overtake....." NO OTHER COMPLAINING. Didn't complain about his tires, didn't complain the guy in front was too slow and hurting his race, just said he couldn't overtake but made a damn good effort, then switched his strategy and passed him then showed amazing pace. Yes, I still stand by Rosberg being pathetic in China and Hamilton simply telling his team what was going on.
 
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MooMoo444 said:
Why would he? Mercedes have everything he wants. A competitive car. A good management. A useless teammate.

He would give that up and risk Ferrari where he would have to compete with Vettel, and possibly not have a competitive car?
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Hamilton will never be regarded as one of the true greats imo if he doesnt leave Merc and join a less competitive team, that could be one of his thoughts too... and also the fact that Ferrari is Ferrari, he'd love to drive for the marquee team of F1 despite how much he might play down notions to the contrary.
 
koolpc said:
Ferrari look like the only team to challenge Mercedes but i do think that Hamilton will switch to Ferrari next year. Watch this space!
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Even though he's going to sign a new Merc contract half way through this season next weekend (well near enough half way anyway)... Maybe 2017 he'll join Ferrari.
 
koolpc said:
Competitive but for how long? Good Management but he still hasn't signed a contract. Useless team mate is rather harsh!
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Indeed, if you're a Hamilton fan saying his team mate is "useless" looks a bit foolish when ...

A) Hamilton just got battered at the weekend hand over fist by his "useless" team mate.
B) "Useless" led 90 percent of the Championship last year and took Hamilton to a nervy last race.
C) "Useless" dominated Hamilton over a single lap last year

"Useless"? Ok..
 
smr said:
Hamilton will never be regarded as one of the true greats imo if he doesnt leave Merc and join a less competitive team,
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You said the same when Lewis was at McLaren! he did go to a worse team.
Hamilton still got more points the Button when he moved to Merc.

Button moved from a wining team to a none wining team and done sod all lmfao.
 
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