2017 Pre-Season Testing: Barcelona

What a dream this was a few years ago, who would have thought it was going to turn out this catastrophic. Quite sad really. But shows things just don't work out in life.

 

I think that absolute record was an anomaly because it was on slicks, the regular tyre for that year was treaded as we all know.

 

The cars will be in the 1:17s in Barcelona come May IMO.

Better weather, better tuned engines, better aero. They will be fast.

 

I think this will be his last season in F1, if he even wants to turn up to the first race.

Frankly, I wouldn't criticise him if he didn't show up. He has no reason to race at the back of the grid in a car that looks like it can't even make it to the end of a race, let alone get anywhere remotely close to the front.

He's had a long career, he doesn't need this anymore.

 

I think we have not seen the best of the ultras yet.

The unknown really is track temps and xan ferrari replicate speed at higer temps.

Well that and whos sand bagged pace here

 

I know Renault have said they had issues, but didn't realise it restricted all 3 of their teams to that.

Presume then that Red Bull are still getting Renault updates. I thought TAG was supposed to be doing the development work on the units?

 

As far as I know TAG is purely a band it has zero involvement in the PU. It's just a Renault PU exactly as all other Renault provided PUs.

 

including the Mc-HRT in that?

 

I dunno about quali times.

I know in race they wont but thats a given

Deffo i think weve not seen the best of ultras at all.

 

Fair enough. I thought RBR said last year that as part of the new Renault deal they would take the development in house.

 

I thought it was recovery system and non pu parts

 

Can't find out if it's complete PU or not. I thought it was but I could be wrong.
I think Red Bull supplied ers systems to Renault back in 2015 but don't know if they still do. There was lots written in 2015 about Illien and a part Renault part Red Bull PU but that was before the Renault branded as TAG came about. So not really sure.
This is the sort of info that should be kicking about more. I would love for teams to have to release full details of things say after 2 years.

One interesting bit is that Red Bull will not be using same fuel and lub as Renault!! They will be using ExxonMobil and they have stated that they have not had much time to develop fuel and lubs for the Renault engine before they have shipped then out to OZ!!

 

Just reading regs and it would appear that the fuel F1 uses can contain lead!!! They are not confined to unleaded fuel!

 

5 mg/L of lead according to regulation 19.3. I don't know how effective small quantities of lead in fuel are, but wikipedia reckons classic cars often use a 150 mg/L concentration. I would imagine that the F1 rule is purely a practical limit, a zero tolerance policy would be a nightmare to conform to as the fuel could very easily pick up a trace amount of lead from a variety of sources before it gets tested post-race.

 

They might just dip under 1:20

 

You seriously don't think the recovery truck can go that fast, surely?

 

They did 5 engines and EB says there is no quick fix.

 

I read at least 7. Boullier does paint a bleak picture, however, this year Honda can develop it and fix the problems, and as they are in such an embarrassing position I think they'll throw more resources at it than they would've done had they been a bit closer. Who knows, they may even hire an outsider and actually listen to them.

 

It's hard to have faith that a team that got it so wrong are able to fix it.