So what's the general opinion on how close these cars are going to be able to follow each other before they lose too much downforce and have to back off?
IMHO, will be worse, these will be creating more wake/dirty air for the cars behind and given that all cars are designed to run in clean air, the chances of being able to follow each other closer will be worse, hope to be proved wrong! There's only a certain amount the tyres can give you mechanically, if they wanted to follow closer, then they really should have thought about giving these cars more ground effect aero!
Yup! I never understand why this particular problem is never addressed. It's the biggest hindrance to overtaking (well that and the disparity between engines).
Williams new chassis has arrived at Barcelona. Feel sorry for the mechanics having all the work to transfer everything over. They only have 4 days, hope it's already part built.
If I was Massa, I'd insist on doing the first 2 days next week, get his runs in, get the data for the team and then Lance can bin it all he likes.. Poor lads no claim bonus already isn't worth the paper its written on!
While McHonda may have managed to get some more laps in the following doesn't bode well for them. 'McLaren have bolted a set of ultrasofts and Vandoorne returns a 1:22.721. He's into fourth place, two tenths behind the Force India of Perez who did his time on the soft' Two Tenths slower than a FI and on tyres that are faster!!!!!! Not that the FI is that slow but they didn't finish 2016 championship in top 3.
Not a lot of confidence in the paddock that Ferrari have closed the gap, there's even speculation that Merc are further in front. Feel sorry for Ferrari in a way because they top the time sheets they are showboating and if they do long runs they are off the pace. I'm still hesitant to predict but I still have hope that Merc have been caught and can be kept honest. What I am confident in saying is that McLaren have gone backwards.
So... 1. Ferrari look reliable 2. Rumours are merc has engine upgrade coming on top of this test and we're conservative here... oh oh. 3. Red bull seem to be hiding stuff aero package wise. Next week will be interesting. 4. Renault look interesting as an improved car. 5. TR look good 6. Williams have one driver.... 7. Mclaren have imploded. Not only is engine useless. Car is poor too.
Well McLaren and Honda seem to be in a worse state than 2015. Wonder how they'll fair against sauber even! The Renault engine still seems not quite there and I'm getting the feeling that somethings up at Red Bull. They either have something big to add or they've realised the cars not actually good. Ferrari seem on it, looking forward to seeing if this pace is genuine. Testing times mean nout but the car looks to be going fast with ease.
they engine changes clearly have failed and they ran with engine on 0.5/10 to get some aero. I would be worried the car itsle fwas called a handful. Renualt will be good midtable with the engine, but it seems solid and team has improved. Red bull is odd. I think engine is a worry but aero seems totally missing... the assumption is something amazing is suddenly going to turn up.... I DUNNOOOOOO... we will have to see cos i really can't see just aero making this up Ferrari are ferrari. I cannot look beyond the complete mess of races that they have made tactically in past years. I just feel as though they lack the guy at the top who really does the brawn role.. of jean todt even. If the car is reliable great but... can they split the mercs? I dunno.
Really hoping that Honda do have an improved pu next week but I think their current one is turned way down due to issues, well I hope it is other wise they are in deep...... Red Bull do seem to be off form but with all the talk of Adrian's renewed involvement I would be very surprised if they don't have something special that they are hiding till the last min. Ferrari look good but they have pulled that trick before only not to deliver in races. Renault have quietly been getting on with it. So hoping they have progressed. Mind you they should have having virtually the whole of 2016 to concentrate on their 2017 car. Williams, well one of their drivers needs lots of sim practice. Hopefully their extra money (from Merc) can pay off later in the season. Force India are looking reasonable not sure they can manage forth this year but good to see them try. As for the rest well hopefully they will pose some challenges in the field. Does look like the fans prediction that aero was not a good way to go to improve overtaking was correct.
I don't think you can conclude anything definitive this week about a nailed on pecking order. I do think there are some simple observations though: Red Bull have gone very gently gently this week and have only gradually upped the pace. I think they have loads to come next week when they actually ramp up the aero. Ferrari look solid- they have a good baseline but you just get the impression that perhaps Merc and Red Bull have a bit more in the tank to edge past them. But next week and in particular Melbourne will tell us more. Renault have been similar to Red Bull and have improved gradually as the test wore on. Looks an improving team and I expect them to fight for points right from the off, but Red Bull have more in the development pipeline and will pull clear perhaps. Force India I can't really read at the moment. Not sure what to think. Same with Williams but that's more because we have hardly seen them after their damage. Torro Rosso need some mileage before we see their true pace. Sauber will be underpowered and that will hurt as the season progresses. McLaren simply don't have a representative time, surely? The engine weakness on day one I assume means they have ran detuned and low power. As a result, aero is compromised. Whether there's any pace in the car who knows. To be frank it won't matter about the chassis if Honda cannot get on top of these issues. Why the hell haven't they got themselves some Merc people on board?
The only thing that can be said for Ferrari, is they at least haven't been on the softest compounds, so even fuel adjusted (if lower) they seem realistically competitive? Lewis claiming no low fuel runs/quali runs seems over guarded IMO and may be more related to him specifically than the team, at least I hope so. The most worrying thing would have to be the alleged Merc engine upgrade, will it be reliability, performance related or both? Lewis did say that the cornering speed was the gain as the engines were offering no power gain which is why they were 20 clicks down in a straight line.
I don't believe anything till Australia, I've learnt my lesson being a Ferrari supporter. As for Mclaren, well we don't need to wait to see how they perform. Trash.
