2012 Testing - Barcelona 2: 1 - 4 March

[raymondu999]

Even if I were a Red Bull driver - I'd raise eyebrows if HRT did a lap that showed they were in the midfield. Surprise (and disappointment, though that's another story) are just the conditions where your expectations don't match reality.

[prince]

@Ray, if you have made up your mind that Merc cannot surprise the leaders of the current pack with their pace and performance, thats fine. Given how the statistics stand in the last two years, you are right on that.

But the fact remains in this testing that, Merc set their fastest time on a long run and there are no other drivers who set their best times on long run. Check f1tests.co.cc for the numbers. Yes, they have maintained an archive of all test times from both the barcelona tests.

[raymondu999]

I'm not saying they cannot surprise. I'm saying - surprise doesn't immediately mean "OMG IT'S A WINNER!" or raised eyebrows - "Huh? Is that it?"

Merc ARE looking good - but you need to look at testing holistically. Isolating one reaction alone is hardly worth anything. Also - if HRT topped the timesheets; even if it was for one flying lap on supersofts - people's eyebrows would go up too. Surprise is just a function of expectation vs reality.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Remember last year When Schumacher banged in a fancy time and had everyone buzzing about the W02?
Webber called it a hollywood lap. Why? Because while the press and bystanders may have been impressed, Webber and co where privy to knowledge we are not.

Had Rosberg done 5 laps for his time Im sure nothing would have been said. But a 13 lap run and a 1:22.9? That is very good.

Perhaps not winners. But a very good marker nevertheless.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

A second thought.

Are tyres degrading more than last year?

[raymondu999]

Well it's much more front limited now. Or that's what they say.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Well it's much more front limited now. Or that's what they say.

So the fronts are going off far quicker?

[raymondu999]

yep. Last year the rears were apparently going quicker

[prince]

If you have followed this year's pre-season testing, you would understand the picture a little more clearly. By the end of last season, Merc improved their degradation problem. Paul Hembery (Pirelli's director) has admitted that this year's compound does not degrade as much as last year's. Merc did full tyre testing in Jerez and compared to last year. In barcelona tests, they kept pushing the tyres harder, which doesn't happen in race, to see how much juice they have.

All this points to a fact that, they are in much better position now than before. Haug and Brawn have admitted that tyre wear is not a problem. All in all, it is an optimistic scenario at Merc.

Redbull and Lotus, atleast in testing have shown least tyre degrading. But on race sim and heavy fuel loads, redbull, mclaren, merc and lotus' wear looks almost the same.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

@Prince

From the feedback teams are unwilling to make any statements about degradation.
The low temperatures at the test venues being cited as a major reason.

Hembry has gone on record to say the softs arent degrading as Pirelli wanted, but that the lower temperatures are a big factor in this.
40 degree heat in Malaysia is vastly different to 16 degree temps at Barca.

As for Mercedes, yes they appear to be sorted on the tyre front.

[raymondu999]

I find it very confusing to be honest. Last year they (Pirelli) cited the cold testing temps as the reason for the rubbish life of their tyres. Now they're citing it as a reason for the extended life?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Im not the tyre expert, but....I think hotter temperatures would make tyres wear quicker?

Perhaps there is a window of operation where the tyres perform as expected.

There are loads of other factors too, I'm sure. Surface abrasion, number of high speed corners, bumps, number of big breaking zones etc etc

[Mr.S]

Remember last year When Schumacher banged in a fancy time and had everyone buzzing about the W02?
Webber called it a hollywood lap. Why? Because while the press and bystanders may have been impressed, Webber and co where privy to knowledge we are not.

Had Rosberg done 5 laps for his time Im sure nothing would have been said. But a 13 lap run and a 1:22.9? That is very good.

Perhaps not winners. But a very good marker nevertheless.

And was not that lap was on Hard tyres??? I doubt they would use a DRS in a 13 Lap stint. Another reason why I am optimistic about the Mercedes fighting for podiums from the very 1st race.

[radosav]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KQdr3Fl ... page#t=15s[/youtube]

[raymondu999]

Heat deg would definitely go up methinks. But check back to last year - the Pirellis in testing were reportedly extremely rubbish. Supersofts would produce a purple first and second sector but a 3rd sector that wasn't better than on the hards - the tyre had gone off. Pirelli said not to worry, that the situation would stabilise in the races, because the tests were abnormally cold.

Over/underheated tyres would probably not be good for wear either way - or graining, either.