2009 Testing - March (Jerez & Barcelona)

[Roland Ehnström]

I don't know why, but I'm starting to worry about McLaren's test pace, they haven't hit the front at all...

They were fast last time out at Jerez, less so this week. In the long runs last time, Hamilton was half-a-second to one full second a lap faster than Alonso. That was with the 2008 rear wing, but to me it shouldn't have been a very big advantage. It's strange to see him slower than Force India today, like you I am beginning to worry a bit. Not that I am a great fan of McLaren in perticular, but I like Heikki and Lewis and wish to see them in competitive cars.

Edit: I see now that Lewis has only driven 7 laps so far today. Let's see where he ends the day before we draw any conclusions.

[djos]

McLaren and Hamilton face problems

11:35 - Lewis Hamilton after his first long run on the road no longer published. The story goes that his MP4-24 with technical problems. For example, on return to the pits of flames behind the McLaren came. Hamilton is even now prepared to press to speak to, something that usually only after the end of a test done.

The story goes that his engine will be replaced and that the McLaren driver then back further.

google translation

[xpensive]

When FI is already proven to be so much faster than McLaren, I think it would be wise for them to trade cars, possibly drivers too, wonder if that would be within the rules as long as they have different tubs?

[kilcoo316]

When FI is already proven to be so much faster than McLaren, I think it would be wise for them to trade cars, possibly drivers too, wonder if that would be within the rules as long as they have different tubs?

Ha ha... while I wouldn't read too much into the FI/McL time comparisons just yet...


That is a very good question.


All the rules are geared to copying... not swapping - in a purely hypothetical argument, if Mercedes asked FI to swap chassis with McLaren - is there a rule preventing it?

[axle]

Can we clear just one thing up. FI is NOT a McLaren B team. It is a customer of McLaren's.

[CMSMJ1]

Can we clear just one thing up. FI is NOT a McLaren B team. It is a customer of McLaren's.

Agreed. It is geting on my nerves this childish obsession with FI and McLaren.

Theya re independant entities with busines arrangements between them..

Anyway - testing times are not always as they seem..we know this and I also know most of us are going stir crazy at the 3 week wait til we get some action!!

[xpensive]

Sometimes I wonder if people bother to read the previous posting before responding to it?
What myself and kilcoo were curious about was legality in switching cars beween teams, not what is written or not in the business agreement between McLaren and FI?
Something which I believe very few individuals would have the vaguest clue about anyway.

[Moanlower]

Apart from all the unknown which makes it very hard to compare teams at the moment, you also have to take into account that some teams have very little to improve untill Melbourne while others are still waiting for major upgrades.

My half cent on the pecking order at Melbourne:

BMW
Renault
Ferrari
Mclaren
Toyota
RBR
FI
Williams
BR1
STR


Ok, you may shoot me now!

[Shaddock]

Sometimes I wonder if people bother to read the previous posting before responding to it?
What myself and kilcoo were curious about was legality in switching cars beween teams, not what is written or not in the business agreement between McLaren and FI?
Something which I believe very few individuals would have the vaguest clue about anyway.

You still wouldn't own the intellectual property of the design of the car. I read somewhere that if you legally take a blueprint of a car, and draw your own car from it making cosmetic changes then you then own the intellectual property to it.

BMW were slow last year in testing and came up trumps in Oz, maybe McLaren are sandbagging and not running their cars with the fastest 'bits' on them yet. If they think they are in trouble you would expect them to shelve the testing of 2010 tyres and test more for this year.

[Sawtooth-spike]

Ok,

No they cant cus the rules state that the team HAVE to build there own Car (or buy from an external company in the case of Red bull). I think this was all covered in the Redbull & STR, Honda & SA debate years ago. That was the jist of what came out of the whole thing.

If somebody else builds the car then you swap that would be against the rules. However the Drives could be swapped from team to team. just a thought.

---------


I will be honest i am starting to worry about Mclaren now as well. They are ether have the best poker face in the world or things are not going quite as they had wanted.

BUT.... Hekki believes they will be running KERS In OZ (autosport), So if they are the only ones, that means they will have a bit more power to play with as and when they need it.


PS: Shall we set up a Oz 2009 Team pecking order sweep stakes? Kudo's to ever get it 100% right? Got the idea from Mown's Post

[Moanlower]

A qoute concerning the 2009 and KERS by the FIA

The FIA has reportedly asked Bridgestone to change the ratio of tyre width for its 2010 tyres, either by widening the rears, or supplying a narrower front tyre.

"We have to admit that we made a mistake," FIA President Max Mosley told Auto Motor und Sport.

"We should have anticipated that the rear tyres would be a weak point."

The result, in 2009, is that by producing a better car balance by moving the weight distribution overly forwards, the benefit of the Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems is effectively negated.

"We will ask Bridgestone to change the tyre dimensions for 2010," Mosley confirmed

Any pictures yet from the Renault new front wing ?

Edit: Looks like Spaman already posted it in the R29 thread. It was already used yesterday.

[Roland Ehnström]

My half cent on the pecking order at Melbourne:

BMW
Renault
Ferrari
Mclaren
Toyota
RBR
FI
Williams
BR1
STR

All right, here's my first try, though I will surely change my mind a lot in the next few days:

Ferrari
RBR
Toyota
BMW
McLaren
Williams
Renault
STR
FI
BR1

[kilcoo316]

A qoute concerning the 2009 and KERS by the FIA

The FIA has reportedly asked Bridgestone to change the ratio of tyre width for its 2010 tyres, either by widening the rears, or supplying a narrower front tyre.

"We have to admit that we made a mistake," FIA President Max Mosley told Auto Motor und Sport.

"We should have anticipated that the rear tyres would be a weak point."

The result, in 2009, is that by producing a better car balance by moving the weight distribution overly forwards, the benefit of the Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems is effectively negated.

"We will ask Bridgestone to change the tyre dimensions for 2010," Mosley confirmed

Another potential outcome of that...


Renault are harping on about how light their car is...

Their times are inconsistent.

KERS in - KERS out?

[chasefreak]

Mclaren are back to their 2008 wing...



i think they r in some serious problems... there design has some faults and they will be in deep --- . i think there just one more test left and then the season starts

[astracrazy]

you must of seen that picture just as i did, just came on here to post that.

Getting a little bit worrying, it's not like any other team has even done it once?

Perhaps they have got serious problems with the rear wing? I read about them bring the new wing to this test, perhaps (like the "old" new wing) its just not doing the business.

Who knows?