Pre-Season The first Test of 2011 - Valencia

[sportsman]

On the sponsorship issue, I assume it would be more profitable for a company to invest in an unknown driver just breaking through into F1 instead of paying over the odds to sponsor an already established driver.

It probably would be.They would attract more media coverage that way.But the risk is that the driver may not make it to F1.
Drivers such as Perez and Maldondo picked up their sponsorship early in their careers in the lower formulae with no guarantee that they would ever make it to F1.

 

[fat jez]

I think it was bad timing for Hulk, sadly. He had the misfortune that the bigger teams weren't looking to change their line up and Williams needed the cash from a pay driver.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

The routes into F1 are well established now, any driver performing exceptionally well in the lower formulae can be compared to how the current crop of drivers performed at the same stage. They might not make it to the top but the sponsors know what to look for in a driver.

 

[sportsman]

Hulkenberg showed us last season that he has the pace but it still wasn't enough for him to secure a race seat. Maybe its time for some of the older drivers to make way and let more of the new drivers have a chance at F1.

Even if that did happen, the vacant seats would go to the drivers with sponsorship.Pure pace sadly is no longer enough for a seat in F1.

 

[snowy]

Talking of pure pace Kubica goes quickest with a 1:13.144s lap. But the drop off in pace on subsequent laps is huge:

57     1:13.144     -3.298

58     1:14.452     +1.308

59     1:14.945     +0.493

60     1:15.733     +0.788

61     1:16.247     +0.514

It's not an isolated incident, the same thing happened on his previous run:

50     1:13.508     -1.91

51     1:15.037     +1.529

52     1:15.877     +0.84

53     1:16.391     +0.514

54     1:16.442     +0.051

 

[sobriety]

Perhaps pirelli will suit Buttons smooth style then...

 

[sportsman]

That has to be tyres.Pirelli have three compounds at this test, but I don't know which three.Pirelli are are on learning curve as are the teams.We don't know which of the three compounds he was using.But that is big drop.

 

[fat jez]

Anybody know if Kubica is going out with fresh tyres each time? Perhaps the team keep telling him to slow down on subsequent laps to avoid giving too much information away?

 

[snowy]

Jensons last run culminated in evidence of wear:

 70 	1:17.427 	-2.338

71 	1:16.376 	-1.051

72 	1:16.347 	-0.029

73 	1:16.586 	+0.239

74 	1:16.531 	-0.055

75 	1:16.578 	+0.047

76 	1:16.589 	+0.011

77 	1:16.246 	-0.343

78 	1:16.345 	+0.099

79 	1:16.419 	+0.074

80 	1:19.856 	+3.437

81 	1:15.925 	-3.931

82 	1:16.377 	+0.452

83 	1:17.545 	+1.168

84 	---- 		

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

I'd like to thank snowy for all his stirling work in bringing us the timings over the last couple of days.

Cheers!

 

[sportsman]

Bit like the old qualifying tyre in the days before the tyre rules.One flying lap, then junk.I hope this is the super soft doing this.Otherwise its a bit of problem.It will be sorted by the next test.

 

[sportsman]

Cheers snowy.Great job.I owe you a

 

[snowy]

Di nada mi amigos.

I'm just glad my pedantic interest in testing has an outlet!

 

[snowy]

Θ. 	Driver		Best Lap 	Last lap 	Diff	Laps

1 	R. Kubica	1:13.144 	1:18.124 		88

2 	A. Sutil	1:13.201 	1:15.313 	+0.057 	107

3 	J. Button	1:13.553 	1:18.402 	+0.409 	97

4 	M. Webber	1:13.936 	1:15.943 	+0.792 	92

5 	P. Maldonado	1:14.299 	1:21.487 	+1.155 	82

6 	S. Perez	1:14.469 	1:15.837 	+1.325 	102

7 	M. Schumacher	1:14.537 	1:18.616 	+1.393 	102

8 	F. Massa	1:14.541 	1:15.304 	+1.397 	63

9 	S. Buemi	1:14.801 	1:16.126 	+1.657 	73

10 	T. Glock	1:15.526 	1:20.570 	+2.382 	102

11 	N. Karthikeyan	1:16.535 	1:19.161 	+3.391 	63 

 

[snowy]

More signs of wear on Button's last run:

91 	1:17.574 	-2.653

92 	1:17.233 	-0.341

93 	1:17.072 	-0.161

94 	1:17.372 	+0.3

95 	1:17.371 	-0.001

96 	1:17.566 	+0.195

97 	1:18.402 	+0.836

98 	1:18.101 	-0.301

99 	1:18.236 	+0.135

100 	1:18.738 	+0.502

101 	1:19.248 	+0.51

102 	---- 

 

[sportsman]

Hmmmmmmm Mr Smooth is suffering the same problem.Great showing by Maldonado and Perez.Who knows what this season holds.Looking good for Sauber and Williams.

 

[Galahad]

Pirelli are confident that they have tyres that will last a 100km stint (that was apparently their brief). Though there will be some adjustment to compounds over the next two tests - a new Supersoft for Jerez and new Medium and Soft compounds for Catalunya.

Incidentally a full set of last year's testing times can be found here: http://cliptheapex.com/threads/fantasy-f1-league-2010-pre-season-form-guide.1134/

 

[sportsman]

I am not overly concerned.For all we know the Pirelli boffins may be looking at this data and saying "thats exactly what we expected from these compounds" or even "Jesus H. We didn't expect that to happen" Who knows.

 

[Galahad]

Actually this sort of wear pattern I would welcome for the effect it would have on the racing, provided the tyres remain safe of course. I haven't heard of any tyre failures in testing, which is reassuring.

 

[McZiderRed]

Bit like the old qualifying tyre in the days before the tyre rules.One flying lap, then junk.I hope this is the super soft doing this.Otherwise its a bit of problem.It will be sorted by the next test.

Actually, is there anywhere that provides photos of the cars at the test? Pictures that show the colour of the Pirelli lettering ?

As per this thread http://cliptheapex.com/threads/pirelli-tyres-in-2011.2106/ Pirelli are using different colours for each compound.

All we'd need then is to know which laps were set using that tyre..! OK, maybe this wasn't such a useful thought after-all.