2015 F1 testing thread

100% correct.

 

Well in their defense, that was a 2014 car they shoehorned a Honda engine into, so cooling, plumbing, wiring, etc.. is not exactly the same. To me it sounds more like problems with the electronics communicating with the power unit. I too thought they would have sorted all of that out by now.

Eh, good luck with that!

 

I know just the website...

 

Hi my friend...i hope you can be kind enough to share

 

Sorry, I'm not in that kind of things.

 

For anyone wanting to learn more about the new McLaren-Honda Mercedes beater MP4-30

Analysis here:
A closer look at the McLaren MP4-30 - F1i.com

 

For folks reading a lot into lap times, here's a good analysis breakdown for your consideration:
In depth Analysis: What we learned from the first F1 test in Jerez | James Allen on F1 ? The official James Allen website on F1


Raikkonen starts with a couple of longer runs through wet to dry track conditions to check crossover and subsequent dry tyre performance.

It appears from the graph that Raikkonen’s laptimes become quite a lot quicker after 13-30, suggesting a reduced fuel level. He is also using the Soft tyre which is 2s faster than the hard so we can’t be sure.

During Raikkonen’s performance runs in the afternoon he is always putting in ‘charge management’ laps suggesting he is using the full 4Mj/Lap ERS-K deployment but can’t supply this continuously in Jerez. In other words, this is clearly a Qualifying mode rather than a Race one.

Although the Ferrari seems improved and the drivers report a better handling car, with superior Energy Recovery System, it looks like they were using either lower fuel levels or enhanced engine modes compared to Mercedes who were in ‘Race trim’.
The Mercedes is still likely to be quicker but the gap could be smaller than in 2014. We will learn more in the Barcelona tests.

 

The analysts are always analyzing. But let's call it by its true name: educated guesses. I have respect for that but there is only 1 source that I will base my decisions, conclusions and hopes on and that is Ferrari. Forza Ferrari.

 

Lewis Hamilton not impressed by Ferrari - F1i.com

 

Sensationalist journalism.

 

Fair observation from LH though. If we were still in the refuelling pit stop era, the other teams would be concerned.

 

FA's times last year and Kimi's were because of the same tactics. Nothing new here at all. Ferrari simply wont be very fast, better but not near the Mercedes. Nice headlines though.

 

And the year before that. And the year before that. And the year before that. And... And...

 

Based on James Allen's analysis (see freshmeat's post), it's going to be another long year at Ferrari. Glad I read that. I was about to really start drinking the kool-aide.

 

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JA's analysis is about as meaningful as "sure, I'll respect you in the morning"

The only fact you can be sure of is that he does not know what Ferrari were testing or for that matter what fuel they had on board. Ditto he can't be sure Mercedes were refueling their car every 5 laps to bring truth to the hypothesis that all their laps were done on full fuel loads.

 

Raikkonen was the only Ferrari driver to record a representative speed, because Sebastian Vettel's efforts on the first two days of testing could not be logged due to transponder problems.

Although Ferrari set the fastest time of the test on the final day with Raikkonen, his top speed through the trap was nearly 7 km/h down on the Mercedes.

While the speed trap data cannot provide a definitive answer on the power of each engine, for downforce levels, fuel and engine settings can affect the results, it does offer a hint that Ferrari and Renault still have to produce more than they did at Jerez if they are to threaten Mercedes.

SPEED TRAP FIGURES
Jerez F1 test, February 1-4

1 Felipe Massa (Williams-Mercedes) 307.6 km/h
2 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 307.6 km/h
3 Pastor Maldonado (Lotus-Mercedes) 306.8 km/h
4 Max Verstappen (Toro Rosso-Renault) 303.3 km/h
5 Marcus Ericsson (Sauber-Ferrari) 303.3 km/h
6 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 300.8 km/h
7 Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull-Renault) 294.2 km/h
8 Jenson Button (McLaren-Honda) 277.6 km/h

Speed trap exposes Mercedes' edge - AUTOSPORT

 

So nearly 7klm is exposing Mercedes edge, but Ferrari doing faster lap times is because Mercedes weren't trying or were refueling their cars to the brim every few laps. The British media is so predictable.

 

Didn't Ferrari have the highest top speed last year? Didn't help much.

 

During their WCC years, Red Bull rarely, if ever, won the speed trap derby.

 

Yes. It was their speed through the corners that killed the competition.