2017 Spanish Grand Prix - Catalunya, 12-14 May

[ThumbsUp]

What about the weather forecast for the weekend? I read somewhere rain and thunder will be on sunday..

http://www.myweather2.com/Motor-Racing/ ... spx?sday=5

[Big Mangalhit]

Gearbox change without grid penalty? They cannot the gearbox for another 2 races

it depends if the issue is the actual mechanical gearbox, or the outer carbon fiber skin/wrapping Merc has run for several years.

check this out, where Scarabs explains it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUCapV3p2J4

Yes but can you actually shed 6kg just from the carbon fibre wrapping?

[Vasconia]

What about the weather forecast for the weekend? I read somewhere rain and thunder will be on sunday..

http://www.myweather2.com/Motor-Racing/ ... spx?sday=5

I have checked 3 sites and this is the only gives a chance of rain. I hope this one is right, though.

[JonoNic]

Gearbox change without grid penalty? They cannot the gearbox for another 2 races

it depends if the issue is the actual mechanical gearbox, or the outer carbon fiber skin/wrapping Merc has run for several years.

check this out, where Scarabs explains it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUCapV3p2J4

Yes but can you actually shed 6kg just from the carbon fibre wrapping?

Let's hope they don't suffer from resonance

[daniellammers]

https://mobile.twitter.com/leestevo1/st ... 3378818049

Head mechanic for car #33 feeding the rumours.

[PlatinumZealot]

RB14-b?

[ThumbsUp]

What about the weather forecast for the weekend? I read somewhere rain and thunder will be on sunday..

http://www.myweather2.com/Motor-Racing/ ... spx?sday=5

I have checked 3 sites and this is the only gives a chance of rain. I hope this one is right, though.

Me 2, maybe godlameroso can make a prediction he seems quite right when it comes to weather predictions

[Redragon]

If Bottas win or is in front of Hamilton and Hamilton gets problems or doesn't manage to perform for any reason, get ready for the beginning of Hamilton - Mercedes divorce

http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/ioA8mSM1.gif

https://media.giphy.com/media/xT1XGU1AH ... /giphy.gif

[dans79]

Yes but can you actually shed 6kg just from the carbon fibre wrapping?

Only a handful of engineers at merc could tell you definitively. Personally, I think it's within the realm of plausible, as the wrapping makes up a substantial portion of the back of the car. Also, it bigger this year than it's ever been before because the car is longer.

[f1316]

Here's something I don't fully get: Ferrari's tyre useage in quali.

They always do:
1. Q1 on the middle compound tyre
2. Two runs in Q2 on the softer compound

Ok, I get the first part - why use up your fastest tyre if you don't need to. But why throw that tyre saved away when you don't need to? They're almost always completely safe into Q3 by this point, and yet they do it every single race.

I can only think it's something to do with preparing race tyres - although I still don't get why. They can do one run and still go easy on the tyres, with a comfortable margin to everyone bar Mercedes. So what does the second run achieve?

I get that most of the time this year it's going to be a one stop, but in China, for example, they really would have benefited from that extra set of new SS in the race but they didn't have them because they threw them away in Q2. And you never know, right? Why not have that set of tyres in your pocket, given you've gone to the effort of doing Q1 on harder tyres.

I just don't get what they're trying to achieve - maybe just an extra practice run before Q3?

It was said by Ferrrari that they are looking for the best tire available. Sometimes tires have a little bit extra in them and they are looking for what's the best one. Vettel aborted a fast lap in Q2 one time and he said the other tires felt better so he wanted to start the race on those.

That's an interesting idea. Might explain why, if he didn't like it as much, Vettel slowed right down at the end of his second Q2 lap in Australia.

Still, as platinumzealot said, I'm not sure I trust anything Ferrari are saying publicly on this.

I think it must be related to tyres in some way - and maybe because last year they had so many problems in Q3 when conditions changed and they suddenly lost the window - but still think there's more than meets the eye here.

[dren]

RB14-b?

RB14-d, it's a big step.

[CriXus]

RB14-b?

RB14-d, it's a big step.

I was hoping for RB5000-B! "B" = ''badass".

[godlameroso]

I said at the beginning'ish of the thread, clear running, sunny and mild, very warm track. Conditions won't be terribly warmer than testing, perfect conditions to see how cars have improved since the winter.

[ThumbsUp]

Sorry must've missed it. But thanks for the update and I'm sorry to say but I hope you are wrong for once! I like to see a just enough wet race..

[iotar__]

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/form ... 27537.html googlish

Even if Milton Keynes does not officially admit it, the stricter interpretation of the FIA ​​on the chassis has thrown the whole vehicle concept together. More than with Mercedes.

+ Mercedes front and back suspensions adjustments

= Interesting how rules interpretation affected this season. Rather silently, unlike Ecclestone years. They didn't touch shark fins, without much noise except for Horner. Rules stability and lack of chaos strategy. Let's see if they would do something affecting all three (4-5) top teams.