Pre-Season 2013 F1 Winter Testing: 3 - Circuit de Catalunya, 28 February-3 March

[snowy]

That time set during a 7 lap run...

 

[Greenlantern101]

Now Hammy does a 1.20.817 looks like the upgrades are working

 

[mjo]

So lap time could have been roughly a 20.5 if he was on a one lap run?

 

[snowy]

Andrew Benson says it was a 5 lap run, however that is not how we do things in F1. There was an out lap 5 timed laps and an in lap.

Wake up Benson!

 

[Jos the Boss]

Maybe Mercedes do have pace? Or they cut a chicane

 

[Jos the Boss]

1:20.558 for Lewis

 

[sushifiesta]

I suspect that, given their troubles last year, Mercedes are not playing any games with sandbagging etc. in testing and just going all out to find and understand the ultimate performance of their car. Where they slot in at Melbourne we'll have to wait and see.

 

[snowy]

On the soft and the run interrupted by Valsecchi stopping on track.

 

[tranquility2k9]

Mercedes ... what can I say

 

[tranquility2k9]

Lewis just did a 1:20.6, that's now 4 laps under 1:21 seconds - 1:20.9, 1:20.8, 1:20.6, 1:20.5.

 

[tranquility2k9]

This website is good for live timings if it hasn't already been posted: http://f1tests.info/2013.php?rev=on

 

[snowy]

With a bit of luck this afternoon is going to be all about race simulations.

So far we have had Vettel, Massa, Hamilton, Rosberg, Maldonardo and a couple of others. Most were interrupted and or weather affected.

Lewis's 1m20.6s has been followed by another 4 timed laps.

 

[snowy]

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:20.558, 48 laps (S);
2. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 1:21.627, 37 laps (S);
3. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 1:22.100, 55 laps (S);
4. Pastor Maldonado, Williams 1:22.305, 27 laps (SS);
5. Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber, 1:22.553, 47 laps (S);
6. Sergio Perez, McLaren, 1:22.694, 50 laps (S);
7. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 1:23.167 (M);
8. Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso, 1:23.223, 40 laps;
9. Davide Valsechhi, Lotus, 1:23.448, 16 laps (S);
10. Jules Bianchi, Marussia, 1:24.307, 36 laps;
11. Giedo van der Garde, Caterham, 1:24.520, 48 laps.

 

[snowy]

In answer to a question posed 10 mins ago on Sky's live coverage:

Asking people in the paddock who've got the data what the pecking order is always, firstly, generates an overriding 'We don't really know'. But a general feeling would be Red Bull from Ferrari and Mercedes, and Lotus looking pretty strong too. It's been difficult to read McLaren for me, so far here in Barcelona, although there seems to be a few alarm bells going off at the team.

Mercedes has suddenly leapt onto the radar. Scary what a bit of consistency and a couple of show boating laps will do.

 

[The Pits]

Whichever way you slice it, that time from Lewis is an eye opener. Still a long way to go, but it is faster than last year by nearly 2 seconds, and faster than last seasons pole times. Some extra context would be useful, but still a good time.

 

[Westy]

I hope there are no traces of horse DNA in that rubber.

 

[Fenderman]

 

[snowy]

All the live timing feeds I have access to have stopped refreshing.

 

[Fenderman]

I haven't managed to access any at all today. Found a feed to watch Sky F1 but the commentators aren't giving any useful information. To say it's like watching paint dry is an understatement.

 

[Brogan]

A very odd incident with Massa's Ferrari.
The wheel nut fired off the spindle at high speed and then the front wheel came off.

I don't think I've ever seen a wheel nut do that before.