2024 Pre-Season Testing - Bahrain International Circuit, Feb 21 - 23

[AR3-GP]

Sainz's fastest lap
https://streamable.com/rjqvjn


I think C4 tyre is giving him serious amount of grip. 136 km/h in last turn is super fast. He gains 2 tenths on 2023 pole just in that one corner (2020 mercedes 132 km/h). I reckon this C4 is about a second up on C3 in terms of pure performance, maybe even more.

What's impressive is that it doesn't appear that the rear tires overheated on the back half of the circuit. Normally cars start to slide the rears in the final two corners and this would be especially the case on a softer compound in the heat of the day. Nothing as such here. Although I have seen a report that Ferrari feels they have a little bit of laziness in the front end on low fuel.

[chrisc90]

Who's first out in the morning for RBR?

Perez

Thank you. Normal alarm for me in the morning then. Saves getting up a hour earlier.

[Seanspeed]

Sainz's fastest lap
https://streamable.com/rjqvjn


I think C4 tyre is giving him serious amount of grip. 136 km/h in last turn is super fast. He gains 2 tenths on 2023 pole just in that one corner (2020 mercedes 132 km/h). I reckon this C4 is about a second up on C3 in terms of pure performance, maybe even more.

I had to watch some 2023 Bahrain onboards to recalibrate my visual observmometer, but man, yea, I dont know if it's the tires, but the Ferrari is just way more pointy than anything we saw in last year's practice/qualifying, even comparing to Max's pole lap.

I'm sure all the cars have come a good ways since then, but it's a very sizeable discrepancy. Also, top speeds are quite a bit lower. Alonso was hitting 315kph in his best FP2 lap way before the braking zone last year, while the Ferrari here is actually running out of power at 315kph even before the braking zone. Good bit of laptime left, at least with these tires. Still, I think it's indicative that these cars are all likely going to be a fair bit quicker this year, not to downplay what I think are clear improvements for Ferrari.

[AR3-GP]

Sainz's fastest lap
https://streamable.com/rjqvjn


I think C4 tyre is giving him serious amount of grip. 136 km/h in last turn is super fast. He gains 2 tenths on 2023 pole just in that one corner (2020 mercedes 132 km/h). I reckon this C4 is about a second up on C3 in terms of pure performance, maybe even more.

I had to watch some 2023 Bahrain onboards to recalibrate my visual observmometer, but man, yea, I dont know if it's the tires, but the Ferrari is just way more pointy than anything we saw in last year's practice/qualifying, even comparing to Max's pole lap.

I'm sure all the cars have come a good ways since then, but it's a very sizeable discrepancy. Also, top speeds are quite a bit lower. Alonso was hitting 315kph in his best FP2 lap way before the braking zone last year, while the Ferrari here is actually running out of power at 315kph even before the braking zone. Good bit of laptime left, at least with these tires. Still, I think it's indicative that these cars are all likely going to be a fair bit quicker this year, not to downplay what I think are clear improvements for Ferrari.

We would have seen a similar jump last year if not for the regulations changes. The reg change was the equivalent of making the teams redo their homework instead of moving on to new projects.

[chrisc90]

Can you side by side those clips Juzh? Like they do on the SkyPad analysis?

[Redragon]

is it me or by the footage of this sainz, the cover gap of the coppit is getting tighter and tighter on the top?

[Juzh]

Can you side by side those clips Juzh? Like they do on the SkyPad analysis?

Tomorrow we'll see faster laps so not worth it. And if this somehow stays fastest lap I'll do a side by side.

[renatope]

Sainz's fastest lap
https://streamable.com/rjqvjn


I think C4 tyre is giving him serious amount of grip. 136 km/h in last turn is super fast. He gains 2 tenths on 2023 pole just in that one corner (2020 mercedes 132 km/h). I reckon this C4 is about a second up on C3 in terms of pure performance, maybe even more.

By the way the car is rotating in the slower speed corners and the lack of difficulty with traction, seemed like a low fuel run on a conservative engine mode. Or maybe these new cars are just that faster.

[AR3-GP]

The best is saved for last. Verstappen, Leclerc, Alonso should all be driving in the evening session and its without doubt that they will all do race simulations.

Unfortunately Hamilton will only be there in the AM, but Russell race sim will have to do.

[Luscion]

The best is saved for last. Verstappen, Leclerc, Alonso should all be driving in the evening session and its without doubt that they will all do race simulations.

Unfortunately Hamilton will only be there in the AM, but Russell race sim will have to do.

I thought Perez was getting the afternoon slot, it did they change up because of the first session ending early today?

[AR3-GP]

The best is saved for last. Verstappen, Leclerc, Alonso should all be driving in the evening session and its without doubt that they will all do race simulations.

Unfortunately Hamilton will only be there in the AM, but Russell race sim will have to do.

I thought Perez was getting the afternoon slot, it did they change up because of the first session ending early today?

I just checked and it's not confirmed that Ver has the afternoon slot. I just guessed that because he didn't get to drive today in the afternoon today.

In the original schedule Perez would drive all day tomorrow.

[LM10]

Sainz's fastest lap
https://streamable.com/rjqvjn


I think C4 tyre is giving him serious amount of grip. 136 km/h in last turn is super fast. He gains 2 tenths on 2023 pole just in that one corner (2020 mercedes 132 km/h). I reckon this C4 is about a second up on C3 in terms of pure performance, maybe even more.

AMuS reported that as per Pirelli, the C4 tyres are 8 tenths faster than the C3 tyres.

Comparing the last corner speeds is a really interesting thing to do. I don’t know if or how grippier today’s C4 is compared to the C4 in 2020, but being clearly up on the 2020 Mercedes there is an eye catcher without a doubt. And don’t forget Sainz did the lap in testing. What was the minimum speed of Max there in last year’s pole lap?

[yelistener]

Sainz's fastest lap
https://streamable.com/rjqvjn


I think C4 tyre is giving him serious amount of grip. 136 km/h in last turn is super fast. He gains 2 tenths on 2023 pole just in that one corner (2020 mercedes 132 km/h). I reckon this C4 is about a second up on C3 in terms of pure performance, maybe even more.

Did you capture the telemetry on live? Because there's no live timing replay on the app.

[TeamKoolGreen]

Sainz looks well prepared for the season. His shakedown laps looked faster than Leclercs also.

[FW17]

Sorry my bad on the math.



SF-24 appears to be 0.6s faster than Max's race, on trimmed down Ferrari engine. So it would need to be a 1.6s improvement to be ahead of Ferrari. Still seems a lot.

RB 19 last year lost 35 sec during the VSC period, taking that into consideration Ferrari time in the 3rd stint is 25s faster than Max 2023 and 10 sec faster than Mercedes did on Wednesday on a comparable 20 lap stint