2023 Pre-Season Testing - Bahrain International Circuit, Feb 23 - 25

[De Jokke]

Is Ferrari faster than merc, or only over one lap (like end of last year) ?
Perhaps too early to tell but I read good and bad things about the Ferrari pace.

[AR3-GP]

Credit to u/btrams on Reddit

Morning session:

https://i.imgur.com/xWsmIvS.png

https://i.imgur.com/7DAEVJO.png

Afternoon session:

https://i.imgur.com/mF56b5A.png

https://i.imgur.com/qyGIScp.png

While we don’t know the fuel loads, the steadiness with which Verstappen seems to be able to do his laptimes in his stints is noteable compared to rivals.

[Juzh]

fastest lap day 1
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/vide ... 38114.html

Do we really think this car is hooked up? It's basically falling off the track in any demanding corner, snaps mid corner, oversteer on exit..

im not convinced (yet)

[organic]

fastest lap day 1
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/vide ... 38114.html

Do we really think this car is hooked up? It's basically falling off the track in any demanding corner, snaps mid corner, oversteer on exit..

im not convinced (yet)

To be fair that does describe how max likes the car to drive

[Juzh]

fastest lap day 1
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/vide ... 38114.html

Do we really think this car is hooked up? It's basically falling off the track in any demanding corner, snaps mid corner, oversteer on exit..

im not convinced (yet)

To be fair that does describe how max likes the car to drive

This seems too extreme even for him. In T4 he's probably just having fun, however in Q lap obviously wouldn't stand. Going wide this much is probably at least a tenth gained.

[johnny comelately]

Hats off to Alonso and AM and to Williams and Albon, best improvers.

[chrisc90]

That Red Bull sounds very low. I dont think we heard it bottoming out in runs last year?

Overall balance looked pretty good, probably a few little areas that could be fine tuned but I wouldnt be grumbling at that lap so early into the season.

[organic]

That Red Bull sounds very low. I dont think we heard it bottoming out in runs last year?

Overall balance looked pretty good, probably a few little areas that could be fine tuned but I wouldnt be grumbling at that lap so early into the season.

It did seem to be running lower at points than they did most of last year, but I think they were moving the ride height around throughout the day. Didn't seem to be consistent

Max left a lot of laptime on the table that lap

[chrisc90]

That Red Bull sounds very low. I dont think we heard it bottoming out in runs last year?

Overall balance looked pretty good, probably a few little areas that could be fine tuned but I wouldnt be grumbling at that lap so early into the season.

It did seem to be running lower at points than they did most of last year, but I think they were moving the ride height around throughout the day. Didn't seem to be consistent

Max left a lot of laptime on the table that lap

Yeah, plenty. Id imagine he's about 75-80% potential on that lap. Im going to go out there and say this years cars will be 1second a lap faster than last years at least.

[LM10]

Apparently Ferrari are going to dismantle the floor for some reason. Maybe damage

Any confirmation on that? Did it happen? Where did you read it?

Sky Italy said it on their feed. It didn't happen - they were just being sensationalist about ferrari as per

Alright, thanks!

Just a glimpse of what’s to come this season from them and food for thought for those who thought the 25% reduction in CFD time penalty would hurt them any way…

The penalty had no effect on this car yet. If any, it will affect their in-season development in 2023 and also the development of next year’s car.

[AR3-GP]

Any confirmation on that? Did it happen? Where did you read it?

Sky Italy said it on their feed. It didn't happen - they were just being sensationalist about ferrari as per

Alright, thanks!

Just a glimpse of what’s to come this season from them and food for thought for those who thought the 25% reduction in CFD time penalty would hurt them any way…

The penalty had no effect on this car yet. If any, it will affect their in-season development in 2023 and also the development of next year’s car.

I think if anything, it will simply force them to prioritize the biggest drivers of performance like the floor.

We are already seeing the effect. Look at the mirrors. Did they even try? Those look like the CAD assemblies from the FIA. That may be a compromise choosing to spend resource primarily on the floor performance.

When windtunnel time is cut, it’s probably the fluff that gets discarded first, like wing mirrors, halo fins, and what not.

[organic]

Sky Italy said it on their feed. It didn't happen - they were just being sensationalist about ferrari as per

Alright, thanks!

Just a glimpse of what’s to come this season from them and food for thought for those who thought the 25% reduction in CFD time penalty would hurt them any way…

The penalty had no effect on this car yet. If any, it will affect their in-season development in 2023 and also the development of next year’s car.

I think if anything, it will simply force them to prioritize the biggest drivers of performance like the floor.

We are already seeing the effect. Look at the mirrors. Did they even try? Those look like the CAD assemblies from the FIA. That may be a compromise choosing to spend resource primarily on the floor performance.

Indeed. Maybe those will be updated before race 1 though. I feel the mirrors, mirror mount and sidepod inlet will all change before race 1. Maybe I'm wrong and like you say it's all just focusing on where the biggest gains are

I suppose there are some easy gains for development if there isn't a race 1 package for the mirrors/mirror mount

[Cs98]

fastest lap day 1
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/vide ... 38114.html

Do we really think this car is hooked up? It's basically falling off the track in any demanding corner, snaps mid corner, oversteer on exit..

im not convinced (yet)

To be fair that does describe how max likes the car to drive

This seems too extreme even for him. In T4 he's probably just having fun, however in Q lap obviously wouldn't stand. Going wide this much is probably at least a tenth gained.

The RB18 looked like a pig in day one of testing, understeering like crazy. What you are seeing here is just Max testing the limits with a new and heavy car. I think it looks quite hooked up for being this early, certainly compared to the competition.

[ringo]

Alonso may have a really good car this year.. fingers crossed.

[BorisTheBlade]

As I read, he was on the same tyres as Verstappen on his fastest lap - C3.
Of course no idea about programme, fuel load, etc., but yes, quite encouraging for a first day.