In Season Test 1: Mugello, Italy - 01 to 03 May 2012

[ESPImperium]

This will be the first in season test since 2008, the last one was Test 9: Mugello 17 - 19 September 2008, with Massa, Badoer and Raikkonenn at the wheel of the Ferrari F2008 at a single team test there.

2008 Results:

Day1: http://www.gpupdate.net/en/testresults/ ... mber-2008/
Day 2: http://www.gpupdate.net/en/testresults/ ... mber-2008/
Day 3: http://www.gpupdate.net/en/testresults/ ... mber-2008/

Track:


Length
5.245 km (3.259 mi)

Lap record
1:35.470 (Rio Haryanto, DAMS, 2011, Auto GP)

Lotus are running D'Ambrosio on day 1, Kimi on day 2 and Grosjean on day 3. McLaren are running Paffett and Turvey only. Id expect Williams to use all 3 of their drivers, Force India and HRT likewise, Id expect to see Caterham give a half day to Rossi and Van Der Garde with Vitaly and Heikki getting a day. The rest will confirm soon id expect.

Looks like this will be a good test. And to be perfectly honest i wish there was 2 more in season tests.

[kebab]

What would we expect to see teams test at Mugello?

For sure Ferrari will test their exhaust solution which I think would likely be similar to Macca's. RBR could be testing their version of DDRS, no?

What about Merc?

[Nando]

Strange to see Button and Hamilton not do a single lap.
I´m no F1 driver but if i was then i would be adamant that i got to do this important test.

[TheRMVR]

Strange to see Button and Hamilton not do a single lap.
I´m no F1 driver but if i was then i would be adamant that i got to do this important test.

Apparently Hamilton already asked the team if he could drive to understand the tires better. I think we'll see him behind the wheel..

[raymondu999]

I wouldn't be too sure about that - I don't remember McLaren giving in to driver requests for doing such tests before. The Pirelli tyre test less than a week after the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix they also asked to drive but it was all Gary Paffett.

I personally somewhat question fielding drivers like d'Ambrosio et al now. Not that they're bad drivers - nothing against them. But if this is their first outing in the car (which I believe is true in some cases, such as d'Ambrosio) then they probably wouldn't be able to be of much help in terms of comparing the cars anyway...

Having said that - I think the time of test drivers are really a bygone era. With such limited testing; driving with any sort of corners involved should really be with the primary driver.

[Nando]

Apparently Hamilton already asked the team if he could drive to understand the tires better. I think we'll see him behind the wheel..

Good boy Hamilton, i would have done exactly the same thing.

They will probably test a whole lot of different stuff and what better then to have the actual driver giving feedback on it rather then having Paffett do that.

[nacho]

With grid being so tight this year I don't think the teams should risk anything by giving test days away too 3rd drivers.

[mzivtins]

Apparently Hamilton already asked the team if he could drive to understand the tires better. I think we'll see him behind the wheel..

Good boy Hamilton, i would have done exactly the same thing.

They will probably test a whole lot of different stuff and what better then to have the actual driver giving feedback on it rather then having Paffett do that.

I have to disagree here, i think the issues presented to mclaren in regards to tyres should be worked at in a pure testing environment... what i mean in a nutshell is, hamilton and button have title hopes this season, having them drive a test will only taint the findings with the will of personal gains by each driver. Paffet will do exactly what is needed without any consideration of his own title hopes getting in the way.

It is too critical to let personal hopes taint a good testing procedure at this stage, i think all teams should follow this principal if they are to get the most out of this test.

Of course, if this test was about laptimes, you would put you main drivers in. But this is not its purpose.

My 2cents anyway...

[mzivtins]

With grid being so tight this year I don't think the teams should risk anything by giving test days away too 3rd drivers.

I agree, but in an opposite fashion... the teams should allow driver rest, almost mental therapy before the european stint begins. The winter break is great for morale of a driver regardless of the position they have come from.

Let your drivers rest/train harder (personal choice) let someone else do the repatative sometimes frustrating testing... i would not want a driver with second thoughts starting a race, i would much rather have someone who believes to the core of his being that he will win that race.

Just my opinion obv.

[ArchAngel]

With grid being so tight this year I don't think the teams should risk anything by giving test days away too 3rd drivers.

Some cash-strapped teams may be using pay test drivers (possibly in the guise of a young driver program), so...

[Nando]

I have to disagree here, i think the issues presented to mclaren in regards to tyres should be worked at in a pure testing environment... what i mean in a nutshell is, hamilton and button have title hopes this season, having them drive a test will only taint the findings with the will of personal gains by each driver. Paffet will do exactly what is needed without any consideration of his own title hopes getting in the way.

It is too critical to let personal hopes taint a good testing procedure at this stage, i think all teams should follow this principal if they are to get the most out of this test.

Of course, if this test was about laptimes, you would put you main drivers in. But this is not its purpose.

My 2cents anyway...

but it´s not only tires being tested and data-gathered.

And as you say, it´s not about laptimes so it could hardly be worse to have their two main drivers doing the testing.
They will alternate just like pre-season testing. If it worked then, i´m sure it would work now.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

but it´s not only tires being tested and data-gathered.

And as you say, it´s not about laptimes so it could hardly be worse to have their two main drivers doing the testing.
They will alternate just like pre-season testing. If it worked then, i´m sure it would work now.

I see mzivtins point, but I'm with you Nando. First I would say we're talking about professional F1 drivers who know how to balance their lives & needs to get breaks, relaxation, etc.
This is the first in-season test in a while and the grid is much closer than previous years. This test is extremely important. Yes the test drivers can gather the necessary data needed, but only the regular drivers can give actual feedback as to what's changed from the drivers POV, the test drivers can't do that.
I agree the drivers need R&R but with the way this F1 season is going it's crucial for the drivers to get the cars to their liking and help develop the car the best they can.

I wish Sky would broadcast live coverage of the test. Yes I know it gets boring at times and sometimes cars sit for hours but it's not like they have anything else going on. They could send a few people and a few cameras to cover it.

[Nando]

Agree, i also think Hamilton and Button are aware of the fact that they need to work together if they want to develop the car forward.
Sure they have ego´s the size of a house but that will only come in effect later in the season when they realize that the title might be between the two.

Right now it´s all about developing the car to be competitive and from my point of view i would use the two main drivers that will drive the cars throughout the season.

Agree, i wish they would broadcast everything, just set up a camera then give a mic to Brundle and let him do what he does best, talk.

[ESPImperium]

The role of Paffett will be to drive the car over a day with various driving styles to get good data that isnt tainted by a race drivers will to be fastest or get more understanding. McLaren have called it right. Turvey is there for experience.

Im expecting Red Bull and Toro Rosso to have Buemi in the car for at least a day so he can have data on the Pirellis and for when he jumps in the simulator for Red Bull.

Lower down, id expect to see Clos in the HRT as he will be getting FP1 slots later in the year, and posibly a half day for Maria De Villota. As for Ferrari, im thinking that you may see both their drivers in the car but a day for Fisichella or Rigon as well.

Mercedes could throw Sam Bird in the car. Sauber i belive will have Guiteriez in the car for a day.

Im expecting to see most of the teams bring their updates to Mugello, with a few teams shaking down a chassis or two as well. Im thinking Ferrari will shake down their "B Spec" F2012 that will basically be a brand new car bar the power train, chassis, pull rod front suspension and electronics systems.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

A ride around Mugello in the F2012

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXATb_uA5mw[/youtube]