2013 Testing - Barcelona 2: 28 Feb - 3 Mar

[Dyanxx]

Hamilton has also claimed that they will be able to win this year, surely he wouldn't be saying that if the car was so bad?

[Juzh]

Looks like Rosberg is testing out the new "automatically find half a second in Q3" button that Seb had on his wheel throughout 2011.

Working well so far it seems.

Magic Paddle?

We'll see about that.

[Hail22]

Time sheet going into the lunch break:

[Sevach]

I think Williams is the only team that hasn't made a lap better than their own pole lap last year, i was hoping to see the FW35 true colors.

[kooleracer]

Rosberg fastest lapped: 1:20:130 only DRS use in the 2 zones according to AMuS.

[Maelstrom]

I notice you didn't mention the part where Rosberg said that tyre issues were solved and where Ross Brawn mentioned that tyres will probably work better in warmer conditions.

[kilcoo316]

Hamilton has also claimed that they will be able to win this year, surely he wouldn't be saying that if the car was so bad?

Who said it was really bad?

Its not a front running car yet. It looks better than it is 'cos of the cold conditions.

[andrewf1]

Its there in black and white. If you can't read into what the drivers are saying then I can't really help you.

Just don't be stupid and go betting the house on an Alonso or Hamilton win in Australia.

And if you can't read into things like playing down expectations and not giving too much away, then i can't really help you either. Besides that, those are quotes taken before this last test.

I don't think people here are saying the Merc (or the Ferrari) is the best car out there now, because of Rosberg's time. The general consensus is that it's a fast car, whereas nobody knows the pecking order. There is no such thing as the exact pecking order even throughout the season.
The annoying thing is trying to shoot down ANY kind of sign of improvement from Mercedes with ridiculous claims.

[dren]

A lot changes from the first winter test to the last winter test. All of the cars certainly improve over the month. The front end of the grid has bunched up even more this year. Mclaren look to be a bit of a mystery at the moment. I wouldn't count button out at Melbourne. The Mercedes will be in the mix at the start of the season. Melbourne is an odd track. It may end up a crap shoot.

[kilcoo316]

I notice you didn't mention the part where Rosberg said that tyre issues were solved

They had several issues with the tyres last year (and the year before). Burning through your rear tyres because of suspension geometry is one issue I would like to think they'd solve.

and where Ross Brawn mentioned that tyres will probably work better in warmer conditions.

Because it is that cold, the tyres will work better for Merc in warmer conditions.

Problem is, they'll probably work much better for the other teams.



It is quite obvious you are going to believe that whoever posts the headline time today is the fastest car going into Melbourne. Therefore I am not going to bother telling you otherwise anymore.

[SoumyaBanerjee]

We could go on and on about this till Melbourne...
I have another question...what do my fellow F1technical members have to say regarding Ferrari's early-season prospects??? They've set some strong times,havent they??? I hope they didnt do that by running only on fumes...

[Hail22]

Hopefully a more reliable live timing site for you all:

http://www.f1today.net/en/live-update/

[kooleracer]

It's simple RB9 will be fastest. Then Lotus and McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari. But because of the drivers line-up. Hamilton and Rosberg could end-up higher then the real pace of the W04. Because I don't rate Massa.Webber and Perez on their level.

Q3
1.Vettel
2.Raikonnen
3.Grojean.
4.Button
5.Alonso.
6.Hamilton
7.Rosberg
8.Webber
9.Perez
10.Massa.

[beelsebob]

It's simple RB9 will be fastest.

If only we all had your super power to see the future.

[andrewf1]

It's simple RB9 will be fastest. Then Lotus and McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari. But because of the drivers line-up. Hamilton and Rosberg could end-up higher then the real pace of the W04. Because I don't rate Massa.Webber and Perez on their level.

Q3
1.Vettel
2.Raikonnen
3.Grojean.
4.Button
5.Alonso.
6.Hamilton
7.Rosberg
8.Webber
9.Perez
10.Massa.

if both Hamilton and Rosberg end up 'higher than the WO4's real pace', how do you know what the real pace actually is?