2017 F1 general testing thread

[kooleracer]

People please don't get in an argument about strat 1 or 2. Just listen to the gear shifts and listen to the revs of the engine. And compare it with Lewis Hamilton's 2016 pole lap. You can hear clearly that Bottas is not stressing the engine nor the gearbox at all. Also, if you look at the both cars body language and stearing input you can clearly see that the Ferrari is lighter on fuel during that lap and that the Ferrari engine is using higher revs.

Just compare both 2017 test laps see and hear for yourself. If you still think Bottas is in qualymode compare the 2017 test lap with the Hamilton pole lap from 2016. The difference in engine revs and gear shifts is night and day.

I think Mercedes might have a bigger lead than most people think. I think that Mercedes has a 0.4-0.6sec in the pocket compared to Ferrari. The Mercedes steering input are much more controlled, Bottas is mostly taking single jabs at the corner and the cars is less twitchy (nervous) than the Ferrari.

[diemaster]

don't panic, we will see soon

[Vanja #66]

Comparison of number of laps in 2016 and 2017 (8 days of testing both years, if anyone suspects that's the reason):

Mercedes 1294-1096; 198 less
Ferrari 891-955; 64 more
Red Bull 817-684; 133 less
Williams 856-799; 57 less
Renault 776-597; 179 less
Haas 474-715; 241 more
Force India 779-785; 6 more
Toro Rosso 1049-584; 465 less (so, you want Renault power then?)
McLaren 710-425; 285 less
Sauber 838-788; 50 less

So, Mercedes definitely not as dominant in this aspect as last year. Toro Rosso deficit nearly half the number of laps. Ferrari and Haas only have some significant increase. McLaren... I won't say anything...

[bosanac1]

Long shot.

Does anyone know sector times of Kimi's 1:18.634?

[ripper]

This is what I found:

S1 22.779
S2 29.454
S3 26.401

[Marble]

Found this article with race-sim comparaisons and qualifying lap times with sector times :
http://blog.autoplus.fr/moncet/2017/03/ ... t-anthony/

[FrukostScones]

ALO sideways:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IogEaxkqO6w

[giantfan10]

People please don't get in an argument about strat 1 or 2. Just listen to the gear shifts and listen to the revs of the engine. And compare it with Lewis Hamilton's 2016 pole lap. You can hear clearly that Bottas is not stressing the engine nor the gearbox at all. Also, if you look at the both cars body language and stearing input you can clearly see that the Ferrari is lighter on fuel during that lap and that the Ferrari engine is using higher revs.

Just compare both 2017 test laps see and hear for yourself. If you still think Bottas is in qualymode compare the 2017 test lap with the Hamilton pole lap from 2016. The difference in engine revs and gear shifts is night and day.

I think Mercedes might have a bigger lead than most people think. I think that Mercedes has a 0.4-0.6sec in the pocket compared to Ferrari. The Mercedes steering input are much more controlled, Bottas is mostly taking single jabs at the corner and the cars is less twitchy (nervous) than the Ferrari.

Its comments like this that get me laughing.
Its blatantly obvious that you are a mercedes fan . steering input and cars body language tells you fuel loads? =D>
The Ferrari is using higher revs?
Compare the 2016 car to the 2017 car to figure out who is in qualy mode or not? i mean really?
then we have the theory that kimi missed the apex on turn 5 during his fast lap so the ferrari must understeer... funny thing is that Bottas also "missed " the apex on turn 5 during his fastest run and you guessed it in 2016 hamilton also "missed" the apex on his qualy run... newsflash folks the fastest way around every track does not always involve hitting the apex at every curve or turn and turn 5 just so happens to be one of those situations where hitting the apex and taking some curb gains you absolutely nothing in lap time.

[Restomaniac]

People please don't get in an argument about strat 1 or 2. Just listen to the gear shifts and listen to the revs of the engine. And compare it with Lewis Hamilton's 2016 pole lap. You can hear clearly that Bottas is not stressing the engine nor the gearbox at all. Also, if you look at the both cars body language and stearing input you can clearly see that the Ferrari is lighter on fuel during that lap and that the Ferrari engine is using higher revs.

Just compare both 2017 test laps see and hear for yourself. If you still think Bottas is in qualymode compare the 2017 test lap with the Hamilton pole lap from 2016. The difference in engine revs and gear shifts is night and day.

I think Mercedes might have a bigger lead than most people think. I think that Mercedes has a 0.4-0.6sec in the pocket compared to Ferrari. The Mercedes steering input are much more controlled, Bottas is mostly taking single jabs at the corner and the cars is less twitchy (nervous) than the Ferrari.

Its comments like this that get me laughing.
Its blatantly obvious that you are a mercedes fan . steering input and cars body language tells you fuel loads? =D>
The Ferrari is using higher revs?
Compare the 2016 car to the 2017 car to figure out who is in qualy mode or not? i mean really?
then we have the theory that kimi missed the apex on turn 5 during his fast lap so the ferrari must understeer... funny thing is that Bottas also "missed " the apex on turn 5 during his fastest run and you guessed it in 2016 hamilton also "missed" the apex on his qualy run... newsflash folks the fastest way around every track does not always involve hitting the apex at every curve or turn and turn 5 just so happens to be one of those situations where hitting the apex and taking some curb gains you absolutely nothing in lap time.

All very true but when faced with history that tells us that Ferrari does test heavier and that they like to set a marker and that Mercedes likes to do the opposite. It's not beyond the realms of fantasy to think they may have done the same.

In the on-board the Mercedes DOES look heavier. That does suggest it's been the same this year. Nobody seems to think Mercedes is as far ahead as in previous years if in fact they are at all and TBH I think most feel more than happy about that. However going on previous seasons I think Ferrari have thrown the gauntlet down and Mercedes have got up out of their chair, looked at it and just shrugged their shoulders and sat back down and got on with THEIR testing plan.

[etusch]

Comparison of number of laps in 2016 and 2017 (8 days of testing both years, if anyone suspects that's the reason):

Mercedes 1294-1096; 198 less
Ferrari 891-955; 64 more
Red Bull 817-684; 133 less
Williams 856-799; 57 less
Renault 776-597; 179 less
Haas 474-715; 241 more
Force India 779-785; 6 more
Toro Rosso 1049-584; 465 less (so, you want Renault power then?)
McLaren 710-425; 285 less
Sauber 838-788; 50 less

So, Mercedes definitely not as dominant in this aspect as last year. Toro Rosso deficit nearly half the number of laps. Ferrari and Haas only have some significant increase. McLaren... I won't say anything...

Honda's 425 laps better than Honda's 2015 lap count 203. I think we must compare Honda with 2015

[etusch]

I think Mercedes might have a bigger lead than most people think. I think that Mercedes has a 0.4-0.6sec in the pocket compared to Ferrari. The Mercedes steering input are much more controlled, Bottas is mostly taking single jabs at the corner and the cars is less twitchy (nervous) than the Ferrari.

I don't know how someone can know rev level and fuel load from videos. I don't know how you find out 0.4- 0.6 sec in the pocket.
I don't think merc still leading. But if you calculation is true I am sure merc is behind Ferrari.
1.18.634 ferrari
1.19.310 merc.
There is more than 0.6. You can say because fuel load merc can go faster. But ferrari also can go faster. This season is the season merc beated by two team. Redbul and ferrari

[mika vs michael]

Actually we don't know. We speculate...and this is the good part in testing and in preseason...everyone can say his jumbo mambo and then when the action begins in the first race...it does not matter anymore what I have said or you have speculated in the preseason...
So chill out guys and girls...enjoy freedom of speech...

[zibby43]

I think Mercedes might have a bigger lead than most people think. I think that Mercedes has a 0.4-0.6sec in the pocket compared to Ferrari. The Mercedes steering input are much more controlled, Bottas is mostly taking single jabs at the corner and the cars is less twitchy (nervous) than the Ferrari.

I don't know how someone can know rev level and fuel load from videos. I don't know how you find out 0.4- 0.6 sec in the pocket.
I don't think merc still leading. But if you calculation is true I am sure merc is behind Ferrari.
1.18.634 ferrari
1.19.310 merc.
There is more than 0.6. You can say because fuel load merc can go faster. But ferrari also can go faster. This season is the season merc beated by two team. Redbul and ferrari

Fuel loads have a significant impact on lap times. Mercedes consistently runs heavier fuel loads. You learn much more about the car that way. Ferrari, on the other hand, run considerably lighter. You can get a pretty good idea of how much fuel a car is running based on stint length and pace.

According to Auto Motor Sport:

Mercedes turned most of their laps with plenty of fuel on board. With respect to Bottas' 1.19.310 lap, after adjustments for fuel load and conservative power unit settings are made, it was calculated that a lap time of 1.18.0, or even slightly quicker, would have been possible.

That estimate/calculation did not account for broken/battered aerodynamic components. Nor did it take into consideration the fact that the car had not been "setup" or optimized for Bottas in any way. Neither Hamilton nor Bottas did much setup work at all during testing. Most of the work was purely data collection.

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/form ... 52819.html

In sum, it is likely that Ferrari has a little extra in its pocket. However, with Mercedes opting to run heavy and "turned down" during testing, it is very likely that Mercedes has a considerable chunk of time in its pocket.

From what I've read, Mercedes still has a pace advantage over Ferrari, but it may be only be 3/4 tenths come Melbourne. There is also a source indicating that Mercedes was the fastest in terms of long run/race pace. Trying to track that down.

[GPR-A duplicate2]

I think Mercedes might have a bigger lead than most people think. I think that Mercedes has a 0.4-0.6sec in the pocket compared to Ferrari. The Mercedes steering input are much more controlled, Bottas is mostly taking single jabs at the corner and the cars is less twitchy (nervous) than the Ferrari.

I don't know how someone can know rev level and fuel load from videos. I don't know how you find out 0.4- 0.6 sec in the pocket.
I don't think merc still leading. But if you calculation is true I am sure merc is behind Ferrari.
1.18.634 ferrari
1.19.310 merc.
There is more than 0.6. You can say because fuel load merc can go faster. But ferrari also can go faster. This season is the season merc beated by two team. Redbul and ferrari

You reminded me of a good friend. It has been two, painfully long years since he preempted it.

[balintgabulya]

Seriously the reasoning of some people here is pretty poor.

"Historical" fuel loads are not an argument today. You know.. historically when Ferrari made a car with a 0 and a 7 in its name they won both WCC and WDC. Ferrari 2017 WDC confirmed?