Post-Season Testing Questions

[ESPImperium]

I have some questions on Post-Season Testing for this year. Last year we saw quite a bit going on, more they year before. How much are we likley to see with the current cars (are the teams still limited to one car per session???) and where will the testing be???

Will theyre be teams that use development drivers this year also??? With this, will teams be allowed to test new drivers, like Renault with Kubica and Ferarri with Alonso and wherever, Rosberg is going and the rest of the field???

Sort of maybe stupidly, i cannot wait till the "winter champoinship" gets started again.

[tahadar]

see here:

http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=115851

and

http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?s ... 0&start=40

[ESPImperium]

So for post 2009 season testing its only one date of December 1st to 3st for young guys and rookies with the occasional new guy. And as for pre 2010 season testing its theese tests only:

Valencia: Feb 1 to Feb 3 (Non street course)
Jerez: Feb 10 to Feb 13
Jerez: Feb 17 to Feb 20
Barcelona: Feb 25 to Feb 28

For Pre 2010 thats really lame. Id like at least 6 four day tests. But for post 2009 id like to see 3 three day tests at least.

Cost cutting in all is a good idea, but i aggree with a couple of those guys in those Autosport forum posts, we will probably start discussing/following A1GP more. Too much gimmickery involved now.

[ISLAMATRON]

it is exactly how FOTA set it up.

with so little testing allowed it would actually be cooler if they didnt test together and just all showed up in Bahrain, then nobody would know who might have an edge... that would be pretty exciting.

[ESPImperium]

I know that FOTA are trying to set something up where they all show up at an areana or a track somewhere here in Europe and all launch their cars in one day or over two days for cost cutting and to give teams chance to get their cars right from day one. Another thing is where the FIA show up to 2 tests and do a pre season scruteneering to avoid the DDD Debacle we had this year. One mid way thrugh the winder season, the second the last test for teams that potentially fail the scruteneering first time arround. Also have a decision on things like a DDD done before the second scruteneering round.

Cool idea in getting them to Bahrain without testing. But with that what id like to have is the two 1.5 hour sessions on a friday increased to two 2 hour sessions.

Id like to have 2 "transfer windows" for teams to avoid the replacements performing so poorly as we have seen with Grosjean, Algusauri, Badoer and Fisichella this year. Get the replacements out and get them up to speed on GP2 or Bridgestone F1 Hard Compound tyres at least. And make the teams only replace drivers then or if the Massa situation arises get the replacements up to speed with the car in those tests. The first one id have is between rounds 4 & 5, the second id have would be between rounds 13 & 14.

May work, but i dont think it will in the long run. I may be proved wrong (again) i wish to add.

[ESPImperium]

The December 1-3 test is taking shape:

Ferarri: Daniel Zampieri, Marco Zipoli & Pablo Sanchez Lopez
Red Bull: Daniel Ricciardo
STR-Ferarri: Brendon Hartley
Williams: Andy Soucek & Nico Hulkenberg
BMW Sauber: Alexander Rossi & Esteban Gutierrez
McLaren: Gary Paffet
Renault: Bertrand Baguette
Force India: Karun Chandhok
Brawn: TBC - If they partake in testing
Toyota: Kamui Kobayashi - Post pull out, he will now not run during the test.

Source: http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 1757.shtml

[mx_tifoso]

I'm excited to see two Mexicans in the rookie test; Pablo Sanchez Lopez with Ferrari and Esteban Gutierrez with BMW Sauber.

And it's horrible that we won't see any real testing until next year, withdrawal symptoms are going to be worse than usual.

[ESPImperium]

I'm excited to see two Mexicans in the rookie test; Pablo Sanchez Lopez with Ferrari and Esteban Gutierrez with BMW Sauber.

And it's horrible that we won't see any real testing until next year, withdrawal symptoms are going to be worse than usual.

Already setting in. So much so that on Sunday i watched MotoGP for some motorsport. May have to watch some A1GP if it ever gets started for 2009-2010. season. This will be the last input for my 2009 Data Sheets as well. Then its down to getting the pre season testing down on it and thats that file finished.

2010 sheets have already started.

What i think should be done for young tester days, is on a Monday after say all European races (Excluding Monaco and Valencia) they should have a full days testing with both cars as they are already there.

But this years "Winter Championshop" is gonna be really short, but really long in coming arround. Gonna have to devote alot of time to my other love, Music & Guitars.

[mx_tifoso]

Yeah watching some other series will help, but I'm thinking about going karting at some local indoor tracks to get my speed fixes taken care of.

I agree with test sessions after some European races, it's only logical that that they test there since they are already there. IIRC Williams said that they saved about 300,000 (euros or pounds?) by not traveling to Bahrain from either Silverstone or a Spanish circuit. So by remaining at the most recent circuit for testing will surely save the teams from a lot of expenses.

From a fans point of view post season testing is definitely wanted, but in reality it probably doesn't serve much of a purpose, as much of the car will be different by the launch of the new one. And unlike this season where we had KERS, movable front wings, and closed up bodywork, there won't be drastic changes except for the enlarged fuel tank (along with its own design implications).

[ISLAMATRON]

Why test after(on monday)? Thursday used to work fine before they got rid of it... If it rains they would have booked the hotels an extra day for nothing. The teams should have 4 hours of testing(both cars) on Thursday for most of the tracks. It would be difficult on the second of back to back weekends though.

Plus make it free so new people can come and wet their appetite of F1.

[MegaHurts]

well, if you test before a GP the teams just use it as more setup time. Testing after a GP should actually get them testing new bits.

[ESPImperium]

Why test after(on monday)? Thursday used to work fine before they got rid of it... If it rains they would have booked the hotels an extra day for nothing. The teams should have 4 hours of testing(both cars) on Thursday for most of the tracks. It would be difficult on the second of back to back weekends though.

Plus make it free so new people can come and wet their appetite of F1.

I like that idea. ALOT. Thats all ill say. Make it that one of the cars has to have a young driver at the wheel.

[timbo]

Why test after(on monday)? Thursday used to work fine before they got rid of it... If it rains they would have booked the hotels an extra day for nothing. The teams should have 4 hours of testing(both cars) on Thursday for most of the tracks. It would be difficult on the second of back to back weekends though.

Plus make it free so new people can come and wet their appetite of F1.

Monday is better because teams would have to pay too much attention for weekend on thursday.

[ISLAMATRON]

So why was it they had thursday practice in the past with no problems? If they choose to do set up work rather than "testing" it is their choice... dont they check different set ups during testing anyway?

The teams are at the venues on thursdays anyway, whereas they are rarely there on a monday. Plus, opening the gates for free on thursday can help boost the weekend paying numbers, unlike monday... so thaT THINGS like this dont continue to happen.

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 2209.shtml

[timbo]

So why was it they had thursday practice in the past with no problems? If they choose to do set up work rather than "testing" it is their choice... dont they check different set ups during testing anyway?[/quotes]
So, what you really want - a testing session or practice session?

The teams are at the venues on thursdays anyway, whereas they are rarely there on a monday.

If you use Thursdays for real testing they'd be on Wednesday.

Plus, opening the gates for free on thursday can help boost the weekend paying numbers, unlike monday...

That makes sense. But who knows? AFAIK for place like Spa main problem is lack of accommodation possibilities. So a bunch of hacks going to track on Thursday for free but taking parkings, hotels etc won't probably help. Just a guess.

My idea is increase running time on Friday and setup a couple of testing sessions on a predetermined tracks in Europe mid-season.