Pre-Season Winter testing : 2014 Season

[Jen]

So that's alright then?

 

[Lewywo4]

Nooooo.......but it beats the hell out of the wrath that he would have received, if their was a frown on his face.

 

[Jen]

Thank Heaven he has the right expression!

The drivers are the 'front end'. The guys who actually spend 16 hours a day for months creating something that 'fits the bill' won't be best impressed with such a departure!

Whereas I am a great champion of drivers, I am now beginning to understand what the rest of the team do to 'give the drivers a chance'

 

[Josephiah]

And a side view of the Mercedes, before the crash

Is it just me, or does the front of the Mercedes in that shot bear more than a passing resemblance to Jar Jar Binks?

 

[chreden]

Why?! It was the most normal looking one now and you've done this! Meesa not happy!

 

[sushifiesta]

After some rain overnight today had been allocated as wet tyre testing day. The track will be kept wet during the day artificially if necessary. This was originally planned for Friday.

I'm serious...

 

[FB]

Ted's Note Book on Sky F1 was interesting, we got to see three cars going round...

 

[Greenlantern101]

Fastest lap so far.

 

[sushifiesta]

From Andrew Benson. I wasn't aware of the fire yesterday, difficult start for Red Bull:

"Among the teams with a lot on their plate on this second day of the test are world champions Red Bull. Sebastian Vettel got out for only three exploratory laps on Tuesday and when he returned to the pits the back of the car was on fire. Design chief Adrian Newey was on Tuesday bemoaning the loss of several ways in which they gained performance over the last few years - including the banning of exhaust-blow rear aerodynamics, at which they were particularly adept, and the requirement now to put the batteries for the hybrid systems on the front of the engine. Red Bull found a performance gain in putting them in the gearbox bellhousing from 2011-13"

Vettel still hasn't completed a timed lap.

 

[LifeW12]

Hopefully someone else can win then

Edit: via Twitter. More people in the grandstands than the Bahrain GP

 

[Road of Bones]

I am sufficiently bouyant to see Jenson putting in some decent mixed-condition laps in the new McLaren (which I still think is one of the better-looking designs this year) - some interesting details emerging about the rear aero too. Still not sure what to think about the appointment of Eric Boullier though...

Not too unhappy to hear Red Bull are head-scratching either

(I know it's only testing!)

 

[Greenlantern101]

They are on the way.

 

[pirateplunder]

Apparently Vettels turbo caught fire today as well...

 

[snowy]

McLaren's secret weapon...

Rear suspension blocker:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112341

 

[Road of Bones]

...and now JB goes 2s faster to put in the best time of the week so far. Good.

 

[snowy]

Button on the Medium tyre 1m24.165 40 laps
Bottas on the Hard 1m23.344 34 laps
Raikkonen on the Medium 1m25.348 31 laps
Rosberg on the Hard 1m25.588 70 laps

 

[Andyoak]

Here's wishing that Williams can hold that sort of position through the season...
Is it me or is the Williams actually one of the better looking cars this year?
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2014/01/28/jerez-testing-day-one-pictures/will-bott-jere-2014-4/

 

[Bushi]

Ok, so what is a suspension blocker?

 

[Quintessentially]

For reference, the fastest lap time on day two of testing at Jerez in 2013 was 1:18.218, set by Romain Grosjean

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

But this was still 'wet running' today wasn't it? Or did they run out of water?