2008 Barcelona Testing Thread (17 Nov - 19 Nov)

[Shaddock]

I'd put money where my mouth is. Those endplates are a joke.

I think the guy responsible for designing the endplates ran out of his allotted time in the wind tunnel and had to come up with something quick!

[EAKMotorsports]

Freak show

[Scotracer]

Do we have any speed trap figures? I want to see what sort of drag levels that 2009 aero is producing.

[Birel99]

Is that honda just an RA-108 with a 09' spec front wing and slicks? Or their 09' contender with an 08' wing?

[Scotracer]

Is that honda just an RA-108 with a 09' spec front wing and slicks? Or their 09' contender with an 08' wing?

The former.

[gerhard]

Does anyone knows the name of the chassis BMW is running? I wanna know if that car is a F1.08 in '09 aero or a beta F1.09...

BMW's car may be a little bit ugly, but I'm in love with him anyway... looks like we'll have cars with personality again after so many years!

[timbo]

A close up of Honda 2009'reg endplates

[repaf1]

More on track action:

What do you think are the Black squares beside the sidepod inlets? Something to do with KERS, cooling the electrical bits somehow?

[Birel99]

Times at 15:00

1. T. Sato Toro Rosso STR3 1:20.763 58 pit
2. S. Buemi Toro Rosso STR3 1:21.071 +0.308 61 pit
3. A. Wurz Honda RA108 1:21.198 +0.435 38 pit
4. P. de la Rosa McLaren MP4-23 1:21.417 +0.654 29 pit
5. G. Paffett McLaren MP4-23 1:22.289 +1.526 23
6. R. Kubica BMW Sauber F1.08 1:22.899 +2.136 36 pit
7. N. Piquet Jr. Renault R28 1:23.386 +2.623 51 pit
8. L. Badoer Ferrari F2008K 1:23.515 +2.752 40 pit
9. C. Klien BMW Sauber F1.08 1:23.685 +2.922 25 pit
10. N. Hülkenberg Williams FW30 1:23.757 +2.994 64 pit
11. A. Sutil Force India VJM-01 1:23.852 +3.089 44 pit
12. S. Loeb Red Bull Racing RB4 1:24.044 +3.281 44 pit
13. M. Gene Ferrari F2008K 1:24.521 +3.758 10
14. V. Liuzzi Force India VJM-01 1:25.344 +4.581 44 pit
15. L. Di Grassi Honda RA108 1:25.972 +5.209 33 pit
16. G. van der Garde Renault R28 1:26.968 +6.205 8 pit

[gerhard]

More on track action:

What do you think are the Black squares beside the sidepod inlets? Something to do with KERS, cooling the electrical bits somehow?

I think is just isulating tape

[Saribro]

We knew BMW doesn't mind thinking outside the box, but now they're just doing it out of spite :).
They also seem to be farthest along on the total package apparently. We've seen Williams with just the main aero components (wings and diffuser), Honda also doing some aero, Ferrari on the other hand testing the waters with KERS first on an '08 aero package, some even apparently just trying out the new tyres some more.
I suppose it could explain their late '08 pace.

[Shaddock]

A close up of Honda 2009'reg endplates

I wonder if the motors that move the wing are just behind the two bulges at the top of the E and A. Surely they could have fitted them into the protusion where the H is.

The back plate appears to be vertical, surely this will generate 100% drag and no downforce around it's edges. They don't angle away towards the wheels like the BMW endpates do.

[joseff]

Really? If you see timbo's pic it's clear that the Honda's endplate tapers outside as well, between the t and h. It also ramps up a bit.

Btw Williams' seem to be the only curvy front wing, the others appear to have flatter main elements.

[meves]

So the end of day 1 and

Senna is 1.2 seconds faster than Di Grassi who is 3.1 seconds slower than Wurz. No idea what aero or tyre configuration they're running.

Van Der Garde was 2.35 seconds slower than Piquet again no idea on tyres or aero.

Liuzzi and Sutil 0.03 seconds apart, which could be interesting.

And Sato and Buemi only 0.3 seconds apart.

And strangely I quite like the new Williams, it reminds me a little of the old JPS Lotus.

[roost89]

Seb Loeb 8th fastest! This guy isn't just fast in a rally car, F1 too! Legend
These cars are looking a bit odd, no doubt we'll get used to them soon enough.
The Honda end-plate, as people have alreayd mentioned, wtf?!
Saying that, they've got to 3rd, about 0.4 off the STR's
They may have a rapid car yet.