2012 Testing - Barcelona 2: 1 - 4 March

[blokkie]

Nope , not a low fuel run

Schumacher went off while on hards and now the Mercedes is being craned out of the gravel bed and placed onto the low loader.

[aduka11]

Maybe they are testing how the gravel behaves on Hard tires...

[snoop1050]

It may well be, because he's back out.

Soft tyres, low fuel run, and the best he did was 1m25.520s.. That doesn't sound right.

wow merc are about 3 seconds slower than FI and williams

[retpog55]

If it was a low fuel run then it served it's purpose perfectly. If you are trying to test how far the car can travel on a near empty tank then you would not try for the best possible lap time. Instead you would try to remain competitive while driving conservatively to preserve fuel for as long as possible. That 1:25 makes perfect sense.

What does not make sense is Schumacher going straight on into the gravel at turn 5. Turn 5 is a slow left hander, possible break failure?

[blokkie]

Is there a problem with williams ? They only had done 2 laps so far

[Hangaku]

Yesterday, Martin Brundle posted on Twitter that both the Red Bulls and McLarens look very tasty, and that the cars sound great thanks to exhaust position and limited overrun.

"looking tasty" and "sound-great" does not say a lot
At least not from a technical point of view

He also kept using the phrase "there's no doubt about it". Well, whilst I obviously bow to the superior expertise of a former F1 driver, it seems to me that there's plenty of doubt about all of this.

I do get the impression that the Sky coverage, even more than the BBC's, wants a headline for F1 before anything definitive has happened, which may lead him to make this sweeping statements.

I didn't quote him directly, so those are my words, not his. His exact quote was:

The F1 cars sound glorious this year with top exit exhausts and limited off throttle 'blowing'. Red Bull and Mcl looking good on track

Take from it what you will. I follow him on Twitter and read his posts daily, I've also followed him in motorsport for years as a driver, journalist and a commentator. I believe in what he says, as invariably he is correct.

Also, his twitter account has nothing to do with his Sky contract - he writes on there pretty much what he chooses.

[varunf12012]

Its quite a while that Schumi's Merc has been seen. I wonder what's going on. Merc really needs to hammer down some fast lap times and show that they are quick.

What is wrong in giving some headaches to the oppositions if they have this year to give.

[varunf12012]

It would be great if we could have the straight line fastest speed of all cars here as well as information of whether kers was used or not - this would give us something to ponder over atleast - I wish if there was a mechanisim to measure level of downforce of a car at various corners and straights -

[snoop1050]

lol why do merc need to show they are quick? its testing not a speed run

[varunf12012]

lol why do merc need to show they are quick? its testing not a speed run

Agreed but I was just saying to have some quick lap times in successions in range of 1:24 or 1:25 and not posting the fastest lap time of the test so far

[aduka11]

Damn what are they doing in Merc garage...its very frustrating...

[kooleracer]

@MercedesAMGF1
Michael's back in the car and about to head out for the last 30mins of the session... no damage to the car after his trip over the gravel.

[aduka11]

@MercedesAMGF1
Michael's back in the car and about to head out for the last 30mins of the session... no damage to the car after his trip over the gravel.

Sweet !


11:38 The Mercedes immediately sets a new personal best in sector one.

[aduka11]

11:39 Again.

11:39 Red flag.

11:38 The Mercedes immediately sets a new personal best in sector one.


HOPE IT NOT MICHAEL AGAIN !!!!

[Schurcedes]

Red flag. Not Michael.


Hope some information trickles in on what caused the off earlier. I saw a shot of the car beached in the gravel and it looked as though the car headed straight on with no steering corrections judging by the track marks, something must have failed on the car.