Pre-Season 2012 Testing: Jerez

[teabagyokel]

Shame on you TBY, a real fan knows the car and the helmet!

I know the car and the helmet, and of course the roll bar. But all the same, the cars look better with the numbers...

 

[Greenlantern101]

Rosberg in last years Merc smashes the time sheets with a 1.17.613 a full 0.8 faster than the Lotus.

 

[Brogan]

Current times.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Rosberg in last years Merc smashes the time sheets with a 1.17.613 a full 0.8 faster than the Lotus.

Wow!

 

[teabagyokel]

Thats what a fully mature, EBD Formula One car can do!

 

[sportsman]

The Mercedes times are irrelevant.Thats a full 2011 spec car with EBD.
It should be much faster.
It only illustrates just how well the other teams have done to claw back much of the downforce.

 

[Road of Bones]

...and therefore irrelevant. Interesting to see how consistent Nico's laptimes are, suggesting that the Pirellis hold up well under load - no indication of the "cliff" though.

 

[The Artist.....]

Mind... The times the Lotus has been consistently setting this week suggests that the teams may well have something to worry about from the Enstone based team... Unless they need some money, and they're doing lots of glory runs!!

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

The Mercedes times are irrelevant.Thats a full 2011 spec car with EBD.
It should be much faster.
It only illustrates just how well the other teams have done to claw back much of the downforce.

Do we know that Merc are actually utilising the EBD though? They could be running modified exhausts and using 2012 spec engine mapping, as a kind of simulation. Otherwise, what's the point of them being there?

 

[The Artist.....]

Do we know that Merc are actually utilising the EBD though? They could be running modified exhausts and using 2012 spec engine mapping, as a kind of simulation. Otherwise, what's the point of them being there?

Merc's philosophy was they wanted to run a full 2011 car so that they'd be able to get a back to back comparison of how the new Pirelli tyres perform - so that they have a good base of comparison to take to the race circuits (I.e. they know how their car reacted on the old Pirellis, by comparing it with the new ones, they should be able to get a handle on what's tyres and what's the car when they run their new car.....)

 

[The Artist.....]

Mind... The times the Lotus has been consistently setting this week suggests that the teams may well have something to worry about from the Enstone based team... Unless they need some money, and they're doing lots of glory runs!!

.... Although if we look at the Jerez test from 2011, we would see that the leading team was Williams, with Rubinho setting the pace with a 1:19.8.....

 

[RasputinLives]

Mind... The times the Lotus has been consistently setting this week suggests that the teams may well have something to worry about from the Enstone based team... Unless they need some money, and they're doing lots of glory runs!!

I think there was def an element of glory when it came to putting Kimi at top of time tables on his return to an F1 car - very much gave them the headlines didn't it? I think Mr Grosjean may be just sending a message to say he won't be a pushover but I could be wrong and the Lotus could have jumped up to compete with the top cars. If thats thats the case Big Jean has certainly landed himself a big oppotunity with that seat.

Sceptic Richey says wait and see though!

 

[sportsman]

Do we know that Merc are actually utilising the EBD though? They could be running modified exhausts and using 2012 spec engine mapping, as a kind of simulation. Otherwise, what's the point of them being there?

http://live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/437
08:22 It is a complete 2011 car - including the blown diffuser that is no longer possible under the 2012 rules - as the team wants to get accurate back-to-back tyre data and doesn't want any car changes skewing the picture.

08:22 A lot of you have emailed live@autosport.com with questions about exactly what package Mercedes is running this week.

08:20 It's all about the tyres for Mercedes this week. The team's 2012 car won't be ready until Barcelona in a fortnight, so it is focusing on getting as much data as possible about the 2012 Pirellis - a process that seemed to go pretty well yesterday, when Michael Schumacher was fastest.

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Thanks Sportsman and the Artist....

 

[Brogan]

Force India won't do any running today at all as they are waiting for a new part to be flown over after Bianchi's crash.

That could prove to be a very expensive crash as far as midfield points are concerned.

 

[Porceliamone]

Hulkenberg must be seething.

 

[sportsman]

For those who haven't tried it this site (thanks Bro) is well worth a look.Packed full of pics and info from Ted Kravitz.
http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1/news/12433/7493332/F1-testing-day-three

 

[Brogan]

Indeed, I've been following that this morning.

Much better than the text only updates on other sites, and it seems to include more team and driver comments, etc.

He has just reported that Ferrari are using flo-vis paint.

 

[sportsman]

If this is a foretaste of what Sky can offer even before their F1 channel goes live then those who can watch on Sky will have a fantastic experience in 2012.

 

[Jen]

If this is a foretaste of what Sky can offer even before their F1 channel goes live then those who can watch on Sky will have a fantastic experience in 2012.

I do hate smugness!!