2017 F1 general testing thread

[ripper]

I'm just gonna leave this here...

GA:
"Watching Vettel through Turn 1-3 is definitely my 'wow' factor of the day. The Ferrari is just planted and, even on used tyres, it doesn't budge one millimetre off line."

I have been saving this emoticon for occasions like this one:


Someone quickly give that man some paper towels, it looks like he is going to release a load.

Those are better

[turbof1]

He now repeating himself so desperate is he to slag off the Merc.

The mercedes does look a bit more of a handful to handle than the Ferrari, and Ferrari does look very smooth.

But: the Mercedes is a very long car. Naturally that induces understeer. They obkectively seem to be very close to one another, but the way Gary seems to put it is well... Dren?

Comical

Indeed.

[BosF1]

Wasn't that the year when McLaren bolted the suspension upside down and went ridiculously quick in Jerez? Not saying the man could be completely wrong but Ferrari might have stumbled upon a good solution this year maybe.

They weren't bad in 2015/16 as well. Just not coping with Mercedes development rate.

If I remember correctly, they went that fast because they ran the car with an illegally low ride height during testing. That was the only way the car could produce the amount of downforce it was supposed to and be stable.

[Sevach]

Hey at least no one used the word "ominous" in 2017 yet, that's an improvement over last year.

[Vasconia]

Red flag: Sainz Jr. is in the gravel at Turn 4.

[marvin78]

I think you're forgetting quite how close Ferrari were at the beginning of 2016. They were only a tenth or two off in the race. They were beaten easily in qualifying but Ferrari only chose to do one run to save tyres. Ferrari were hard to beat in the race and only a bad strategy call gifted the win to Mercedes. the end of 2016 it was a completely different story as Merc developed their way into the distance. but it was quite close at the beginning of the season.

I didn't forget that. For me it was part of the fooling.

Ha. Okay. Merc were trying to let Ferrari win the first race. Gotcha.

No. You don't. The world is not just black and white.

[Blackout]

First stint in Hamilton's race sim started

1:25.087

And how much time a full tank costs again?

[Phil]

But: the Mercedes is a very long car. Naturally that induces understeer. They obkectively seem to be very close to one another, but the way Gary seems to put it is well... Dren?

Please correct me if I'm wrong Turbo (or anyone):

- The aim for a longer wheelbase is to get more space for aero/downforce.
- This comes at the expense of maneuverability and understeer.
- The idea is what might be lost through worse agility of the car will be made up through more downforce resulting in overall quicker times (at least on tracks where this is key).
- overall more/better downforce might result in more efficient use of the tires?

Given that both Redbull and Ferrari have relatively short cars (compared to the Mercedes), one has to ask if Mercedes has gone the right way with their philosophy. Or we might see that some cars prove to be strong on some tracks while other might be on others?

Also, if lets say, Mercedes did get it wrong - has a team ever attempted to change the wheelbase of the car mid season? I would think this is probably not very easy, as developing a new chassis means you'd have to crash-test the whole thing and get it approved again. Also, I'd assume the whole aero philosophy would need to be re-adjusted for a shorter-wheelbase. I guess this would not be easily achievable at all?

[Vasconia]

I didn't forget that. For me it was part of the fooling.

Ha. Okay. Merc were trying to let Ferrari win the first race. Gotcha.

No. You don't. The world is not just black and white.

Ferrari was in fact closer to Mercedes during the first races of 2016 but the development rate of Mercedes was much superior. Anyway Mercedes had always some margin. Australia is an special track where thing can be different. There Ferrari could have won the race but the strategy didn´t work.

[Shakeman]

Stroll in the wall Red Flag.

[Restomaniac]

He now repeating himself so desperate is he to slag off the Merc.

The mercedes does look a bit more of a handful to handle than the Ferrari, and Ferrari does look very smooth.

But: the Mercedes is a very long car. Naturally that induces understeer. They obkectively seem to be very close to one another, but the way Gary seems to put it is well... Dren?

Comical

Indeed.

Yep his comment about 'Lewis' 'Hanging on'.

Firstly why did he seem to single Hamilton out for a first name basis?

Secondly why is he trying to make out that the Merc is shocking in cornering?

[NathanOlder]

Man, I know I say this every year, but that site they used to have where you could see the laps everyone was going - and from it the lengths of stints times were set on etc. - was so cool

Aaagggghh.... I don't miss anything in life as much as I miss f1tests.co.cc. That was the website.

Yeah, the best site for F1 during Feb/March. Lets hope Liberty Media introduce something like that on the official site.

[Anthropolyte]

Looks like Stroll has had another off - this time a fairly large one...

[Ferraripilot]

Maldonado part duex

[Vasconia]

It seems that Lance Stroll is making a steller debut, yet another incident.