2010 Winter Testing

[Richard]

Looks like Macca are either done with sandbagging, or Button wants to let everyone know that his car means business this year. Or (shock horror) he's able to drive this years motor better than Hamilton!?!

Who decides what to do on a test day? Does the driver dictate whether they go fast or long, or is that a team decision?

.... errr.... or perhaps the race track was soaking wet for the last two days, and is now dry enough for them to use slicks again?

For background info on the testing regime, have a look at the team websites. They all publish a report at the end of the day saying what they have been up to, and why. One thing is sure, they wouldn't waste track time deliberately going slow. However, they might be slower because of trying different fuel loads, or tyres, or weather.

Individual time are meaningless snapshots. It is more useful to know if people are achieving long runs, this shows reliability and that the teams are settling into a routine. Conversely, teams that do lots of installation laps or very short runs are obviously trying out new features or trying to fix something.

For example, on Weds I noted that Barrichello did a full race simulations (three blocks of 20ish laps separated by quick pit stops). That says more about Williams than the individual time on a leaderboard. Then yesterday Virgin managed 72 laps, and a respectable time, that was a big step forward for them.

I haven’t time to follow it closely today (unlike Weds), but if you do have the time, could you look out for the above features please?

[myurr]

Looks like Macca are either done with sandbagging, or Button wants to let everyone know that his car means business this year. Or (shock horror) he's able to drive this years motor better than Hamilton!?!

Or they're having a couple of issues with side winds and now the wind has died down the car is working as it should? Or they're just on a different test program today. Or the car has some tweaks or upgrades. So many things!

[ESPImperium]

Im thinking that with the refuling ban, that the trafic light system will become more useful this year, also the ban on wheel covers will also aid the trafic light system in pit stops.

All we need now is embedded jacks in the car and someone putting in the pnumatic air to get them to work and we will do away with the jackmen on a pit stop as well.

Im expecting a pit stop to last roughly 3.5-4.2 seconds on average this year.

[Richard]

Williams seem to be doing pit stop practice today. Kubica is in and out of the pits a lot.

For some reason the guys on the front right aren't as confident as the guys on the rear wheels, note the helmets!

[Richard]

Looks like Macca are either done with sandbagging, or Button wants to let everyone know that his car means business this year. Or (shock horror) he's able to drive this years motor better than Hamilton!?!

Or they're having a couple of issues with side winds and now the wind has died down the car is working as it should? Or they're just on a different test program today. Or the car has some tweaks or upgrades. So many things!

Possibly the rain and running on wet tyres made a teeny weeny difference? Today has sunshine and they're using slicks? Just a hunch?

[Richard]

After yesterday's steady 72 laps, Virgin are back in head scratching mode again.

Di Grassi did a stint of 13 laps, then spun (see below). Then he did 7 installation laps in a row, followed by a long period in the garage. This is valuable learning experience for Virgin.

Still no sign of Lotus this morning, they now have clutch sensor problems. Yesterday they lost most the day when Kovalainen lost his wing.



11:59 Laps after four hours: Alguersuari, 64; Hulkenberg, 55; Alonso, 54; Webber, 46; Kubica, 45; Button, 40; Sutil, 35; Schumacher, 23; di Grassi, 21; Kobayashi, 6; Kovalainen, 0

[toshinden]

today's faces ... smile!!! it's finally dry =D>

[Miguel]

To the guys thinking that Jerez is a bad idea: Average yearly weather in Jerez. Another point you have to take in mind is that the Jerez circuit is incredibly close from an international airport. This is interesting if your main factory is less than 2h by plane.

In Barcelona, things aren't too different: Weather in Barcelona

Note how Jerez has, on average, one more rainy day in February, but has a slightly higher temperature. One suggestion would be testing in Portimao. It's near the Algarve (yeah, Atlantic ocean all the way), so it shouldn't be too different from Jerez.I haven't found the weather data on wikipedia, though.

One would certainly find less rain at Motorland Aragón, but I'm sure nobody wants to test with an average high of about 10º. It wouldn't be very useful, would it?

Does anybody have a suggestion of a track in Europe, with the ability to run F1 races, with better prospects next January and February?

I've read a comment by Gibells here that the first thing one sees in Spain once you get off the plane is the rain. Gibells, where in Andalucía do you live? That is true in the north (from Galicia to the Basque Country), but stats do not support that view in southern Spain. You know, there has to be a reason why the government was actually planning to move water from the north to the south.

[horse]

I know this is really premature, but I just wanted to put it out there. I get the feeling from testing that we are getting three groups forming and I wanted to list my thoughts about them, so:

Top performers:

McLaren
Ferrari
Red Bull

Second tier:

Mercedes
Williams
Renault
Sauber
Force India
STR

Third tier:
Lotus
Virgin

Not there yet tier (and possibly never will be):
Campos
USF1

It wouldn't surprise me if one of the second string teams should turn out to be a bit quicker, but I think we're starting to see consistent pace from the teams listed in the top tier.

[Prepares for flaming]

[PNSD]

I would generally agree with that, tohugh the second tier is very hard to judge. Williams, Renault and Sauber are big unknowns to me. I could just as easily place them in the top.

By Bahrain I fully expect Mercedes to be fighting for wins.

[Richard]

Looks like Hulkenberg is repeating Barrichello's programme of doing full race simulations. Is currently on a long run having just done 19 lap and 25 lap runs, interrupted by tyre changes only, see below.

Hulkenberg third stint was 22 laps, an average of 1m23.0s. First 7 laps on 3rd stint are a steady 1:21.4, 22.0, 22.0, 22.2, 22.1, 22.2, 22.3.

Alonso is also doing a lot of long runs just like Massa, but only 3 stints at 15 laps each, so not really a full race simulation? Or maybe they are going to win every race by doing fewer laps?



Edited to note the end of Hulkenberg's & Alonso's third stint.

[ESPImperium]

I see many team V team battles for 2010, currently its like this:

McLaren Vs Ferarri - Classic one here, has been going for a couple of decades now, and looks like they will head into the new decade in a head to head battle. The passion and beauty versus the single-bloody-minded ways of the weight of the corperate monster.

Red Bull Vs Mercedes - The new pretenders, came of age last year under diffrent circumstances. Will be a ding dong battle. One with the weight of a major brand behind them, the other has another major brand behind them, its the battlke of the high street here. Also the master Vs the Apprentice battle is here as well, both at a team level and inter team level here.

Renault Vs BMW Sauber - The old pretenders, under new management. Will be in there with a shout, give them a few races to get back all oiled up and theyll be fighting. Both need some new sponsor money as well.

Force India Vs Toro Rosso - The small teams that got investment and technical know-how from bigger teams. Can be giants, but due to lack of arguable experience and tallent at the wheel. Small teams that will have their day, and ones with no lack of ambition or heart.

Virgin Vs Lotus - The first tier of the new teams. Theres a battle of corperate wills here, not to mention the fact they will be here in 2011. Need to find their feet fast, gaining speed along the way. One team has experience in the sport at thechnical level and driving level, the other is a fresh approach to the norm, but with fresh faced drivers. Its like Dad and Son having an argument here.

Then theres Williams - The team everyone loves, the experience the heritage, the way the sport used to look, have the will to fight another day, but do they have the neccasacery fresh brain-power at technical various levels and monetry levels. If they do, they can punch their weight and roll back to those glory years again. Have Youth and Experience at the wheel, will go well.

If you want, we have the 3 teams from the havnt yet made it yet club here, Stefna GP, Campos Meta and USF1. We may as well have all teams here turn up and do a 20 lap dash for the cash and the first 2 get the entrys. Like that good old pink slip on a pole match that those wrestlers used to have years ago, where the winners get their pink slips to stay employed.

[Moanlower]

Alonso is also doing a lot of long runs just like Massa, but only 3 stints at 15 laps each, so not really a full race simulation? Or maybe they are going to win every race by doing fewer laps?

It looks like most teams are doing race simulations, but fragmented and in random order. They could start simulating the middle part of the race for about 15 laps followed by the start of the race for about 10 laps..

[Hangaku]

The passion and beauty versus the single-bloody-minded ways of the weight of the corperate monster.

You're saying that one of these two teams aren't a corporate monster? I feel I know which ones you're point at, but lets be honest - they are both corporate monsters.

[Richard]

It looks like most teams are doing race simulations, but fragmented and in random order. They could start simulating the middle part of the race for about 15 laps followed by the start of the race for about 10 laps..

Agreed, they are probably all testing phases of a race, all teams have done 20 lap stints at various times.

What I call a full race simulation is doing 3 stints of 20-25 laps, only coming in for a quick tyre change. AFAIK only Williams have done that.

Ferrari seem to do 3 longish runs of 15 laps with quick tyre changes between, but that's not enough laps for the full distance. (assuming 20-25 is about right)

I've not noticed any other team stringing together several long stints in the same way.

Others seem to be using the tests to look at specific parts/set ups, do some short installation laps (1-7 laps) and back in to check. After doing that a couple of times until they are happy, they then do a couple of long 15-20 lap runs.