Perhaps we should hold off the coronation ceremony for Mercedes. I still don't think we've seen everyone's best, which bodes well for the season. Hats off to Felipe and the Williams team. Good stuff!
I saw that too lol! Good response by Edd Straw to point out that Rosberg has run more laps than Hamilton. Heck, Babaloo has done more laps than Vettel. It's just the way the ball bounces sometimes.
What should be concerning for Kimi is that he lapped 4-5 secs slower than Alonso in his race sim today. He was, however, testing new parts also.
It is 'testing' for a reason lol! We wont have a real good picture until practice 2 in Melbourne Im thinking. This is shaping up to be an amazing opening race this year. Attrition numbers might be very interesting!
Red Bull had battery issues then the next major issue was either power unit or the gearbox according to the BBC.
Serious speed out of Massa and Williams. Glad he got a good seat and a lead role there. I've heard MB haven't drained the tanks and really gone for it yet, and of course neither have Ferrari. Can't wait
Although I give a lot of crap about RB, my objectified opinion about how nicely it takes the corners (which I posted in the Jerez thread) seems to be the same feeling Button has: From SkyF1: "He also reckoned the RB10 looked good in high-speed corners. "When it goes round it will be quick," Button added. "It's just not been going round. He was running a soft tyre and I was running a medium, which makes quite a big difference especially in cooler temperatures, but they're quick. "If they put a few laps together you can see their pace. It's strong. It's a good-looking car, it looks like it should work. "If they can complete a race distance then they'll be near the front."
Thanks for the post. Not a shock there at all. Red Bull have a good team and will make things happen and be fighting at the front.
They are suffering over heating in relatively low ambient temps, throw in holding on the grid, safety cars, hotter races things could be really bad from a reliability point of view.
I'm not too worried. But I am under the impression that Kimi along with Rubens have got to be the 2 unluckiest drivers in recent F1 history... 2003, plenty of engine failures 2005, same again 2007 he was lucky to win the title, but would've won it earlier if the car stayed together long enough . As for Rubens, 9 times consecutive retirements from his home GP, countless retirements from the lead also much like Kimi. Martin Brundle made a joke about both drivers once: ''If you see him boarding your plane, I'd get straight off it...''.
Lewis just went out on supersofts and set a quickest first sector by a couple tenths and then backed out of it. 1. Felipe Massa, Williams, 1:33.258, Supersoft tyres, Test Two - Day Three. 2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:33.278, New Soft tyres, Test Two – Day Four. 3. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:33.283, New Soft tyres, Test One - Day Four. 4. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1:33.987, Unknown tyre compound, Test Two – Day Four. 5. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, 1:34.280, Unknown tyre compound, Test Two – Day Four. 6. Kevin Magnussen, McLaren, 1:34.910, New supersoft tyres, Test One - Day Two. 7. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1:34.957, New soft tyres, Test One - Day Four. 8. Sergio Perez, Force India, 1:35.290, Unknown tyre compound, Test Two – Day One. 9. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1:35.426, Supersoft tyres, Test Two – Day Three. 10. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, 1:35.577, Unknown tyre compound, Test Two – Day Four. 11. Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso, 1:35.701, Unknown tyre compound, Test Two – Day Four. 12. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, 1:35.743, Unknown tyre compound, Test Two – Day Two.
Williams' low beam wing just over the diffuser is a great trick, probably adding a good chunk of DF points. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Gearbox problems for Ferrari today. Mclaren and MB both changed an engine for this test, they had been running the same engines they started with during the first test in Jerez.
Red Bull might (a big might) have some race pace. Their qualifying position will ruin any of that though. Merc, ferrari, Williams, mclaren, in that order is how I'm seeing things for race pace. Williams may be quicker than Ferrari on a qualy lap though. We saw Nando set a very fast S1 and then back out of it; regardless, we will see Ferrari doing well.
Williams ran supersofts while Ferrari hasn't. Still no real sense of a pecking order but I think you can add Force India in there too. Bring on Australia!
Stefano Domenicali admits that Mercedes and Williams appear to be in a better position than Ferrari ahead of the start of the season in two weeks. Mercedes and Williams not only topped the mileage count over the three tests, but they also set the two fastest times over the two tests in Bahrain. Ferrari completed roughly 1,000km less than the two Mercedes-powered teams and Fernando Alonso's best lap time in Bahrain was over a second off Felipe Massa's benchmark. "At the end of this session we have done around 4,000km, Mercedes has done close to 5,000km - or 4,900km or something like that - and Williams was more or less close to that," Domenicali said. "That means that at the end of the day they have prepared better for the start of the season - that is a fact. Read more at Mercedes and Williams better prepared - Ferrari - Stefano Domenicali - Second Bahrain Test - Day Fou | Ferrari | Formula 1 news, live F1 | ESPN F1
If it is the case that they're behind what constructive act is it to declare it publicly. Why don't they shut up and work on development.
