Hmm. If I were to say "My brothers and I" it would not imply that I were not one of the siblings.
Eat my pedantry!
Eat my pedantry!
Pre-Season 2012 Testing: Jerez
- Thread starter landogeorgelewis1
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I think he wrote that column sometime in 1986.
Williams have such a good pedigree that it is hard to think of them as midfielders no matter how true it might be..
The piece of JA's review that I found interesting was:
In both runs the medium tyre looks like it could be falling off quite quickly after about 11 laps. Or were both teams sandbagging?
In both runs the medium tyre looks like it could be falling off quite quickly after about 11 laps. Or were both teams sandbagging?
Zed Ali
Rookie
Just read this...Thoughts anyone?
Is Hamilton disappointed with 2012 McLaren car?
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By Forumula1.com Staff on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Filed Under: F1 News
Behind the scenes, Lewis Hamilton is quietly concerned about McLaren’s early progress with its 2012 car, according to media reports.
Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that the first whiff of the Briton’s worry emerged last week, when the MP4-27 was tested over four days at Jerez.
“When I saw that all the other cars are high at the front, it did make me wonder if we had done the right thing,” the 2008 world champion, referring to the ‘step’ nose trend that McLaren has sidestepped, is quoted as saying.
Hamilton was quicker than his teammate Jenson Button at Jerez, with his 1.19 laptime set on Thursday close to Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull pace on the same day. The previous day, however, Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber had been the quickest of the 2012 car runners in the RB8.
And when referring to his 1.19, Hamilton admitted that the lap was set while McLaren was being “aggressive”, implying that he was light on fuel. If so, the MP4-27 is at least a full second off Lotus’ Jerez pace.
There are more clues: asked about the change in blown diffuser rules, Briton Hamilton said the MP4-27 is “difficult to control in the fast corners”. That contrasts with Vettel’s comment that, “In the fast corners I don’t feel very much difference to before (in 2011)”.
Moreover, Spain’s Marca sports daily claims Hamilton confided to his former McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen at Jerez that he is “disappointed” with his new car.
On the record, he said: “I feel quite positive about where the car is at the moment and I’m confident that the guys can push it forward. You’ve got to remember that everyone is just focusing on their own programmes. It’s not a contest for who’s the fastest at the moment.
“Over the coming weeks we’ll get a better indication of where everyone is.”
Source:GMM
Is Hamilton disappointed with 2012 McLaren car?
No Comments
By Forumula1.com Staff on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Filed Under: F1 News
Behind the scenes, Lewis Hamilton is quietly concerned about McLaren’s early progress with its 2012 car, according to media reports.
Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reports that the first whiff of the Briton’s worry emerged last week, when the MP4-27 was tested over four days at Jerez.
“When I saw that all the other cars are high at the front, it did make me wonder if we had done the right thing,” the 2008 world champion, referring to the ‘step’ nose trend that McLaren has sidestepped, is quoted as saying.
Hamilton was quicker than his teammate Jenson Button at Jerez, with his 1.19 laptime set on Thursday close to Sebastian Vettel’s Red Bull pace on the same day. The previous day, however, Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber had been the quickest of the 2012 car runners in the RB8.
And when referring to his 1.19, Hamilton admitted that the lap was set while McLaren was being “aggressive”, implying that he was light on fuel. If so, the MP4-27 is at least a full second off Lotus’ Jerez pace.
There are more clues: asked about the change in blown diffuser rules, Briton Hamilton said the MP4-27 is “difficult to control in the fast corners”. That contrasts with Vettel’s comment that, “In the fast corners I don’t feel very much difference to before (in 2011)”.
Moreover, Spain’s Marca sports daily claims Hamilton confided to his former McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen at Jerez that he is “disappointed” with his new car.
On the record, he said: “I feel quite positive about where the car is at the moment and I’m confident that the guys can push it forward. You’ve got to remember that everyone is just focusing on their own programmes. It’s not a contest for who’s the fastest at the moment.
“Over the coming weeks we’ll get a better indication of where everyone is.”
Source:GMM
Hmmm - its not wild conjecture but then neither is it fact but I think its early days for anyone(including Lewis) to jump to conclusions on any of the cars as there is still a long way to go. Lets remember Mclaren were in a far far worse off position this time last year and were still competitve come race one.
Currently everyone seems to be comparing cars to the times the Lotus have put in but I still find it very hard to believe that Lotus have made such a massive step forward that they are on the pace of the leaders - in which case everyone's playing their hand close to their chest.
Having said that though if Mclaren have gone the wrong way and Lewis does find himself battling for 5th or 7th come the begining of the season I do think he might finally lose his patients with the team.
Currently everyone seems to be comparing cars to the times the Lotus have put in but I still find it very hard to believe that Lotus have made such a massive step forward that they are on the pace of the leaders - in which case everyone's playing their hand close to their chest.
Having said that though if Mclaren have gone the wrong way and Lewis does find himself battling for 5th or 7th come the begining of the season I do think he might finally lose his patients with the team.
What is he, a doctor?
The McLaren may or may not be rubbish, but their source is Marca. Marca have a tendency to play down the prospects of their "rivals" (usually FC Barcelona), and I cannot imagine they do not view Lewis Hamilton in the same light. I don't think they're the most reliable publication in the world, unless you want to know what a lunatic Real Madrid fan's view of the world is!
Zed Ali
Rookie
Agreed. Lot's of mind games going on at the moment. However I do agree with Rasputin. If the car isn't up to scratch again Lewis is probably going to start looking elsewhere. May be the team need to look elsewhere as well? Definately an important year for Lewis on how he performs on and off the track.
See those straws? Let's clutch at them.
My guess would be a journalist looking for a story where there is none?
Columbo already knows who's done it. He's following Bernie round right now pretending that his wives a big fan and that he's a bit stupid................oh and one more thing Mr Ecclestone about these tax returns.............
The Artist.....
Champion Elect
The other thing is that the fast corners aren't where the teams would be that worried about the grip level - it's the mid-speed corners, where there isn't sufficient downforce being generated by the wings and the car going forward which would cause concern! Personally, I suspect it's just forumula1 blowing smoke (again)....
Jos the Boss
Champion Elect
tranquility2k9
Podium Finisher
Just seen something interesting tweeted by @joseluisf1 that I translated. Although you can never guarantee things being true, he is usually a very reliable source. This is what he had to say (translated):-
"Colleague tells me that McLaren expect to be at the level of Red Bull before the GP of China. They lack downforce and enhance traction ago"
"Moreover, it appears that the MP4-27 is very reliable and very well balanced. The lack of DF makes difficult its fast cornering"
"McLaren almost always ends up having a competitive car, although in the first race is not. I think they have a good car"
If this did so happen to be spot on then it looks like the same as usual - they'll turn up to the first race off the pace and then set themselves the target of catching up within the first 2 or 3 races. But then they just end up playing catch up all year until about 2/3 way through the season when they then end up having the fastest car. If their car does indeed lack downforce then I do not see how they can quickly fix that - the cars that have come out the box with better downforce obviously have a better baseline design. This is something McLaren have not got right for quite a few years now. Last year for example, Ferrari clearly had a better baseline but McLaren overcame them by massively exploiting the EBD and by bolting that on their U shaped side pod design suddenly worked, otherwise it would have been pretty terrible. I just fear that there are not any big gizmos they can bolt on this year and they should have focused more on having a better chassis design.
@joseluisf1 has also said that Ferrari have found some manufacturing anomalies that they think caused some of their problems at Jerez and by fixing these and also using what they learnt from that test they have already significantly improved the balance of the car in the simulator. Whether that then goes out onto the track we will see in Barcelona.
"Colleague tells me that McLaren expect to be at the level of Red Bull before the GP of China. They lack downforce and enhance traction ago"
"Moreover, it appears that the MP4-27 is very reliable and very well balanced. The lack of DF makes difficult its fast cornering"
"McLaren almost always ends up having a competitive car, although in the first race is not. I think they have a good car"
If this did so happen to be spot on then it looks like the same as usual - they'll turn up to the first race off the pace and then set themselves the target of catching up within the first 2 or 3 races. But then they just end up playing catch up all year until about 2/3 way through the season when they then end up having the fastest car. If their car does indeed lack downforce then I do not see how they can quickly fix that - the cars that have come out the box with better downforce obviously have a better baseline design. This is something McLaren have not got right for quite a few years now. Last year for example, Ferrari clearly had a better baseline but McLaren overcame them by massively exploiting the EBD and by bolting that on their U shaped side pod design suddenly worked, otherwise it would have been pretty terrible. I just fear that there are not any big gizmos they can bolt on this year and they should have focused more on having a better chassis design.
@joseluisf1 has also said that Ferrari have found some manufacturing anomalies that they think caused some of their problems at Jerez and by fixing these and also using what they learnt from that test they have already significantly improved the balance of the car in the simulator. Whether that then goes out onto the track we will see in Barcelona.
tranquility2k9
Podium Finisher
Another interesting article on Ferrari's "clever" front suspension:- http://www.vivaf1.com/blog/?p=10280
Plus a close-up of the new Mercedes that appears to have a McLaren like exhaust:- http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/7821/mercvid.png
Zed Ali
Rookie
It also appeared from testing and the naked eye that the Mclaren didin't have any new parts fitted while testing. If you compare that with Rb and Ferrari...who both tried different parts (at least that I was led to believe).
Also having trawled different sites etc it seems that the general school of thought is that the RB uses that vent to push air down and out of the diffuser. Now i'm no expert but wouldn't that only work when at high speed? Assuming it's true of course. as anyone got any further views on this so called "coolinng" vent?
Also having trawled different sites etc it seems that the general school of thought is that the RB uses that vent to push air down and out of the diffuser. Now i'm no expert but wouldn't that only work when at high speed? Assuming it's true of course. as anyone got any further views on this so called "coolinng" vent?
Kewee
Race Winner
There's one thing wrong with your posting. Your source appears to assume McLaren will be starting the season playing catch up to Red Bull. The teams haven't had enough track time yet to have any idea how they compare with each other. Both Red Bull and McLaren have commented on this years cars having less rear grip. You can be sure of one thing, McLaren have no intention of having to wait until China to be at Red Bulls level, they intend being competitive from race one in Australia. For what its worth, I think Red Bull will have its struggles this year.
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