Only 54 laps from Ferrari? ugh
Appears so. Sloppy Seconds Stefano (SSS). Coining it. Also don't believe that RBR is 9th. At least they will be the fastest of the renault teams. GA is looking at it purely with percentages in mind.
Ferrari's new front wing is lovely. Quite a few small updates from everyone other than Ferrari's big front wing update.
Missed a huge chunk of time before lunch...only managed 12 laps. Did 42 in the afternoon. They were coy about the problem in the a.m. I also think Kimi caused a red flag with 2 mins left. The Scuderia seemingly has not kept up with the Merc teams after showing early promise, but we'll know more about their competitiveness by week's end.
For a start, there were seven red flags in the morning caused by other cars that disrupted their running. Secondly, they have not been pushing for ultimate lap times (no one really has yet!), and so far, the car has only been running with a basic aero package for consistent results and to check the cars aero and mechanical balance and grip. The true pace of the car hasn't been seen yet! As for Kimi's off: Completely meaningless! - It didn't make any difference to their programme whatsoever as it happened so late in the session. All the speculation and guessing about how everyone compares to everyone else based on the lap times from Jerez and Bahrain so far is pretty much meaningless. The true picture will be revealed towards the end of the last Bahrain test and in Melbourne! Still, at least it all gives people on here another reason to slate Ferrari's chances in the Championship, along with how the car looks, how the car sounds, who their drivers are, who the team principal is, how much of the car is black, the numbers that the drivers have chosen, etc., etc.
The car suffered from an undisclosed problem that required repair in the morning. Kimi's car actually stopped on track with 2 mins remaining in the session, so the concern is that one of their upgrades may have failed. The rest of what you said I agree with, although by all indications Mercedes is currently sitting atop the field.
My apologies! - I hadn't read all of the reports from today and had mistakenly thought you were referring to the final day of last weeks test! I will now write out 100 times on the blackboard: "I MUST PAY ATTENTION BEFORE I POST REPLIES!"
I'm really loving all the aero detail on the Mercedes. Look at all this awesomeness: http://i.imgur.com/FJ4cewy.jpg http://img2.auto-motor-und-sport.de/Mercedes-Formel-1-Test-Bahrain-27-Februar-2014-fotoshowImage-9b10ab28-758104.jpg https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bhe0JSuCUAAhlZd.jpg:large http://img3.auto-motor-und-sport.de/Mercedes-Formel-1-Test-Bahrain-27-Februar-2014-fotoshowImage-b4b4c4eb-758050.jpg
Apparently, McLaren is having over-heating issues due to their fancy pants rear suspension...it got so hot back there that the monkey seat flew right off during testing. I guess that blockage of air has its consequences... http://i.imgur.com/Qv4FFaq.jpg http://i.imgur.com/zbAH3LN.jpg
renault be crappin' their pants right about now. after homologation it is going to be what it is for the rest of the season.
I thought with all the warming issues, a freeze should be welcome. And also Renault and the other engines manufactures better get a grip with the hotter temperatures because, IT'S ALL THEIR FAULT!!!
Force India co-owner surrenders to police | joeblogsf1 This might not be such great news for Force India in the long term.
Alonso ran a 1:35.6 this morning to go second-quickest. Then he ran a best of 2014 first sector and backed off after. I think Ferrari's just beginning their performance runs. Almost lunch time. Here's the lap count. Hamilton (Mercedes) 61 Alonso (Ferrari) 45 Massa (Williams) 39 Gutierrez (Sauber) 34 Perez (Force India) 33 Bianchi (Marussia) 28 Vergne (Toro Rosso) 27 Ericsson (Caterham) 22 Button (McLaren) 20 Maldonado (Lotus) 17 Ricciardo (Red Bull) 13
BBC Sports chief F1 writer Andrew Benson: "Renault has issued a statement regarding the request for an extension of the engine homologation deadline that is being discussed at the F1 strategy group this morning. It says: 'Renault is providing the reference Power Unit and appropriate supplementary material to the FIA, as per today's homologation deadline. "There is a background request from some teams for alternative proposals (as will be discussed by the strategy group today) that regard some parts and components. However, the basic requirements of the homologation deadline will be delivered today as mandated by the FIA.' Renault declined to provide details of the proposals, or which parts they applied to."
13:32 Lewis Hamilton won't be seen on track again today. The team has confirmed gearbox problems have ended his day early. @MercedesAMGF1: "A gearbox problem means that's the end of running today for @LewisHamilton. A total of 89 laps completed today."
The new sound just doesn't give me goose bumps like the old cars did. I miss having all the hairs on my neck stand up as the cars scream past at 22k sounding like a hornets nest on fire and the engines could explode at any second. The new 2014 cars sound just like Indy car to me, which is such a disappointment. I became a fan in the V12 era and the V10 sound was music. Now its all different. good Sky F1 sound clips from Bahrain: Take a look and hear them for yourselves: The 2014 F1 cars on track in Bahrain | Sky Sports
He's done a few of those laps where he started with fastest sectors then backed out. Ferrari seems to be avoiding the top time position at these tests ( I,e, sandbagging) Alonso with over 100 laps today while the RB10 hits 1:35.7 for a top-3 time. Fist signs of life for Red Bull
We'll have to assume that reliability is the issue for RBR as opposed to speed. Still, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes all are sandbagging on time in pursuit of running race distances.
According to Auto Motor und Sport: Renault has asked for an extension to Friday's deadline for the development 'freeze' of its troubled turbo V6 power unit. Actually, the homologation deadline is Friday at mightnight, when the basic performance specifications of Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault's new power units are set to be formally homologated by F1's governing body. But Auto Motor und Sport reports that Renault, grappling so obviously with its new V6 and related systems, asked the FIA for a postponement of the deadline on Thursday. Correspondent Michael Schmidt claims Renault, supplier to the reigning world champion team Red Bull and three others, has asked for "two to three" more months to get to the bottom of its technical problems. Renault's request will be on the agenda at Friday's meeting of the strategy group in London, Schmidt added. It is reported Renault president Carlos Ghosn has already met with FIA president Jean Todt "to convince him of the seriousness of the situation".
