Official Pre-season testing thread

[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 15%, align: center"]Pos[/TD]
[TD="width: 35%"]Driver[/TD]
[TD="width: 35%"]Time[/TD]
[TD="width: 15%, align: center"]Laps[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]1[/TD]
[TD]F. Massa[/TD]
[TD]1:35.242[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]39[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]2[/TD]
[TD]N. Rosberg[/TD]
[TD]1:35.573[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]66[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD]J. Bianchi[/TD]
[TD]1:36.148[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]107[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]4[/TD]
[TD]D. Ricciardo[/TD]
[TD]1:36.551[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]54[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]5[/TD]
[TD]S. Pérez[/TD]
[TD]1:36.589[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]61[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD]J.-E. Vergne[/TD]
[TD]1:37.176[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]28[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD]P. Maldonado[/TD]
[TD]1:37.368[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]74[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD]S. Vandoorne[/TD]
[TD]1:37.973[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]48[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD]P. de la Rosa[/TD]
[TD]1:37.988[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]49[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]10[/TD]
[TD]A. Sutil[/TD]
[TD]1:38.924[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]53[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]11[/TD]
[TD]W. Stevens[/TD]
[TD]1:40.998[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]71[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

Day 1:

[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 15%, align: center"]Pos[/TD]
[TD="width: 35%"]Driver[/TD]
[TD="width: 35%"]Time[/TD]
[TD="width: 15%, align: center"]Laps[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]1[/TD]
[TD]F. Massa[/TD]
[TD]1:35.242[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]42[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]1[/TD]
[TD]D. Ricciardo[/TD]
[TD]1:35.248[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]72[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]3[/TD]
[TD]N. Rosberg[/TD]
[TD]1:35.573[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]90[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]4[/TD]
[TD]A. Sutil[/TD]
[TD]1:35.674[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]74[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]5[/TD]
[TD]J. Bianchi[/TD]
[TD]1:36.148[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]108[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]6[/TD]
[TD]S. Vandoorne[/TD]
[TD]1:36.462[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]71[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]7[/TD]
[TD]S. Pérez[/TD]
[TD]1:36.583[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]79[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]8[/TD]
[TD]J.-E. Vergne[/TD]
[TD]1:36.688[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]28[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]9[/TD]
[TD]P. Maldonado[/TD]
[TD]1:37.131[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]97[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]10[/TD]
[TD]P. de la Rosa[/TD]
[TD]1:37.988[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]49[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="align: center"]11[/TD]
[TD]W. Stevens[/TD]
[TD]1:40.627[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]95[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

Formula 1's FRIC suspension systems set to be banned by FIA

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114881

Can't see it happening before the start of the next season tbh. Though i have a feeling it would bring Rosbergs title challenge to an abrupt halt if it were suddenly implemented this year. I never really understood why they let teams continue developing it in the first place. Hopefully it might at least make the Mercedes as hard to drive as some of the other cars out there, it looks far too easy for their drivers right now.

 

Why they feel the need to ban the advancement of technology in the what is supposed to be the the highest tech formula in motorsport is beyond me!

 

If you want innovation, then the WEC is the place for you. 1000BHP Toyota's , numerous illegal parts not being banned etc.

 

poor management, and an inability (or unwillingness) to design a set of regulations that create a more level playing field/competitive grid.

 

This is getting more ridiculous day by day. Some of the teams have been using FRIC systems since 2008! The FIA can't just say FRIC is now illegal and expect the sports reputation (low as it is) to not be damaged!
Either it's within the current rules or the stewards have not applied the rules since 2008!

Mind you FIA is getting worse, if that is possible, at deciding when to apply rules and when not to.

By all means ban them from next year but not mid season when teams won't have time to produce a complete new suspension system in less than 2 weeks.

Once again STUPID FIA!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Why have they only discovered now that it could be illegal? It must be because of the Mercedes dominance since they are the team that has pretty much perfected it. If it is banned for the German grand prix then there will be uproar, it's very unfair to change technical regulations mid-season.

 

That seems really fishy. It's really taken 6 years to question the legality of FRIC suspension systems?

If they go in to Germany outlawed, who knows what that will do to the grid... It could be an attempt to level the playing field to Merc, but if so, it's a sketchy one.

 

For the good of the show perhaps? It's getting worse, Bernie has been gone a few minutes, is it his ghost, or is it the shape of worse to come, as the ringmaster becomes someone with no past connection to F1 or motor racing at all who is just concerned with the bottom line?

Can't see it going through now though, it'll take a unanimous decision, and I can't see Mercedes saying 'Yeah, we'll bend over and take it', and I wouldn't blame them in the slightest. I imagine RBR, Ferrari, and possibly Williams, will kick up a stink at every race Mercedes win, as would I, they have created a ****-pile of their own making by using the moving aerodynamic rule when they could have simply banned inter-linked suspension systems from next season onwards. They need to be tied to a tree naked and kicked repeatedly in the nuts for a day.

 

Beats me... I guess we'll just see how this one pans out.

Seems a strange way to level the field if that's the thinking behind it, because if Merc really suffer for it, then it'll be fairly obvious what they were attempting. On the other hand, if it's an attempt to level the field and it has no effect at all, what will they go after next.

Seems to me that engine development should be opened up (and permanently) so teams can at least get over the HP deficiencies.

Hopefully that's not the reason, and if it is banned there'll be a reasonable explanation for it. It seems out of the blue though.

 

Yeah... That's true. But surely they know they're unlikely to get a unanimous decision mid season, so why not remove it in 2015 rather than trying to rush it in now. Seems odd.

 

I wonder if Charlie Whiting has hit back at Niki Lauda for his criticism of the red flag at the Silverstone by effectively banning FRIC mid season knowing that it will harm Mercs performance?

 

They can't seriously expect teams to completely redesign their suspension in a week and be safe, never mind competitive.

Running out of patience for the sport.

 

I doubt it would be anything that petty.

 

+1
Constant chopping and changing of the regs, mid season rule changes, megaphones on the exhaust, it's turning/turned a great sport into a laughing stock!

 

Bit unfair on Mercedes, it's not their fault that the car is much better than everyone else's. What next, they ban their clever turbo arrangement?

 

Not sure about the 18 inch wheels.

Maybe 17 inch will look better to allow for slightly bigger sidewalls.

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I'm still mystified as to how Whiting still has a job after test-gate.

 

Old mate of Bernie