Pre-Season Winter testing : 2014 Season

[sushifiesta]

They can also lose a second of performance compared to last year and still have one of the fastest cars.

 

[Greenlantern101]

RasputinLives mid point of the season may be too late. Particularly if one team ends up being dominant at the start of the year.

I suspect however that Redbull will have their shit together for the next test. I hope not. I really hope they struggle this year. F1 has lost a lot of fans because of their dominance. I'm close to being one of them.

 

[Kewee]

sushifiesta …. If they loose a second of performance this year they'll be in reverse.

 

[Il_leone]

RasputinLives

We'll know they do some proper mileage .. there is going to be some sleepness nights for people back at Milton Keynes

 

[Plutus]

Greenlantern101
You are close to stopping because your team/ driver isn't winning? Interesting. Are you really a fan of the sport?

 

[Greenlantern101]

The stats for the first test.

1. Kevin Magnussen Denmark McLaren-Mercedes 1min 23.276secs 162 laps (3)
2. Felipe Massa Brazil Williams-Mercedes 1min 23.700secs 133 laps (3)
3. Lewis Hamilton Britain Mercedes-Mercedes 1min 23.952secs 121 laps (3)
4. Jenson Button Britain McLaren-Mercedes 1min 24.165secs 83 laps (2)
5. Kimi Raikkonen Finland Ferrari-Ferrari 1min 24.812secs 78 laps (2)
6. Valtteri Bottas Finland Williams-Mercedes 1min 25.344secs 42 laps (2)
7. Fernando Alonso Spain Ferrari-Ferrari 1min 25.495secs 173 laps (3)
8. Nico Rosberg Germany Mercedes-Mercedes 1min 25.588secs 188 laps (2)
9. Nico Hulkenberg Germany Force India-Mercedes 1min 26.096secs 17 laps (3)
10. Sergio Perez Mexico Force India-Mercedes 1min 28.376secs 48 laps (2)
11. Daniel Juncadella Spain Force India-Mercedes 1min 29.457secs 81 laps (4)
12. Jean-Eric Vergne France STR-Renault 1min 29.915secs 45 laps (3)
13. Adrian Sutil Germany Sauber-Ferrari 1min 30.161secs 103 laps (3)
14. Jules Bianchi France Marussia-Ferrari 1min 32.222secs 25 laps (4)
15. Esteban Gutierrez Mexico Sauber-Ferrari 1min 33.270secs 60 laps (2)
16. Marcus Ericsson Sweden Caterham-Renault 1min 37.975secs 12 laps (2)
17. Sebastian Vettel Germany Red Bull-Renault 1min 38.320secs 11 laps (2)
18. Kamui Kobayashi Japan Caterham-Renault 1min 43.193secs 54 laps (4)
19. Daniil Kvyat Russia STR-Renault 1min 44.016secs 9 laps (4)
20. Daniel Ricciardo Australia Red Bull-Renault 1min 45.374secs 10 laps (4)
21. Max Chilton Britain Marussia-Ferrari No Time 5 laps
22. Robin Frijns Netherlands Caterham-Renault No Time 10 laps

Total laps completed by each team at Jerez
Mercedes - 309.
Ferrari - 251.
McLaren - 245.
Williams - 175.
Sauber - 163.
Force India - 146.
Caterham - 76.
Toro Rosso - 54.
Marussia - 30.
Red Bull - 21.

Laps completed by each engine manufacturer
Mercedes - 875.
Ferrari - 444.
Renault - 151.

 

[The Artist.....]

Plutus
In the early 2000s, a lot of F1 fans gave up on formula 1, as it was believed to be predictable - i.e. Schumacher would always win - and because of the lack of unpredictability, people begin to find it boring.... Personally, i've lost a lot of interest because I now find it so hard to watch all of the races (not having Sky and all)....

 

[Kewee]

The times are meaningless, they have all been taken on different days in varying conditions and even more importantly at different times of each teams development program.
This test has given us an indication of reliability and with the exception of Massa/Williams the two teams that build their own engines and cars, Mercedes and Ferrari, appear to have an edge. Time will tell.

 

[Fenderman]

Indeed. We don't know the lengths of the runs in which the fastest times were set nor the fuel loads carried in those runs. The numbers will mean something to the team insiders but unless we get some leaks Bahrain will be the next opportunity to get any idea of relative pace. Having said that we do have some idea of the current status quo in terms of reliability. I really would like to have seen some speed trap figures but again they might not mean much either at this stage.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Kewee except for the first days niggling little troubles McLaren were faultless and the Merc did have a front wing failure and Ferrari stopped several times on track so how you can pick those two out as having the edge is beyond me especially in Ferrari's case as they had systems failures so I would say the that Williams, Merc and McLaren had the edge in the reliability stakes Marussia and Caterham had no real problems as well but Ferrari did fail once or twice..

And why pick Massa out at William I thought you were talking about car reliability not whichever driver was sitting in the car when did or did't fail..

 

[Kewee]

Mephistopheles

Its quite easy to single out Mercedes and Ferrari. Yes they all had niggles at different times, anyone should expect that with such new and very complex cars. I was simply pointing out that Mercedes and Ferrari are the only two teams that manufacture there cars/chassis and engines and despite minor issues have proved to be able to put in the highest number of trouble free laps, Rosberg with 188 and Alonso with 173. Of course McLaren are close but the point I'm making is that teams that manufacture their own engines may have a development advantage.
To answer your question, why pick out Massa. In spite of my suggestion that teams that manufacture their own engines may have the edge, it was Massa that put in the fastest time in a Williams.

 

[Blog Zbod]

Rob White issues Renault's Mea culpa.

...What we're seeing is a car that can't make it round the track now, most likely because Newy is pushing the limits....

Precisely. The only ones who can know exactly where their limits lie are those who have exceeded them. Everyone else is just guessing.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Wasn't it Chapman who said that the ideal race car is the one that fell apart as it crossed the finish line?

 

[Kewee]

F1Yorkshire ….. Yes it was F1Yorkshire, sadly his cars also fell apart with drivers sitting in them.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Yes they did and it is not a thing that can in my view be commended in any way whatsoever which is why Chapman is on my list of least likable team owners, he gave no thought to the drivers safety I have no idea why people think he was a great man I would like to see that cap taken from its case and dumped in the bin where it belongs...

 

[F1Yorkshire]

It's all about finding the limit. This 1st test is meaningless but I can see red bull learning from this and having a seriously fast car in 6 weeks time.

 

[Bill Boddy]

Chapman was notorious for his attitude to paying his workers. He considered that really they should be paying him for the experience. I used to work with a woman whose husband worked for him, she couldn't retire because her hubby didn't earn enough to keep them. But it was going to be made up to him one day (which never arrived).

 

[Kewee]

Kewee and Caterham had no real problems.

Caterham actually ended their session early due to a problem with the Renault engine.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I stand corrected...

 

[Quintessentially]

The McLaren rear wishbones look a bit more aerodynamic from this angle:

Beautiful car