2010 Winter Testing

[Moanlower]

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.

OK, but is it necessary to do a full race simulation? Nope. Ferrari already tested more miles than anyone else in the dry and wet during long stints which was very usefull to analyse the tyres. Ferrari is sort of hiding it's real pace by doing race simulations in phases which works just as fine.

[triart3d]

ALONSO best time stint
79 ----
80 1:24.303
81 1:20.115 -4.188
82 1:20.656 +0.541
83 1:20.588 -0.068
84 1:20.639 +0.051
85 1:20.739 +0.1
86 1:20.662 -0.077
87 1:20.595 -0.067
88 1:20.764 +0.169
89 1:20.539 -0.225
90 1:20.645 +0.106
91 1:20.732 +0.087
92 1:21.250 +0.518
93 1:20.765 -0.485
94 1:20.846 +0.081
95 1:20.245 -0.601



Button best time stint
31 ----
32 1:22.331
33 1:20.394 -1.937
35 1:21.082 +0.688
36 1:20.962 -0.12
37 1:21.485 +0.523
38 1:26.755 +5.27
39 1:22.240 -4.515

Webber:
74 ----
75 1:23.168
76 1:20.022 -3.146
77 1:19.334 -0.688
78 1:26.276 6.942
79 1:19.603 -6.673


Shumi:

41 ----
42 1:23,012
43 1:21,705 -1.307
44 1:22,546 +0.841
45 1:23,372 +0.826
46 1:22,272 -1.1
47 1:22,396 +0.124
48 1:22,481 +0.085
49 1:22,601 +0.12
50 1:22,820 +0.219
51 1:22,742 -0.078
52 1:23,194 +0.452

[Richard]

OK, but is it necessary to do a full race simulation? Nope. Ferrari already tested more miles than anyone else in the dry and wet during long stints which was very usefull to analyse the tyres. Ferrari is sort of hiding it's real pace by doing race simulations in phases which works just as fine.

I nearly agree with you! Only Williams have done 65+ laps in sequence. Ferrai have only done 40-45 laps in one sequence. The others even less. So that means the cars get a nice rest at roughly 65% race distance.

[Moanlower]

I nearly agree with you! Only Williams have done 65+ laps in sequence. Ferrai have only done 40-45 laps in one sequence. The others even less. So that means the cars get a nice rest at roughly 65% race distance.

For most races teams will only do one pitstop. So, they will never drive 65+ laps on one set of tyres during a race if that's what you mean ?

[segedunum]

I certainly think Red Bull and McLaren are in front. Ferrari are just behind, but their long run pace has been pretty nice so even if they're not fast over a single lap, in the race they could really make a fist of it with endurance. However, how thirsty is their engine and how much will they need to carry at the start? We can't tell. Sadly, I can't share Schumacher's optimism about Mercedes unless they have a raft of new parts for Barcelona and have been sandbagging their way in.

I'm intrigued, because even though we might be able to make some reasonable guesses as to who's infront there are some things which simply aren't going to come out until real qualifying and real races, such as engine efficiency and the effect of initial race fuel weight, and we certainly can't guess gaps right now. Teams are testing different phases of races at different times, and times really seem to be all over the place. It's only when a car does a few consistent times and laps in a row (and you have to keep your eyes peeled for those), like Vettel did a couple of days ago, that you can kind of gauge anything.

[Richard]

For most races teams will only do one pitstop. So, they will never drive 65+ laps on one set of tyres during a race if that's what you mean ?

Jerez is 4.428km long, a race is 305km long, so that's 69 laps at Jerez. It seems Williams are doing that distance with 3 sets of tyres, ie two quick pit stops. I've not seen anyone do more than 25 laps on one set of tyres.

[Moanlower]

For most races teams will only do one pitstop. So, they will never drive 65+ laps on one set of tyres during a race if that's what you mean ?

Jerez is 4.428km long, a race is 305km long, so that's 69 laps at Jerez. It seems Williams are doing that distance with 3 sets of tyres, ie two quick pit stops. I've not seen anyone do more than 25 laps on one set of tyres.

here's a part from James Allen's blog from Feb 13th. http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2010/02/j ... stand-now/

Alonso’s 46 lap long run yesterday was interesting. He started out on new tyres with at least 120 kilos of fuel in the car and was quick initially, with a lap in the 1m 23s, then the pace dropped off for a few laps, but then the final part of the run was very fast. His final lap was 1.9 secs faster than his first but he had burned off 120 kilos of fuel worth around 3 seconds par lap.

Schumacher did a 32 lap run on a new set of the same tyres, which started out in the low 1m25s and came down through the 1m 24s steadily. His final lap was 1.9 secs faster than his first. So he had burned off approximately 80 kilos of fuel, which is worth around 2.4 seconds per lap.

[Richard]

here's a part from James Allen's blog from Feb 13th. http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2010/02/j ... stand-now/

oops... I'll get my coat

Thinking about it again, I didn't follow last weeks commentry, so maybe what I've said is correct for this week only .....

Waiting to be proved wrong

[RacingManiac]

Virgin and Lotus seems to be pretty even in wet and dry....and I think Lotus' driver arguably should be better....not too shabby so far I think for Wirth's digital car...

[ESPImperium]

Some analysis with numbers accross all tests:


Direct Link: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v66/I ... stLaps.jpg
Blue = Overall Total Distance
Green = Overall Total laps

Looks like the old guys in Schumi and Rubens are up there with Massa in distance and overall laps.

Buemi, Alonso and Kubica are all the next best in terms of distance.

[djones]

"Alonso’s 46 lap long run yesterday was interesting. He started out on new tyres with at least 120 kilos of fuel in the car and was quick initially, with a lap in the 1m 23s, then the pace dropped off for a few laps, but then the final part of the run was very fast. His final lap was 1.9 secs faster than his first but he had burned off 120 kilos of fuel worth around 3 seconds par lap.

Schumacher did a 32 lap run on a new set of the same tyres, which started out in the low 1m25s and came down through the 1m 24s steadily. His final lap was 1.9 secs faster than his first. So he had burned off approximately 80 kilos of fuel, which is worth around 2.4 seconds per lap."

What does this tell us? (im a bit confused as to what you can take from it)

[mx_tifoso]

Now they're even covering up the wheels??

[Pup]

Trick wheel nuts. Looks like the safety locks are just pressed in by the gun, and don't have to be set manually. Might just be a cover over the standard mechanism that acts on the pin. Seems pretty easy to copy, so I guess we'll see it on a lot of other teams. Except McLaren, who will experiment with some remarkably complex version of it mid-season, then introduce their final version next year, once they're able to make it out of carbon fiber and attach two or three minor aero elements and a sponsor logo to it.

[Moanlower]

"Alonso’s 46 lap long run yesterday was interesting. He started out on new tyres with at least 120 kilos of fuel in the car and was quick initially, with a lap in the 1m 23s, then the pace dropped off for a few laps, but then the final part of the run was very fast. His final lap was 1.9 secs faster than his first but he had burned off 120 kilos of fuel worth around 3 seconds par lap.

Schumacher did a 32 lap run on a new set of the same tyres, which started out in the low 1m25s and came down through the 1m 24s steadily. His final lap was 1.9 secs faster than his first. So he had burned off approximately 80 kilos of fuel, which is worth around 2.4 seconds per lap."

What does this tell us? (im a bit confused as to what you can take from it)

basically it means that the pace of the Ferrari was higher true the entire stint than the Merc, with fuel on board of at least 120kg which costs him approximately 3seconds per lap compared to the Merc with approx. fuel weight of 80kg which costs about 2.4sec per lap. In theorie the Merc could've been a bit heavier but I doubt it, and if so it would've been by a small margin.

There has been a strong rumour for more than a week that Mercedes has miscalculated the balans on the car which lays too much to the front. Solving this is only a matter of a few weeks I guess since they don't have to re-design fundamental parts.

[djones]

"Alonso’s 46 lap long run yesterday was interesting. He started out on new tyres with at least 120 kilos of fuel in the car and was quick initially, with a lap in the 1m 23s, then the pace dropped off for a few laps, but then the final part of the run was very fast. His final lap was 1.9 secs faster than his first but he had burned off 120 kilos of fuel worth around 3 seconds par lap.

Schumacher did a 32 lap run on a new set of the same tyres, which started out in the low 1m25s and came down through the 1m 24s steadily. His final lap was 1.9 secs faster than his first. So he had burned off approximately 80 kilos of fuel, which is worth around 2.4 seconds per lap."

What does this tell us? (im a bit confused as to what you can take from it)

basically it means that the pace of the Ferrari was higher true the entire stint than the Merc, with fuel on board of at least 120kg which costs him approximately 3seconds per lap compared to the Merc with approx. fuel weight of 80kg which costs about 2.4sec per lap. In theorie the Merc could've been a bit heavier but I doubt it, and if so it would've been by a small margin.

So working on the fuel for them runs was expected the Ferrari and Merc were virtually the same pace, with the Ferrari just edging it?

I found it interesting that MS did not bother coming out near the end. He could easily have gone and improved his time but was more than happy to finish 5th (or whatever it was). He seems to be focusing on testing and testing alone, unlike others who either go for that headline time or messing abouta bit (FA messing with JB the other test).