This forum contains threads to discuss teams themselves. Anything not technical about the cars, including restructuring, performances etc belongs here.
no way does wind reduce top speeds by up to 20 kmh. 320-330 is normal speed range in bahrain in qualifying. Engines were simply running in lesser modes, possibly just using continuous race mode. For example perez was ~13 kmh slower over start finish line compared to max 2020 Q3 run.
Wind effect is huge in sports. In sprinting a 2.0m/s wind is the legal limit for a time to count as a PB or record. Reason is that amount of wind can shave a tenth or two off the end of straight time. And that's just for a tiny human body. Imagine a car with what is essentially a barn door on its back and travelling at 300km/hr. It could be a half a second on the straight in time lost. Easily 20km/hr or more.
I don't buy that, but ok you can just hear the engines not going full tilt today. acceleration is slower all the way even from lower speeds and then it just stops in the same way as when clipping occurs.
Also 20 kmh would be easy 1 second loss if not more, probably 2, that's just massive. Cars have DRS opened anyway, negating that "barn door" analogy you're trying to make.
I've gone and checked wind conditions at the time perez did his best lap, because this can be checked in F1 app after all. And it just so happens i have everything recorded
At that time of checo's lap there was a back wind actually at 3kmh, which is nothing, less than 1m/s. So this debate should really be dropped now.
«We have improved significantly with the new car, which can be felt despite the changed aerodynamics and the different tire construction. What we like so far: The stability is right, and when working with the car everything is just as the technicians had imagined. There are no unpleasant surprises. "
What can be said about the new Honda engine? Max: “Everything's going fine so far, even if we haven't started to accelerate for a long time, of course. Because, as I said, so far for me it has been about doing basic work. The engine runs flawlessly, so it has to go on. Honda has grown in every way, engine power and energy recovery. Compared to our stand a year ago, we are ahead in every respect: chassis, engine, reliability. "
Does this mean that Red Bull Racing-Honda finally has the chance to have a say in the matter of the title against Mercedes? “It's hard to say because nobody has revealed their cards yet. We concentrate entirely on ourselves and are happy that we can get enough driving and that everything is going as we had imagined. The technicians wanted us to be able to collect as much data as possible, and so far we have. "
Verstappen on the afternoon program and his last outing before the GP weekend: “We want to understand the car better, we're not interested in the chase. It is much more important to learn as much as possible about the car. »
Real fire will be Bahréin Q3, so everything now is only speculation. Anyway, so far I see more chances to be a nice season than last one. We will see! But I'm excited!
«We have improved significantly with the new car, which can be felt despite the changed aerodynamics and the different tire construction. What we like so far: The stability is right, and when working with the car everything is just as the technicians had imagined. There are no unpleasant surprises. "
What can be said about the new Honda engine? Max: “Everything's going fine so far, even if we haven't started to accelerate for a long time, of course. Because, as I said, so far for me it has been about doing basic work. The engine runs flawlessly, so it has to go on. Honda has grown in every way, engine power and energy recovery. Compared to our stand a year ago, we are ahead in every respect: chassis, engine, reliability. "
Does this mean that Red Bull Racing-Honda finally has the chance to have a say in the matter of the title against Mercedes? “It's hard to say because nobody has revealed their cards yet. We concentrate entirely on ourselves and are happy that we can get enough driving and that everything is going as we had imagined. The technicians wanted us to be able to collect as much data as possible, and so far we have. "
Verstappen on the afternoon program and his last outing before the GP weekend: “We want to understand the car better, we're not interested in the chase. It is much more important to learn as much as possible about the car. »
I've gone and checked wind conditions at the time perez did his best lap, because this can be checked in F1 app after all. And it just so happens i have everything recorded
At that time of checo's lap there was a back wind actually at 3kmh, which is nothing, less than 1m/s. So this debate should really be dropped now. https://i.imgur.com/l4HtU3y.jpg
I just have to correct you. That picture is actually showing that wind is blowing from the north. Which makes it a head wind.
So, his air speed is 311 kph, which I do agree is insignificant difference.
every year it's the same, nobody ever recalls it's testing, and that it's just it, testing. it means as much as friday in a weekend. less really, since friday in the weekend actually is preparing for the specific GP.
these times and results mean as much as Roy Nissany in a Williams doing some installation laps.
2020 saw Bottas, Verstappen, Ricciardo, Leclerc fastest.
Russell had the 10th time in a barndoor williams fcol.
2019 saw Sainz, Perez, Vettel fastest with Grosjean 5th.
It's not FP3 in Bahrain, ready to go into Qually.
Also, the RB's were fast last season at the season start too, but had reliability problems.
Let's just enjoy that we're seeing the team(s) try a variety of stuff and not see them with huge problems.
All that's really confirmed is that there is no team -yet- with some crazy gadget that might get an advantage.
Thinking about F-ducts, blown diffusers, DAS, etc etc.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"
Of course, it's only testing. But I've the feeling it will be a nice season. Hope Honda leave "officially" being on the top spot! 1st Gp can't come soon enough!
Ah...I still think it looks better than it is.
I can't believe or even imagine Merc to lose so much performance.
I'm afraid come FP1 we will see a heavily revised and sorted-out W12 and a Merc 1-2.
Although I really hope this won't be the case.
So keep expectations low and be happy if it will be a RBR 1-2.
Merc has the freedom to turn their dials from 8,5 to 11 if they need to.
RedBull already has their dials up on 12, and at best they can challenge Merc being on 8,5.
RedBull obviously also is running their 'dyno cell' as Mercedes is doing, in other words, these test days are nothing more but 'synchronizing'. You could even argue Merc's gearbox problems were just random 'coincidence', or on the other hand, they were actually persuing real-life boundaries and now know where that limit is, and as such have a benefit.
The cold fact remains all teams have been playing catchup. Mercedes still holds the higher ground.
Mercedes mentioned something before, when Ferrari was playing cheaters with their engines: that Mercedes had to adapt and develop to beat the cheaters, and became even more powerfull. Then, the cheaters got caught and subsequentially lost all their 'play'. wolff himself called it irony that these games made them even better. What people seem to forget is that this shows just how far Mercedes is willing to go and has still improved from their already mighty engine AND car. The pink Mercedes immediately was a great improvement , but still the pinks were nowhere near the Mercedes itself. At best, it was RBR-ToroRosso/AT comparable.
Mercedes clearly hasn't sat still, and have developed and improved. They were ahead always, and they have improved.
RedBull has managed to 'catch up' more or less to them and was helped by the crazy 2020 season, tracks that suited them better than AMG perhaps,
and the fact Ferrari was missing from the picture.
I don't expect Ferrari to have suddenly 'reappeared' out of nowhere, but i'm expecting them to be closer in 2021, and that goes for AMR, Mclaren and Alpine too.
RedBull has 1 driver in the shape of Perez who can now also play ball (where Albon just couldn't), and get RBR - and Max - better shots at the WDC and WCC. After all, Perez is more likely to come in between Max and Bottas for that matter.
However, RedBull has 1 'extra card' in their hands - Mercedes has 4 of them.
Mclaren is now running Mercedes engines. That's gonna benefit them compared to the Renaults before, and they have Ricciardo. All whilst running Mercedes engines.
Aston Martin is the clear B-team / sister team, Wolff is buddies with Stroll SR, has a stake in the team, and AMR is ever so more invested.
So it's all fun and games to concider RedBull are 'looking good', the truth remains they're not alone in the field, and even though Honda has claimed to do some extra work,
it's a fact that Honda is stepping out, and the rest is NOT.
RedBull has a tougher fight than at first sight is visible.
All it takes is a few first GP tech issues and motivation plummets and the competition gets and advantage.
All along, that offcourse goes just the same for Mercedes. A bad start of the season and RedBull can get a head start.
The simple end-truth is this: there really hasn't changed all that much since the last race, last season.
And let's not forget:
Mercedes has won ALL WDC and WCC's since 2014. That's 7 seasons. that's 14 titles.
Before that, it was RedBull who got all the gravy, bar 2009.
The only thing that really changed that was the rules changes in 2014.
Otherwise, RedBull would have had more in the bag - i don't even have the faintest doubt about that.
I don't want to be too negative and grim and dark, but it's just the truth.
Hell, i would love to see them challenge Mercedes for real. Not just for shows.
But the only real fights that are going on are not between AMG and RBR.
It's Mercedes, Alpine, Aston Martin, Ferrari.
And that's what i want to see RBR engage with against Mercedes. Not RBR 'luckily barily managing to challenge' thanks to extreme efforts.
I want RBR being able to hit Mercedes with a right hook, and then Mercedes hitting them with the left hook, fair and square.
It's going to take the actual 1st GP of 2021 before we will find that out.
"Explain the ending to F1 in football terms"
"Hamilton was beating Verstappen 7-0, then the ref decided F%$& rules, next goal wins
while also sending off 4 Hamilton players to make it more interesting"
you can just hear the engines not going full tilt today. acceleration is slower all the way even from lower speeds and then it just stops in the same way as when clipping occurs.
