Barcelona winter testing thread

Doesn't seem there's exactly a "consensus" between 'em apart from they degrade fast in the cold!..... Jenny & Marks comments from Autosport;

Seems JB's saying at least some, if not most, of their late season performance gains were down to getting their heads round the tires. Some of 'em "lucked in" to the performance window, others rarely, if ever, found it.

Marks guessing a "high" # of stops, although not as many as Checo's 7-10 eek: - TBH, when I posted that I'd completely forgotten that would put them on inters for a couple of stints! )

It's starting to sound like FP's theory that they've got a wider, albeit higher temperature, window is what they're learning - Get 'em nice & toasty & they'll be fine (2-3 stops) is my feeling.

Not long to go now!

Cheers,
Ian
Jenson Button says F1 tyres easier to understand in 2013 - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

 

BBC Sport - Tight times at the second winter test hint at close 2013 season

Close yes but with the exceptional cold and wet Im not sure any serious predictions can be made.

 

Level playing field maybe, but at rather a low level.
They suck, but they suck the same for everyone.
Pinnacle of motor tech my patoocas.

 

Bwah, bwah, bwah!

Why is the "level low"? They'll still be quicker than anyone else. Which suggests the "pinnacle" to me.

Why do they suck? Seems they're graining, badly, in low temps. Big deal. However, a few of 'em have now done race sims without problems - They'll be just fine.

Seems to me they're *way* ahead of last year when they couldn't figure 'em out at all. And despite (or because of?) that, we still had one hell of a fine season - At least if the vast majority fans that voted here are to be believed.......

Cheers,
Ian

 

Some will be served 'Surf and Turf' and others 'Crow' on 3-17-2013.

 

Oh my Panglossian friend. You give us all hope.

Is the glass half full or half empty?

Neither. It's fifty percent too large.

I get it now.

 

Optimistic? Yeah, sure.

Despite (because of?) my "reputation" round here, I too know F1 is a *long* way from perfect. But, IMHO, it remains the best test there is.

Nascar? Change the rules whenever they need to re-level the field.

Le Mans? Lets introduce "BOP" so they're all equal.

Daytona/Sebring? If you're too quick, you get hobbled.

F1? Do a better job of it and you win. If you *really* get it right, you dominate. No problem to me.

So, yeah, I remain Panglossian.

Cheers,
Ian

 

I'm glad you took it as the compliment I intended.

I'll play Candide to your Pangloss.

If I didn't love and respect the sport I wouldn't hold it to the highest standards.

 

Who'd have thunk we'd be quoting Voltaire in Fchat!

Cheers,
Ian

 

O che sciagura d'essere senza coglioni!

 

Ok there is a rumor going around (apparently chatted up by Scarbs) that none other than Aldo Costa was in charge of honing Mercedes interconnected suspension design and that is the primary reason the car is light on tires now.
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Hmmm. Unlike Scarbs to chat something up without posting about it..... [Nothing on his site as yet at least.]

And looking at their times it seems to me they're suffering about the same as everyone else....

It wasn't that long ago that the peanut gallery was calling Aldo a useless waste of space of course!

Cheers,
Ian

 

Yup he usually makes a thing out of stuff like this, but with it still very much being unconfirmed I suppose I understand him not going further with it.

 

So, of one of Lotus' cronies (I'm calling them cronies now after this) was about wrestled to the ground yesterday after he was caught snapping very specific shots of the Mclaren's rear suspension. Apparently he ran out just as Jensen came back from a run and made it to the car just before Mclaren's people could. I have a pic of this happening I will post later. Dirty!!!!

 

the proof
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Bwah, bwah, bwah!

You don't think they're all "spying" on each other all the time?

"Wrestled to the ground"? Because it's "dirty"? You're joking, right?

They *all* hire photog's to snare pix of anything they think may be interesting.

If they're that paranoid, maybe it's time to go elsewhere IMESHO.

There's things you can do - put guys at the back to hide your diffuser, put a bin lid over your fan ala Bernie, pop a guy into Williams transporter to take pix. But trying to hurt a guy taking pix? And then call it "dirty"?

Come on!

Cheers,
Ian

 

I am partially joking. It's funny more than anything I guess. Only a fool would believe no one is eyeing the other constantly, that being said I am really shocked a team would go to such lengths to obtain specific photographs with their own guy. See the Mclaren guys chasing after that photo taker?

lol, it's funny. Hey you! Yes, you with the Lotus shirt on! We are going to stop you! It's a futile effort on their part really. What a sport

 

Bah. It was obviously a diversion to draw them away from the tea trolley.

 

+1 on the last part..... Apparently, many of the pitlane accredited photogs make *substantially* more money taking pix for the teams; "Hey, we need low angle pix of xyz." etc. As we can see, they have pretty much unfettered access when the garages are open. [By rule, any time they're running IIRC.]

Maybe Fauxtus didn't want to pay the man?

Indeed. I *love* it!

Cheers,
Ian

 

No doubt. Dunno if they still do (probably a little "untidy" for Ron ) but Mclaren at least used to have the archetypal "tea lady" in the factory...... Some of the best tea you'll ever taste.

Cheers,
Ian

 

+1

When I was at testing in 2009 I went to the pitstraight and even from opposite the track it was still blindingly obvious seeing others spy on each other. Mclaren of Ferrari, Ferrari on Sauber, Sauber on Renault...Everyone!

It was quite funny as they still had the curtains they pull up ASAP. Sometimes team members would form a human wall and stare down the ''spies''.

What I don't understand is why did the Lotus man pop down the shop and buy one of those official Mclaren shirts...now that would be funny

 

I'm not

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPqm7RjgtVY]Mclaren crew members pwned by Ferrari at Barcelona 2010 - YouTube[/ame]

 

Didn't lotus and ferrari develop a similar system for while braking which was deemed illegal last year?

 

That's like saying best sister you'll ever kiss.

 

I hardly think that's getting "owned"; Just a few of their boys having a little look & joking about. They weren't toting cameras. Ferrari probably attracted more attention with that silly "diffuser shield" thing too..... Pretty funny though.

For some (unknown) reason I had you down as a possible tea aficionado D!

Cheers,
Ian