Watching the testing on Sky Sports. It appears commentary for each session is split between Sky and the FIA commentators. Jolyon Palmer is doing it this afternoon and he just doesn’t stop talking ****.
well, it's not a wing-mirror mount, it's part of the sideways impact structure that has to be there, rules say it has to be covered by some body work, but doesn't say what that bodywork should be, so the wing is not illegal. The bits that hold the mirror up though, may have to take those off, but again, that's a bit of a grey area.
what do you think about the shape of the structure? As you say the side impact beam has to be there and covered but its specifically shaped as a wing acting as an aero part.
Ah, but the regulations don't say what the bodywork can't be, so it's not illegal as far as the regulations go.
I questioned Mercedes mirrors before but I read the technical rules and there was nothing to say they couldn't. Surprising since they banned Ferraris Halo mounted mirrors a few years back.
With only 1 and a half days left I am a bit surprised no one has really opened things up. I was hoping that, by now we would have seen some quali simulations. Hopefully tomorrow!
Pat Symonds reckons that the evidence so far shows that the new cars are indeed much better at following each other (or at least Alex Albon says they are!). An interesting aside is that their research also showed that downforce could be lost when cars were side by side, which has a bearing on the Silverstone incident last year. The only downside is that the tow cars give is now reduced. You can't reduce one effect without reducing the other. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/s...kthrough-on-following-with-2022-cars/8895098/
Starting to see the first representative runs as we speak - the night laps will be the guide I think. Red Bull and Merc just done two nicely hooked up laps/ few tenths off Ferrari but of course fuel loads unknown. I think you’d say most early pointers suggest that Ferrari have a really good baseline package to start and should be not far off the front, if not of course leading themselves. Lot more to find out tomorrow though too.
The difference in compounds looks enormous. Hard tyres look like rock!! Such unresponsive tyres- the cars only look happy on softer compounds- they suddenly come much more alive.
If I were Merc I would have a design alternative already developed in the case of an objection, a design that doesn't introduce the side pods but is less obviously a wing. But if understand the issue with a wing is the impact it might have on
Horner has seemingly climbed down now and said its all within legality boxes, that he never said what was quoted anyway. So clearly he briefed someone off tape and now is denying it.
I'm thinking Hamilton by 0.3s from Russell who will be at least a second fast than anyone else. I'm not sure about ferrari. It all looks nice but they could be doing another ferrari preseason test where is all nice then boom slow as a cart in races. 2 seasons ago they were disappointing after a decent start to the test. I think the merc will run high fuel quite a bit here and really do short untamed sections on low fuel where they get enough to go on for low fuel ride heights. Free practic on the same track is only a week away. Might as well save the high speed for then and dial in if confident of the stability.
That is an interesting thing I hadn't thought about. i.e. when the race starts the cars will be heavy with close to 100kg of fuel on board but nearing the end they will have very little so ride heights are going to change by quite a bit during the race! Plus they will want to have lowest ride height for quali but then add 100kg of fuel for start of race so they can't go too low in quali as it's parc ferme so no changes!!!
They will have to have some solution here as they simply cannot have the quali performance with a set up to have a low rider at 100kg of fuel. If you do then you about 10/20 laps of decent running and lose downforce as the race progresses. There must be something going on with ride heights that I don't understand anyway.
Sugar. I read he has a few tests come back negative. So looks like new test is +ve. Hope he's ok soon.
Haas stick in a fast lap to prove the times thus far are utterly irrelevant. Just to get some.name publicity so Yay go haas... or whatever.
Get well soon Danny Ricc! He’s said he’s feeling a little better than he was so let’s hope he’s on the upward trend from here.
That is the worst possible start for Riccardo... He's going to be going in to the first race stone cold. Sheesh.. lousy luck for him when he really needed this time to not be starting at a disadvantage to Lando. And for Kmag topping testing today... Well, if you needed any confirmation that we can take absolutely zilch from that we have seen so far that is it.
