Barcelona winter testing thread

It's possible that maybe everyone isn't sandbagging. After all, Red Bull didn't necessarily come out on fire in 2012. I think Mark Webber is the only driver who has discounted Mercedes early form, noting that "they've looked really good in the winter before"..

 

So Lewis is playing the Fangio role?

 

Good call!

If Merc aren't as you say light on their feet this season then all is for not.

 

Mclaren 2011 sure as heck weren't lol. I heard an interview Paddy Lowe gave not long ago talking about that preseason and he said every day was worst than the last with that car. Said the only thing that went right was practice at Melbourne and the season was a miracle. Strange right.

My preseason prediction is the Red Bull is going to have tire heating issues but otherwise they will be very fast. If they failed to hear their tires at a very tire heat intense circuit like Barcelona then they will have issues to work through. Somewhat Inconsistent is my position up through Monaco.

 

What do you mean by "role"?

Well, actually you might be on to something and Merc could be having their best year in modern times. I read some of the experts' comments and it does look like MB has made the biggest jump forward.

My view is, that (as stated before) 2013 will be a repeat of 2012. Including the good where you have many teams at the front duking it out and different winners emerging from every early race. But ultimately it will be the cans who pop.

 

It's Alonso's year dammit!

 

Nando will put up a good fight. The field will be so close this season I don't think predicting anything other than that someone will race and someone will win, is pretty much folly.

With different teams able to perform better or worse at certain temps at certain types of tracks I think we are going to see a large number of winners again. The most consistent car will win, not necessarily the quickest IMO.

 

good Italian write-up


Pre-Season Analysis: cosa abbiamo imparato dai test | BlogF1.it - news sulla Formula 1

 

Coulthard weighs in

Coulthard: Of course Hamilton will win with Mercedes | F1 News | Mar 2013 | Crash.Net

 

Good catch FP. Printed it up for my train ride home...

 

Which is, of course, what all F1 fans hope for.
Lets hope that the championships are won on track, that there are no injuries and while we're at it, a surprise or two.

 

Uh, oh:

Formel 1-Teamcheck: Alarm bei Red Bull ? Formel 1 ? Blick

This is the first time ever AFAICR that Blick's Benoit put MB first of all the teams.

Now this season suddenly got very interesting. Now I can't wait for the lights to go out in Melbourne.

 

Hahaha it's the Ham effect..:

I think it is a real crap shoot at the min picking a winner at Melb,

Fred Ham Vet Nico Kimi Button Webster Perez even Massa anyone of them could do it, and probably a mid field surprise.

The difference is IMO is Merc are now a front runner by that I mean they have seemed to have just caught up to the other top runners.
So the difference now could be down to a good driver keeping a clear head and consistently staying out of trouble.

 

All fits into place now the Hamilton move to Merc, Bernie the ring master must be rubbing his hands..

 

I wouldn't mind that one bit.

As long as it is not Vettel again.

 

Am with you, any driver consistently winning year after year is tiresome...IMO.

 

Indeed. And I'm a Vettel fan saying that.

Hambone said to Clarkson on TopGear that he went to MB to do what MS did with Ferrari. Would be incredible if he'd be able to pull it off.

 

Yes he sure did, my thoughts were brave words indeed.

Certainly incredible if he can get near MS achievements at Ferrari.

Saying that full marks to him for giving it a go either way.

 

Hahaha what you smiling at, it's getting damn cold over here stop sending it.

Aha just seen what you did

 

We get it from those damn passive aggressive Canadians. Take it up with them.

 

Hahaha Rugby is on Italy v England..

 

I hope he won't as it would mean another 5 years of total boredom. It's bad enough to watch Vettel 3 years in a row winning.

However it'd be very cool if he could move MB forward. So before we talk WDC, lets see some Hambone victories with the Benz first. And beating his teammate would be nice as well.

 

Interesting indeed. I don't think they're quite there yet but Blick's assessment certainly makes sense for argument's sake.

 

Benoit normally gets his strength assessments right (with the traditional caveat of being overly optimistic towards Sauber).

If it turns out that way, quite a few folks on here will have to change their opinions:

- those "haters" who said a big car manufacturer could never win <cough, cough>
- all the Hambone haters who said he could only be fast in a top car
- all the Lauda haters who think he is only a figure head
- all the MS fans who thought Nico just was that good

We'll better reserve a very big round table with lots of courses of crow.