rufus_mcdufus
Champion Elect
It is still 1.7s slower than Rosberg on the same tyres though.
Pre-Season 2016 Car Launches and Testing.
- Thread starter Greenlantern101
- Start date
Kewee
Race Winner
Yes but very early days and with a upgrade program that will make huge gains. 1.7s is very little when you consider last years problems. McLaren will be fighting for podiums possibly even before the away races.
Surely you didn't expect them to be matching Mercedes by the second test?
Surely you didn't expect them to be matching Mercedes by the second test?
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Kewee
Race Winner
FB....Watch and enjoy FB. 
Yes 1.7s is light years in F1 but to go from 5 or 6 seconds off the pace last year to 1.7 is a massive gain. They only had three days on track in the first test so this is only their fourth day with a new car and new engine. Their aero package is unique in many ways and hard to copy and most insiders believe it will have many advantages, they also have a very significant engine development program in place. There's an awful lot to come from McLaren this season. I haven't suggested they'll beat Mercedes but out of the rest Mercedes will be watching McLaren like a Hawke, at a guess I wouldn't be surprised if they end up being more concerned about McLaren than they are about Ferrari. 
Edit....My comment that 1.7s was very little in my previous posting was in comparison to last season.
Yes 1.7s is light years in F1 but to go from 5 or 6 seconds off the pace last year to 1.7 is a massive gain. They only had three days on track in the first test so this is only their fourth day with a new car and new engine. Their aero package is unique in many ways and hard to copy and most insiders believe it will have many advantages, they also have a very significant engine development program in place. There's an awful lot to come from McLaren this season. I haven't suggested they'll beat Mercedes but out of the rest Mercedes will be watching McLaren like a Hawke, at a guess I wouldn't be surprised if they end up being more concerned about McLaren than they are about Ferrari. Edit....My comment that 1.7s was very little in my previous posting was in comparison to last season.
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I still suspect that if they start 1.7s behind, there could be 5 teams still in front.
Kewee
Race Winner
teabagyokel .... @Grizzly ......
I don't think they will start 1.7s behind though. I'm sure they will make further gains before Melbourne and will continue to make gains in the following races. My feeling is that Mercedes will be the clear favourites for race wins and the podiums will be fought out between Ferrari and McLaren once they complete the away races. Podiums could still be possible sooner though. McLaren have a very good package this season with a very strong development program in place.
I don't think they will start 1.7s behind though. I'm sure they will make further gains before Melbourne and will continue to make gains in the following races. My feeling is that Mercedes will be the clear favourites for race wins and the podiums will be fought out between Ferrari and McLaren once they complete the away races. Podiums could still be possible sooner though. McLaren have a very good package this season with a very strong development program in place.
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Not sure we can conclude that 3rd place today will translate to the 3rd row of the grid just yet. Certainly it is more encouraging than anything yet seen.
Kewee
Race Winner
Fair comment teabag, Alonso has said he expects podiums but they will take a while. I still think they'll come sooner rather than later. It will be interesting to see how Jenson goes on the second day.
Kewee
Race Winner
This quote from Matt Morris, McLarens director of engineering. "We haven't turned our attention to outright performance yet".
To me that indicates there was more performance available when they set their lap, 1.7s behind Rosberg, others may read it differently.
They evidently spent a big part of the day evaluating power unit functionality. Not sure what that means but I do know it refers in part to reliability checks.
To me that indicates there was more performance available when they set their lap, 1.7s behind Rosberg, others may read it differently.
They evidently spent a big part of the day evaluating power unit functionality. Not sure what that means but I do know it refers in part to reliability checks.
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I don't think Mercedes has turned their attention to outright performance yet either.
Spinodontosaurus
Points Scorer
That 1.7 second gap between McLaren and Mercedes isn't great but it isn't entirely bad either. It's a gap of 2.06%, which is still a lot, but it is an improvement over last year where there was a median gap of 2.94% across the whole season and gap of 3.64% at Spain specifically (which was the third largest gap between the two).
If the field stays about as spread out as last year then a ~2% deficit should put them on the cusp of making it into the Top 10 in qualifying (would've put them 8th in Spain last year for example). The question then is how representative the ~2% gap is and also whether the field itself is more tightly bunched than last year.
If the field stays about as spread out as last year then a ~2% deficit should put them on the cusp of making it into the Top 10 in qualifying (would've put them 8th in Spain last year for example). The question then is how representative the ~2% gap is and also whether the field itself is more tightly bunched than last year.
snowy
Champion Elect
Barc Test 2 Day 2
Vettel (M) OUT 1:25.3 1:25.9 1:26.2 1:26.2 1:26.3
Vettel (M) OUT 1:27.1 1:27.0 1:27.2 IN
Button (Unmarked) OUT 1: 26.8 1: 34.4 1: 27.9 IN
Hamilton (M) OUT 1:27.2 1:27.6 1:27.6 1:27.3 1:27.4 1:27.5 1:27.8 1:27.4 1:27.7 1:27.9 1:27.7 1:28.3 1:28.0 1:28.3 1:28.4 1:28.3 1:28.4 IN
Vettel (M) OUT 1:25.3 1:25.9 1:26.2 1:26.2 1:26.3
Vettel (M) OUT 1:27.1 1:27.0 1:27.2 IN
Button (Unmarked) OUT 1: 26.8 1: 34.4 1: 27.9 IN
Hamilton (M) OUT 1:27.2 1:27.6 1:27.6 1:27.3 1:27.4 1:27.5 1:27.8 1:27.4 1:27.7 1:27.9 1:27.7 1:28.3 1:28.0 1:28.3 1:28.4 1:28.3 1:28.4 IN
olegg
Race Winner
Yesterday speedtrap before Turn 1:
Nasr (Sauber), 346.1km/h
Magnussen (Renault), 341.7km/h
Hamilton (Mercedes), 338.5km/h
Bottas (Williams), 337.5km/h
Haryanto (Manor), 336.4km/h
Verstappen (Toro Rosso), 334.3km/h
Raikkonen (Ferrari), 332.3km/h
Gutierrez (Haas), 331.2km/h
Hulkenberg (Force India), 331.2km/h
Rosberg (Mercedes), 327.2km/h
Alonso (McLaren), 326.2km/h
Kvyat (Red Bull), 322.3km/h
Best time of day doesn't mean fast speed. It isn't news.
Nasr (Sauber), 346.1km/h
Magnussen (Renault), 341.7km/h
Hamilton (Mercedes), 338.5km/h
Bottas (Williams), 337.5km/h
Haryanto (Manor), 336.4km/h
Verstappen (Toro Rosso), 334.3km/h
Raikkonen (Ferrari), 332.3km/h
Gutierrez (Haas), 331.2km/h
Hulkenberg (Force India), 331.2km/h
Rosberg (Mercedes), 327.2km/h
Alonso (McLaren), 326.2km/h
Kvyat (Red Bull), 322.3km/h
Best time of day doesn't mean fast speed. It isn't news.
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From Andrew Benson of the BBC:
"Analyse the sector and speed-trap times and the McLaren chassis continues to look very impressive. Alonso was second fastest to Nico Rosberg in the twisty final sector; third fastest in sector two that comprises the middle part of the lap and the back straight; and recorded the third fastest speed at the first sector line - which is after the 150mph Turn Three and just before the braking for Turn Four."
Pre-season testing: Barcelona
"Analyse the sector and speed-trap times and the McLaren chassis continues to look very impressive. Alonso was second fastest to Nico Rosberg in the twisty final sector; third fastest in sector two that comprises the middle part of the lap and the back straight; and recorded the third fastest speed at the first sector line - which is after the 150mph Turn Three and just before the braking for Turn Four."
Pre-season testing: Barcelona
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