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

[De Jokke]

pretty accurate representation I think: merc about 0.4-0.6 away from RBR

[AR3-GP]

Is there any limit on the usage of tires during the pre-season test? Or can they use as many as they want?

[101FlyingDutchman]

Props to AT. That car with TSU genuinely looks fast on the C5s. He did a 32.7 in quali last year and now on a 31.2. Probably not like for like tyres wise but decent improvement

Says C4 for that laptime on the pillar

Thanks. That makes it even better for them. Think it’s only Merc in the top 9 on C5s

[organic]

Not sure I've ever seen Perez go triple purple in testing before

[De Jokke]

pretty accurate representation I think: merc about 0.4-0.6 away from RBR

make that 0.7-0.8

[AMG.Tzan]

-2022 Bahrain GP pole: 1.30.558
-Testing best lap right now: 1.30.305

Tasty!

[chrisc90]

Well theres Perez just beaten last years quali time off last year by 2 tenths.

I dread to think how much performance they are still hiding here.

[DGP123]

pretty accurate representation I think: merc about 0.4-0.6 away from RBR

make that 0.8

Game over for Merc. Hate to say it, but it hurts. nothing has changed over the winter. Long season ahead

[AR3-GP]

If Perez is doing a 30.3, Max is in the late 29s based on last season.

[organic]

Well theres Perez just beaten last years quali time off last year by 2 tenths.

I dread to think how much performance they are still hiding here.

To be fair that is with C4 rather than the soft for Bahrain which will be C3

[PhillipM]

To be fair that is with C4 rather than the soft for Bahrain which will be C3

Yep, and there does seem to be a serious amount of pace between the two, most teams are saying around a second in pure qually pace between the two.

[Juzh]

Wasn't last year similar? Verstappen was 1.1s faster on his Q3 lap compared to what he did in testing even on slower tyre (c3 in q3, c4 in test).

[Ferraripilot]

The Mercedes appears to have far more upward mobility in terms of development than RB, which has been honed to a very high degree already with it just being an update from last year's car. Mercedes is just beginning to unlock this package.

[organic]

The Mercedes appears to have far more upward mobility in terms of development than RB, which has been honed to a very high degree already with it just being an update from last year's car. Mercedes is just beginning to unlock this package.

Or you could view it as RB having carried over most of the car, saving $ in the process and are still clear of the rest.. There are plenty of ways to look at things

[continuum16]