2018 pre-season testing thread

[Fer.Fan]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DXx-tpHWsAIaGIJ.png

According to this Merc is 1,5-2,0 sec faster then Ferrari and Red Bull.

[LM10]

It seems like Bottas, in each stint, was a second quicker than in the stint before.

On the other hand, Vettel kind of kept the pace he had in the last 7-8 laps of stint 2 throughout the whole last stint. He was doing 1:21.3 to 1:21.5 in the last 8 laps of the 2nd stint and in the last stint he overall was just 2-3 tenths quicker - on fresh tyres - until he put a more than a second faster last lap.
Another interesting aspect is that Vettel did three 1:20.9 laps at the beginning of the last stint, then got up to 1:21's and never dropped again until the last lap.

All teams get a delta from their engineers, of course, but, again you can say that there seem to be different strategies in doing so.

[zonk]

[media]https://twitter.com/_/status/971791597548421120[/media]

[CriXus]

https://twitter.com/_/status/971791597548421120

Testing reverse gear.

[FrukostScones]

https://twitter.com/_/status/971791597548421120

skills

[Restomaniac]

https://twitter.com/_/status/971791597548421120

Reversing at speed in the pit lane. How very safe of him.

[digitalrurouni]

Isn't it true Bottas usually does better on tracks that have a super smooth surface? I seem to recall he trounced Hamilton last year when it came to surfaces like that? Perhaps that is what we are seeing here as well based on his stint times vs Hamilton's?

Also I read some where that Red Bull is using Exxon/Mobile as their fuel supplier whereas Renault recommends BP/Castrol? I see that as a bad move if that is indeed true.

[dans79]

Based on the sims times posted I came up with the following like for like comparisons.

• Same lap
• assumed same fuel load
• same tire compund
• different number of laps on the tires

[MtthsMlw]

Does someone agree with me that Vettel wasn't pushing as hard as Bottas and was solely driving as consistent as possible and was therefore slower on average?
Could this for example have to do with fuel consumption? I remember last year Ferrari had to save fuel sometimes even before half of the race was over meanwhile Merc could push much harder without burning to much fuel.
So they started the race sim on a lower engine setting to not run into fuel problems allowing them to do consistent laptimes.
But I'm not sure what would be the benefit of that.

[atanatizante]

1. Looking closely at VET sim race vs. BOT we could see:

a) using SS tyres in the first stint VET has paid the price in lap-times coz with many observers saying he is struggling with grip ... Hence sliding more he was slower and chewing his tyres and that fact was confirmed having to stop early in the stint for medium tyres (I know that SS tyre has a shorter lifetime than M tyre but he was also struggling ...)

b) the second stint is worth to see their lap times after lap 15 : VET was (on average) 1-2 tenths slower but he was on a 15 laps fresher medium tyre than BOT who was at the same medium tyres which he started the race sim!

c) in the third and last stint BOT was at least 1 sec. quicker than VET on 7 laps older same medium tyres. That in my opinion tells me that VET used another engine mode, probably due to some high mileage or maybe trying to sim a PU at the end of the cycle ...

Yeah, I know it could be many unknown variables as 2-3 degrees higher/lower track temp, engine modes, driving at delta times etc ...

2. Merc didn`t bother to use softer tyres than medium ones in race sim due to their issue with blistering soft tyres earlier. This leads to : a) track temperature is so low that they can`t get them into their operation window or 2) they don`t solved their last year softer tyre related issue, yet ...

3. Could someone tell how many kilometers did each PU from the first day of first test until now? I`ll be interesting to know had they could simulate 7 race weekends in 8 days of testing ...

[etusch]

Based on the sims times posted I came up with the following like for like comparisons.

• Same lap
• assumed same fuel load
• same tire compund
• different number of laps on the tires

https://image.ibb.co/dNUvHn/sims2018.png

In this condition Hamilton can be faster than Bottas. That mean a drama for f1 fans. I hope Ferrari and Redbull are faster a bit more than those.

[adb]

Based on the sims times posted I came up with the following like for like comparisons.

• Same lap
• assumed same fuel load
• same tire compund
• different number of laps on the tires

https://image.ibb.co/dNUvHn/sims2018.png

Oh god, please no. Good job, but I hope you've messed sth up

[bosanac1]

"No superhard for Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton hasn't done a run on superhards, it was on hard. We still have to get used to the new colour scheme and all the new compounds Pirelli has come up with, apologies."

Always the same...

Pirelli never said anyone will use Superhards in race.....

It was put in as fail safe in case teams start adding more and more downforce over the season and start chewing tyres and need to go up one compound.

Not sure what the hate is with everyone against Pirelli, one season tires last too long other season everyone saying tyres are falling apart.

Well this year Pirelli said here have every compound you want and go at it.

[godlameroso]

Fuel effects can still obfuscate these times, these cars don't need 105kg of fuel to complete 66 laps, and if we go by last year Mercedes certainly doesn't. By my estimates you need between 70-90kg of fuel for these engines to do 66 laps. For ships and giggles, Barcelona is 70% full throttle, @ 27.66g/s average 82 seconds per lap max fuel flow rate means 104.78kg over 66 laps. Again I don't think they need that much to do the race, but for arguments sake let's say Ferrari is using the full 105kg for their 66 laps, Red Bull are slightly overfilled, while Mercedes uses 78kg they plan to use in the race. Could explain the discrepancy, not saying this is definitive but it's a distinct possibility that could confound the true pace.

For more ships, fuel effect is roughly 1 second for every 35kg of fuel.

[Restomaniac]

"No superhard for Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton hasn't done a run on superhards, it was on hard. We still have to get used to the new colour scheme and all the new compounds Pirelli has come up with, apologies."

Always the same...

Pirelli never said anyone will use Superhards in race.....

It was put in as fail safe in case teams start adding more and more downforce over the season and start chewing tyres and need to go up one compound.

Not sure what the hate is with everyone against Pirelli, one season tires last too long other season everyone saying tyres are falling apart.

Well this year Pirelli said here have every compound you want and go at it.

I still say teams should have been given a complete free choice at every race track. Give them any 2 side by side compounds they wanted (HS-US, US-SS, etc) and go at it.

Want to go for a 3 stop race (risky but possibly slower) and then get the highest starting position? Go for it.
Want to do a 1 stop (safer but possibly faster) but start further back? Go for it.
That would mix it up nicely as teams decide if they want starting position or less pitstops.