Pre-Season 2017 Testing, Car Launches & Chat

[FB]

From the BBC live feed:

So, keeping in mind our leader today has done a 1:22.791, the leading times after four days a year ago were:

1. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1:22.810

2. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) 1:23.110

3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:23.477

4. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) 1:23.525

5. Sergio Perez (Force India) 1:23.650

6. Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull) 1:24.293

So they are faster on day 1 than they were on day 4 but they ain't gunna find 5 or 6 seconds over the course of the test.

Oh, Mercedes are playing with a combined sharks fin and T-Bar

 

[Greenlantern101]

Last year the cars were largely unchanged. This year everything is very new. I would be surprised if the times don't start tumbling soon. It's just caution I think.

 

[Incubus]

Perhaps more significantly temperatures in Barcelona are currently above the 15 celsius-mark.
A quick glance at last year's weather conditions at the same time last year - via Autosport 2016 archive pages - shows the temperatures were barely above freezing.

That alone would have meant the track would have been several seconds faster at last year's test.

 

[snowy]

Vettel: Outlap - 1:22.475 - 1:29.760 - 1:22.943 - 1:31.189 - 1:22.370 - 1:23.421 - 1:24.163 - 1:23.531 - 1:23.716 - 1:23.429 - 1:23.456 - 1:24.610 - 1:24.236 - 1:25.187 - Inlap.

 

[P1]

Looks like problems for Honda and Renault.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Testing finished for the day & Hamilton 3.2 seconds faster than the fastest time on the first day of testing last year.

 

[P1]

Testing finished for the day & Hamilton 3.2 seconds faster than the fastest time on the first day of testing last year.

Also Hamilton has fastest time, Mercedes has most laps (152 laps). Followed by Vettel (+.113) and Ferrari (128 laps).

Looks like RBR and other Renault teams managed to bit in a somewhat decent number of laps in the afternoon. Alonso also got a decent number of afternoon laps in so Honda isn't having a total meltdown.

POS DRIVER CAR TIME GAP LAPS
1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m21.765s - 73
2 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari 1m21.878s 0.113s 128
3 Felipe Massa Williams/Mercedes 1m22.076s 0.311s 103
4 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1m22.894s 1.129s 51
5 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull/Renault 1m22.926s 1.161s 50
6 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes 1m23.169s 1.404s 79
7 Sergio Perez Force India/Mercedes 1m23.709s 1.944s 39
8 Carlos Sainz Toro Rosso/Renault 1m24.494s 2.729s 51
9 Nico Hulkenberg Renault 1m24.784s 3.019s 57
10 Fernando Alonso McLaren/Honda 1m24.852s 3.087s 29
11 Marcus Ericsson Sauber/Ferrari 1m26.841s 5.076s 72

 

[Olivier]

Red Bull is a little behind of where they should be, aren't they?

 

[Lewywo4]

Sebastian was only 0.113 slower than Lewis on the mediums. While Lewis posted his fastest time of 1:21.765 on the softs. Can this be an encouraging sign for the Scuderia, and I know that testing has just begun.

 

[Incubus]

Ithink at this stage the comments from those journalists who are posted on Barcelona's various corners are more significant than lap times. And according to them the Ferrari does look very well-balanced on cornering.

 

[FB]

Williams and Haas were testing a T-Bar as well

Can't post an image but have a quick search and you will find them.

 

[Greenlantern101]

FYI Sky F1 have highlights program on at 9pm every night this week along with Teds note book after.

 

[teabagyokel]

I've speculated based upon testing times before. I find that it is the easiest way to generate comments which later bite you on the arse.

 

[Rutherford]

Testing finished for the day & Hamilton 3.2 seconds faster than the fastest time on the first day of testing last year.

He was also 0.235 sec. faster than his pole position lap last year which is encouraging because he was on medium tyres and the top teams are probably sandbagging.

 

[FB]

A few observations from the Sky coverage of the tests: Valterri Bottas looks a lot leaner than last year, Christian Horner shouldn't wear tops which exaggerate his moobs and Lewis Hamilton appears to be wearing make up.

 

[LifeW12]

So the driver saying they can't follow, well that's a massive shock isn't it.

Massive aero wake, no tyre fall off, tiny braking distances are going to make for next to no overtakes without DRS

 

[Hamberg]

Valterri Bottas looks a lot leaner than last year,

Indeed, the fact you didn't refer to him as fat Heikki is evidence enough.

 

[The Artist.....]

Looks like the McLaren has broken down again... Not looking good for the Woking concern...

 

[ramilas1]

I've speculated based upon testing times before. I find that it is the easiest way to generate comments which later bite you on the arse.

I do believe that, allegedly, there are people who will, allegedly, pay good money for that sort of thing?

 

[Bill Boddy]

Hamilton's take on the new era:

“The cars look fantastic - the wider wheels and body. it is harder to follow so it is going to be harder to overtake. the tyres don’t degrade so it is going to be interesting,”

F1 testing 2017: Day two