Bahrain

I hear MB have been practicing starts in 2nd gear and that they haven't touched their top gear yet. There's something very different about how their powertrain shifts too....

 

Sounds like BS to me!..... Given there's only 5 days between these tests I'm sure a lot of 'stuff', including many personnel, from all teams remain on site.

They *may* have flown the cars back, but even that I doubt. I could certainly be wrong, but suspect they're all beavering away in the garages right there. Seems it would take longer to tear it all down & ship it back than to leave it. If that's the case, would be kinda hard for anyone to do any 'secret' running!

OTOH, they be 'doing a Fauxtus', and running some wooden tire promotional days. That would make more sense. Would certainly help Renault out too.... They still seem to be behind the 8 ball.

Cheers,
Ian

 

Hmmm... Torquey M/Fers as we know!

Starting in 2nd makes no sense though unless they can't program the TCU to 'skip' gears as needed. We know they're carrying 8, but given their torque they aren't going to need all of 'em at every circuit. Further, for (eg), Monza, they'd want to start in 3rd if that's the case!

I certainly dunno, but if you've got enough torque to start in start in 2nd, why even bother with first? The jockeys are saying they're often 2-3 gears higher in corners than before, so why not just raise the ratios?

And I'm sorry, but given the regs, there's nothing they can do about 'how their power train shifts'!..... They're already 'seamless', but preselectors or whatever are banned - You have to disengage one and then engage the next. Sure, they do it PDQ, but I don't see how they can do anything 'spectacular'......

Cheers,
Ian

 

Yup.

Perhaps take the Formula E approach and do half race refueling

 

I seriously doubt it too. Everyone these days has a camera phone (yes, even people in that complete bankrupt part of the world ). People spotting a red bull truck would've taken a picture, or a car.

Apparently there's a sound recording, but no video. Err. Could be taken from anywhere then.

I seriously doubt Red Bull is stupid enough to do an unauthorized test.

 

The same I thought about Mercedes...

Anyway, IIRC they haven´t done their filming day yet so I suppose they are safe.

 

Not if they don't notify the FIA first about it.

 

Video from Jerez with some cool sounds...

Ferrari - Jerez 2014 - YouTube

 

Mercedes was stupid enough to test with a 2013 current car & current driver lineup (albeit anonymous helmets) last year in plain sight =) There were no pics or videos or even sound clips.

When it comes to F1, I've learnt to never rule out anything!

 

The Mercedes test was sanctioned.
Sort of.
Wasn't kept secret.
From everyone.

 

Pat Fry reveals that Ferrari has a major upgrade to test in this week's Bahrain test.

 

Gary Anderson predicts 2014 pecking order:

FASTEST TIMES IN BAHRAIN (AS PERCENTAGE)

(Team-Engine | Deficit | Tyre)
1. Mercedes | 0% | Soft
2. McLaren-Mercedes | +1.795% | Soft*
3. Force India-Mercedes | +3.390% | Soft
4. Ferrari | +3.466% | Soft
5. Williams-Mercedes | +4.055% | Soft
6. Sauber-Ferrari | +4.178% | Soft
7. Lotus-Renault | +5.815% | Soft
8. Toro Rosso-Renault | +6.101% | Soft
9. Red Bull-Renault | +6.597% | Medium
10. Caterham-Renault | +7.045% | Soft
11. Marussia-Ferrari | +9.892% | Winter medium

As Kevin Magnussen's fastest McLaren time was set on supersoft rubber, Jenson Button's final-day lap on softs, just 0.057s slower, has been used. This was effectively a faster lap as it was on slower rubber.

Last year, the average lap-time performance step between each compound of tyre was around 0.4 seconds. I will use that figure rather than the specific differences from Bahrain, which did vary from team to team.

So taking the above, and equalising for the different tyre compounds that we actually know about, we now have:

1. Mercedes
2. McLaren-Mercedes +1.795%
3. Force India-Mercedes +3.390%
4. Ferrari +3.466%
5. Williams-Mercedes +4.055%
6. Sauber-Ferrari +4.606%
7. Lotus-Renault +5.815%
8. Toro Rosso-Renault +6.101%
9. Red Bull-Renault +6.597%

Qualifying time cut off +7.000%

10. Caterham-Renault +7.045%
11. Marussia-Ferrari +9.892%

 

I saw that yesterday on Autosport as well. Be interesting to compare this prediction of Gary's after about 5 or 6 races. Reliability the wild card.

 

2014 Bahrain pre-season Test Two preview | Features & Experts | Sky Sports Formula 1

 

Interesting as kimi and Allison have both inferred that they haven't tried a flat out fast lap and have been working on the various systems on these massively complex cars. Ferrari had the added responsibility of verifying the calibrations on their new wind tunnel. I think the next test they will turn up the wick and this new major upgrade will continue to be a verification of the wind tunnel data.

As an aside the cars IMHO sound like crap at this point.

 

Gary's prediction is probably close although I would swap ferrari and force India. Williams might just surprise us a bit too.

 

We'll have a better idea by Saturday. I think Mercedes is clearly in front, but I'm not yet sold on where people lie on the grid after that. Ferrari reportedly haven't completed an all-out lap yet, so I question how far behind they really are...if they are

 

+1!! Ferrari could very well have a crazy powerful engine and destroy everyone. Who knows.

 

#Domenicali : "#Mercedes has something more in terms of performance, but we should be faster than the other #Mercedes powered cars"

 

So second again Stefano?? Thats not a quote of confidence lol! Lets hope he is wrong.

 

As I was saying....

 

When you're right you're right!

 

After the wind tunnel debacle no more excuses!

 

Red Bull in 9th...? That would be some twist from a year to the next one. And imagine
if Mercedes pushes even more they could be out of the 107%, then wow.