2015 Pre-season Testing

[dren]

He did a 1.23.022 on his second run, on the lesser tire...which supports James Allen saying the rumblings in the paddock is Mercedes has about a 0.8-1.0s advantage.

[dans79]

1:23.648 with the soft tyres for Hamilton

Hmm, that would leave some hope. Massa did a 1:23.963 with the softs today.
Having seen Rosbergs incredible time from yesterday there still is a good chance today's time didn't reflect the full potential of the W06.

They are running a completely different setup today. And lewis just went purple 1:23:022 on softs so 0.25 up on massa and kimi's super soft runs.

[horse]

15:48 Something we haven't really talked about yet is the speed trap data, which is supplied by the circuit. Here's yesterday's start-finish line speeds:

Bottas - 288.0km/h
Nasr - 287.2km/h
Maldonado - 285.7km/h
Rosberg - 282.7km/h
Verstappen - 281.9km/h
Kvyat - 279.7km/h
Hulkenberg - 279.0km/h
Vettel - 278.3km/h
Button - 274.8km/h

[dren]

Thanks horse. Any speed traps for today? McHonda was rumored to have an updated PU today.

And first red flag... and it's not McLaren...they already have retired for the day

[Felipe 92]

McLaren press conference :
Boullier: "Reliability is still a worry. It'll take a few races. We may start being competitive once we get to Europe"
Arai confirmed they will test the durability of the engine tomorrow and Boullier said they're not sure they'll be able to make a race sim.

[dren]

McLaren press conference :
Boullier: "Reliability is still a worry. It'll take a few races. We may start being competitive once we get to Europe"
Arai confirmed they will test the durability of the engine tomorrow and Boullier said they're not sure they'll be able to make a race sim.

I guess that means they'll turn up the power. And I don't think anybody was expecting McHonda to show up and be competitive at the first race after testing.

[dren]

Ericsson was the cause of the flag. Maybe a fuel run-out.

[Felipe 92]

McLaren press conference :
Boullier: "Reliability is still a worry. It'll take a few races. We may start being competitive once we get to Europe"
Arai confirmed they will test the durability of the engine tomorrow and Boullier said they're not sure they'll be able to make a race sim.

I guess that means they'll turn up the power. And I don't think anybody was expecting McHonda to show up and be competitive at the first race after testing.

I wasn`t expecting that they`ll be competitive, but I was expecting some race sims and more than 12 laps in a single stint.

[motobaleno]

from what I have seen yesterday and today I will guess mercedes gap to be likely on the higher side of the proposed ones in these days...more than 1 s I would say...
I hope to be wrong

[NathanOlder]

Damn you autosport, got me all excited

[turbof1]

Removed the sexist crap in the topic for following reasons:
-Criticism shouldn't be about somebodies looks, should be about the way he or she drives. I tent to agree she did not earn her position, but let's not involve idiotic, nonsensical reasons.
-It is off topic, and belongs in the lotus team thread, where ironically the discussion is on point about Carmen's driving ability

[f1316]

I don't know. 0.2 is not massive and you could argue - soft or super soft - the conditions might be better in the afternoon.

I am still trying to find a way that it could conceivably be close, granted, but it's not a given. I'm most convinced by the argument that sauber are not a million miles away from the pace, and I'm certain Ferrari/Williams/RB will be significantly ahead of them.

[Andres125sx]

Removed the sexist crap in the topic for following reasons:
-Criticism shouldn't be about somebodies looks, should be about the way he or she drives. I tent to agree she did not earn her position, but let's not involve idiotic, nonsensical reasons.
-It is off topic, and belongs in the lotus team thread, where ironically the discussion is on point about Carmen's driving ability

This actually is the case for some other F1 drivers, they got the opportunity because of sponsors, not because of talent

But if the driver is a woman, then this is not ignored as it usually is when the driver is a man

F1 is about politics and money, nothing new

[turbof1]

Removed the sexist crap in the topic for following reasons:
-Criticism shouldn't be about somebodies looks, should be about the way he or she drives. I tent to agree she did not earn her position, but let's not involve idiotic, nonsensical reasons.
-It is off topic, and belongs in the lotus team thread, where ironically the discussion is on point about Carmen's driving ability

This actually is the case for some other F1 drivers, they got the opportunity because of sponsors, not because of talent

But if the driver is a woman, then this is not ignored as it usually is when the driver is a man

F1 is about politics and money, nothing new

Right, I fully get that. However some of the comments here were still born out of the prejudgement woman can't be as good as man. I fully underline this sexist crap is sowed across motorsport, but does NOT mean any of us should be enforcing it.

I don't mind a sexist joke, some of those today in the caption competition made me actually chuckle, but in the context of a female driver judged on qualities nothing to do with driving a car, I tent to take a hard line. I think that in a western society men and women need to get equal chances and equal rewards. Not that we are already at that point, but we are and should be moving towards that.

Again, I fully underline Carmen does not deserve that spot due simply her lack of skill/speed. She has the heart and the will, very probably the fitness too, but simply lacks the talent, just like so many male drivers.

Jus to clarify my point of view, I don't intend to drag this further then necessary. The topic is discussion rightfully so in the Lotus team thread.

[horse]

McLaren press conference :
Boullier: "Reliability is still a worry. It'll take a few races. We may start being competitive once we get to Europe"

Wow, they've written off two months and 4 grand prix. It's quite a statement, especially when McLaren are not renowned for accurately predicting their return to competitiveness.

By the way, good work turbof1. Let's keep it about the facts.