2014 Testing - Bahrain 27 Feb - 2 Mar

[iotar__]

I think it's worth noting that historically, Williams have always been quite good in testing. Granted - it's only testing and times shouldn't be taken seriously. Having said that, Williams do have a habit of going well in the pre-season tests.

Plus, Rosberg's best time from the last test was a 33.2 on soft tyres on a lap he claimed wasn't clean, so I wouldn't see those supersoft times today and think Williams are right up there with Mercedes.
.........................

This season is different plus I don't recall Williams being kings of winter tests. They had good race sim, one lap speed, reliability and right engine. Competition is limited so why dismiss them only because they are a small team (expectation bias)? Especially in the beginning, season is long, development margin big and later engine situation might equalise itself, that would be a different matter. Either take all times into consideration or don't do it at all.

Of course everyone is still in the early stages performance-wise - hard to compare - just running and being able to move to qualy sims is enough to be one of the favourites. Rosberg's lap not clean - excuse (not his of course), McLaren raw speed - I didn't notice it (until the put SS and try it it's not proven), Ferrari race sim - either unorthodox, with some weird explanations, or not that fast.

[lewishamilton90]

Rosberg in der entscheidenden Runde auch noch einen Fehler. Er klagte über Untersteuern. Lauda glaubt: "Unter optimalen Umständen hätten wir Massas Zeit schlagen können."(auto motor und sport)

[ACJJ619]

I think it's worth noting that historically, Williams have always been quite good in testing. Granted - it's only testing and times shouldn't be taken seriously. Having said that, Williams do have a habit of going well in the pre-season tests.

Plus, Rosberg's best time from the last test was a 33.2 on soft tyres on a lap he claimed wasn't clean, so I wouldn't see those supersoft times today and think Williams are right up there with Mercedes.
.........................

This season is different plus I don't recall Williams being kings of winter tests. They had good race sim, one lap speed, reliability and right engine. Competition is limited so why dismiss them only because they are a small team (expectation bias)? Especially in the beginning, season is long, development margin big and later engine situation might equalise itself, that would be a different matter. Either take all times into consideration or don't do it at all.

Of course everyone is still in the early stages performance-wise - hard to compare - just running and being able to move to qualy sims is enough to be one of the favourites. Rosberg's lap not clean - excuse (not his of course), McLaren raw speed - I didn't notice it (until the put SS and try it it's not proven), Ferrari race sim - either unorthodox, with some weird explanations, or not that fast.

They're not kings of winter testing - but their testing performance in comparison to actual season performance is usually quite different. This combined with their terrible pace over the past few seasons is a fair enough reason to approach their apparent pace this year with caution. But who knows? It may be real speed.

McLaren have regularly been at the sharp end of the timesheets all winter so far and we know them to be a regularly competitive team so chances are, 2+2 = 4. But of course there is a chance they've been running light and hard and are nearer the midfield come Melbourne.

[Francesc]

Rosberg in der entscheidenden Runde auch noch einen Fehler. Er klagte über Untersteuern. Lauda glaubt: "Unter optimalen Umständen hätten wir Massas Zeit schlagen können."(auto motor und sport)

How curious, the guy always makes a mistake on his fastest lap. Last week they said the same. Very convenient.

[zeph]

So the homologation deadline came and went and nobody asked for a stay.

I wouldn't read to much into lap times, really. Yesterday it was Perez, today it was Massa; glad to see them doing well, but as the saying goes: one swallow does not summer maketh.

Still, FI and Williams seem reasonably reliable, and that means they could be there to pick up the pieces when the top teams have misadventures.

[armchair expert]
I am still thinking that Ferrari may pull a rabbit out of the hat, though. The first few races may well be dominated by Mercedes-powered teams, but I expect Ferrari to be stronger for the European leg of the campaign, and RBR to make a comeback in the second half of the season.
[/armchair expert]

[captainmorgan]

Does anyone have best sector times for any day of Test 3?

[Blizz]

I wouldn't read to much into lap times, really. Yesterday it was Perez, today it was Massa;

Would say there's a huge difference. Perez lap was no where near the limit of what these cars can do, but Massa's lap was on it. Last weekend Rosberg (or was it Lewis) said that these cars might be able to get in to the 1:32s. So i'd say 1:32:8 or something like that is the limit. Massa was 0,4s shy off that, BUT it was a windy and sandy day and both Rosberg and Massa said the conditions weren't really good because of it. If it was better, i'd bet we'd have seen them climbing in to the 1:32s

I simply can't see these cars getting in to the mid 1:32s even in really good conditions, so at worst Williams is 0.4-0.6s off the leaders which is rather brilliant IMO.

Of course, i might be wrong and Mercedes was a lil bit sandbagging today and could have gotten in to the mid 1:32s (though i see it really unlikely since then they would be as fast as last years Q3 pole) and Williams might be a lot more off the pace than we saw today.

[siskue2005]

[IFK]

What do you guys think of Ferrari ? Looking at today's racesim, they look quite far away from Mercedes and Williams.

[Sebp]

Yesterday's notebook:

[Juzh]

Rosberg predicts 230mph (368 kmh) in China. We'll see how accurate that will turn out to be.

[bosanac1]

Rosberg predicts 230mph (368 kmh) in China. We'll see how accurate that will turn out to be.

Probably from their simulator work.

That's crazy.

[Anon123]

Rosberg predicts 230mph (368 kmh) in China. We'll see how accurate that will turn out to be.

If that's true we'll see some amazing battles between cars that lap quick and cars that are perhaps slightly slower over a lap but fast down the back straight.

[markn93]

First thought having read that, Monza!!!

[Emerson.F]

There's something these guys are not telling us....





And yes these are from today.