Lap Times slower than GP2?

[beelsebob]

I just found this... I am noy alone in my concerns http://www.givemesport.com/407636-formu ... s-engineer

Big news, man with vested interest in GP2 bigs up GP2!

I mean really, they've gained 6 seconds of performance in only 1 day of running. This should tell you how far off the pace they're dawdling around.

[turbof1]

Raikkonen did a 1:24 on a double digit stint. These cars still have simple aero and will get several updates before season starts. I think they can shave another 4-5 seconds off.

[gold333]

I doubt they are currently doodling around for 97 laps.

I dunno, back in the 90's F1 cars were 505kg and had 800hp, Indycars were considered bloated heavy and sluggish with steel brakes, 700kg and 900hp.


Whats F1 running today 740kg and 700hp? The hp to weight ratio is sad state of affairs. It's like F1 for kids.

So I wouldn't be surprised if GP2 cars lap faster than F1.


PS: Lol, looking at all the spotty teenager F1 drivers that would seem about right. This sport has been killed off, it's just bleeding out.

[Richard]

Why not see how lap times improved between Jerez and Melbourne in previous years?

[beelsebob]

Why not see how lap times improved between Jerez and Melbourne in previous years?

The only year that this would be remotely a valid comparison for would be in 2006, as this is the last time that the teams had such major architectural changes to cope with.

[munudeges]

Big news, man with vested interest in GP2 bigs up GP2!

Not an argument I'm afraid.

[Lycoming]

I doubt they are currently doodling around for 97 laps.

What's so hard to believe about that?

With such a major architecture change, spending days just making sure everything works as expected before making any attempt to push would not at all surprise me. When you're trying to make sure everything is working properly, you don't want your driver to risk binning it and costing you track time. You don't push right out of the gate, not when everything is brand new and untested.

They have a program to run through, and if the program doesn't need you to go fast, then don't bother risking spinning off or locking up and putting it in the wall. there will be a time for that.

Also, it's cold, and if the Pirellis are still as thermally sensitive as they've always been... well, one time, the temperature dropped like 2 degrees celsius between Q2 and Q3 and suddenly everybody was half a second a lap slower.

I don't expect them to be as fast as they were last year, not by a long shot, but it is not as bad as the current laptimes make it seem.

[ernos5]

Those guys saying you can just pickup 4-5 seconds like that with a few small aero updates, and the driver deciding to drive in 'anger', i don't believe that's very accurate.

It is hard it is to make up 1 second, let alone 4-5 when you're driving at a decent pace? These aero updates would help a few tenths here and there maybe in total adding up to 1-2 seconds at max. I may be wrong, but i just don't see that amount of time being shaved off. As you all are probably aware, the closer to the limit you get the harder it is to reduce the laptime, its like an exponential curve. I'm sure the drivers could take off more time at this stage, but their laptimes wouldn't be all in the same 'ball park' area this recent testing if they weren't trying somewhat to go fast. If they were just taking it easy i'm sure the spread would be greater.

Feel free to correct me come qualy at Albert Park in a couple months

[munudeges]

I doubt they are currently doodling around for 97 laps.

They're not. Raikkonen had the car somewhat sideways on a few occasions so after a few seconds had come off after some burn-in running they weren't just cruising and there comes a point where you just can't. Getting the powertrain fully working might shave a few more seconds off towards 1:20 but it isn't likely to be more than that.

I dunno, back in the 90's F1 cars were 505kg and had 800hp, Indycars were considered bloated heavy and sluggish with steel brakes, 700kg and 900hp.

Whats F1 running today 740kg and 700hp? The hp to weight ratio is sad state of affairs. It's like F1 for kids.

The maths just don't add up.

[Just_a_fan]

I doubt they are currently doodling around for 97 laps.

They're not. Raikkonen had the car somewhat sideways on a few occasions so after a few seconds had come off after some burn-in running they weren't just cruising and there comes a point where you just can't. Getting the powertrain fully working might shave a few more seconds off towards 1:20 but it isn't likely to be more than that.

You do realise that these cars are effectively brake-by-wire on the rear axle now? The energy harvesting system decides how much to take and if it's more than the rear tyres can handle then you'll get instability. The teams will be working hard to get the algorithms that control these systems fine tuned. These are new, untested, systems.

It's day two (half of which was wet) of the first test session following the biggest rule change in perhaps 20 years. It's no surprise that they're currently looking slow. Anyone who expected them to come out and set lap record pace at this stage is, quite frankly, an idiot.

Let's all wait and see what the times are in Australia before we start fretting about how slow they are compared to junior formulae.

[Sevach]

Last years fastest time by a a GP2 car was 1.25.0
Button already went almost 1s faster.
Massa was 1.17.8

Keep in mind that this time teams are really holding back developments, last season there was nothing to hide, just natural development.
And the track is still pretty green because cars are running much less, last year everybody was doing 100+ laps

[tuj]

no one is going to show their hand early. wait until the first race.

[Coefficient]

Don't forget we're on unknown hard rubber especially to cope with the cold conditions. And before you say it yes It is HARD rubber which to some may be counter intuitive. However, the reality is that normal soft compounds would not get up to temperature in these conditions just like normal hards wouldn't, they'd just get ripped to bits so Pirelli have brought something that is tough enough to hold together for the first test so teams can figure their cars out.

We WILL see F1 standard lap times when the teams get brave enough to max out the power, stick on a quali set up and run super softs. At the moment they're all running safe, understeery baseline setups to avoid crashing and the motors are turned way down and will only increase cautiously as they get more confident with cooling requirements.

[Juzh]

Don't forget we're on unknown hard rubber especially to cope with the cold conditions.

No, fastest times were all set on normal mediums, which button reckons are about 1/2 second slower than last year (so something like 2012).

[rjsa]

Here's on %s:

GP2/F1 Yas Marina Pole 2013 108.98%

F1 2014/2013 Jerez day 1: 110.45%

F1 2014/2013 Jerez day 2: 108.07%

F1 2014/2013 Jerez mid day 3: 109.18%

So yes, so far F1 does seem on pace with GP2, barely. It will get better though.

BUT I wouldn't find impossible to see Caterham and Marussia slower than GP2 in some shared races along the year.