With just two weeks to go before the 2013 Formula One season gets underway in Melbourne, the final four-day test took place in Barcelona, with two days of wet weather followed by two days of dry running. This enabled the teams to sample the entire range of 2013 Pirelli tyres and finally provided conditions representative to racing.
Very interesting, thanks!shelly wrote:Ex redbull and ferrari (and user of this forum) rodi basso has just started an interesting collaboration with italian blogf1.it.
Sadly it is in italian but with google translate is still readable:
http://www.blogf1.it/2013/03/05/pre-sea ... -dai-test/
Sorry that I keep quoting you, as I actually agree with most of what you are saying. I just wanted to mention, that I think there is a small distinction to be made with performance gained from 2012 to 2013. One gain will be the quicker tyres, which will most likely benefit all teams. Then there is the gain that a team makes by making their car more efficient, finding better ways to extract performance by learning/understanding their last car - which IMO is the angle that we are discussing here in regards to Mercedes vs the top-teams.kilcoo316 wrote:Yep - but I don't think I can emphasis enough the pace you need to develop at just to stick with the top guys, never mind close in on them.Mika1 wrote:It a big difference between Luc Bigois or Aldo Costa, Bell and Elliot designing the car.
Another analysis, and once again Mercedes appears in the top, perhaps this time it will be true, if this is real this championshipt will be total war.shelly wrote:Ex redbull and ferrari (and user of this forum) rodi basso has just started an interesting collaboration with italian blogf1.it.
Sadly it is in italian but with google translate is still readable:
http://www.blogf1.it/2013/03/05/pre-sea ... -dai-test/
I am very happy with the positive comments of all the observers and they have definitely improved their car, but it's better to be realistic. We will know soon what the situation is.Vasconia wrote:Another analysis, and once again Mercedes appears in the top, perhaps this time it will be true, if this is real this championshipt will be total war.shelly wrote:Ex redbull and ferrari (and user of this forum) rodi basso has just started an interesting collaboration with italian blogf1.it.
Sadly it is in italian but with google translate is still readable:
http://www.blogf1.it/2013/03/05/pre-sea ... -dai-test/
Anyway Melbourne is not the best circuit to clarify the positions in the field but at least we will see which car are worse with tyre degradation.
The logic says that it is almost imposible to close a gap of 2 seconds in only a few months, when the rules dont change so much and when the top teams have obviously improved their car too. But, the WO3 seemed to have a potential speed only ruined by a very poor develoment and tyre degradation, if both factors have been solved perhaps we could see a miracle(though I have big doubts).Shrieker wrote:Mercedes won't be at the level of Ferrari, McLaren or Red Bull. If Lotus are a tad behind those 3, then Merc might be able to compete with Lotus. Others are just bigging Merc up to make them look bad.
Bob Bell stated in Racecar Engineering that they expected the coanda exhausts to be banned so they didn't go down that path initially. They also had the tire issues as well. They had to upgrade the windtunnel...but I think they knew they were already so far behind the ball that they went ahead and did the upgrade.Vasconia wrote:The logic says that it is almost imposible to close a gap of 2 seconds in only a few months, when the rules dont change so much and when the top teams have obviously improved their car too. But, the WO3 seemed to have a potential speed only ruined by a very poor develoment and tyre degradation, if both factors have been solved perhaps we could see a miracle(though I have big doubts).
Especially as Albert park should suit the Merc more than other tracks. There's perhaps one section of the track where downforce really matters are from turns 11 - 14. The rest is all about traction, mechanical grip and acceleration where the WO4 seems to excel. Turn 5 used to sort the men from the boys with regard to downforce but the cars have come on so much it's easy flat for almost all teams during qualifying. Malaysia might be a rude awakening for Merc though...dren wrote:Bob Bell stated in Racecar Engineering that they expected the coanda exhausts to be banned so they didn't go down that path initially. They also had the tire issues as well. They had to upgrade the windtunnel...but I think they knew they were already so far behind the ball that they went ahead and did the upgrade.Vasconia wrote:The logic says that it is almost imposible to close a gap of 2 seconds in only a few months, when the rules dont change so much and when the top teams have obviously improved their car too. But, the WO3 seemed to have a potential speed only ruined by a very poor develoment and tyre degradation, if both factors have been solved perhaps we could see a miracle(though I have big doubts).
The W04 is the real deal at the moment. I fully expect Hamilton and Nico to challenge for the pole. I hope they can keep up development work.
Vasconia wrote:The logic says that it is almost imposible to close a gap of 2 seconds in only a few months, when the rules dont change so much and when the top teams have obviously improved their car too. But, the WO3 seemed to have a potential speed only ruined by a very poor develoment and tyre degradation, if both factors have been solved perhaps we could see a miracle(though I have big doubts).Shrieker wrote:Mercedes won't be at the level of Ferrari, McLaren or Red Bull. If Lotus are a tad behind those 3, then Merc might be able to compete with Lotus. Others are just bigging Merc up to make them look bad.
People are confusing the way Mercedes started the season with how they finished the season. They won China and were on the podium at Monaco. They started on par with the top teams. They hit a dead end with their development of the W03 (double drs) ](./images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall"){kind=small}
and were also upgrading their wind tunnel. The winter testing shows that the Mercedes W04 is potentially back on par with the top teams as far as tire degradation and pace. The development race is yet to be seen. 
It isn't impossible to close a gap of 2 seconds as Brawn GP has already proved.
Ferrari were never 1 second behind, on race pace.Vanja #66 wrote:In 2009. it was a completely fresh start for every team, so Brawn GP shouldn't be taken into consideration in this matter... Also, Brawn had the staff of disbanded SuperAguri during 2008. with the regular staff of Honda mean for 2009. work, who he used perfectly.
Ferrari's last year efforts should be enough evidence that making up over a second of time in less than 6 months is achievable...
