Official Pre-season testing thread

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Total km so far:


[TABLE="width: 212"]
[TR]
[TD]Cla[/TD]
[TD] Car makes[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]Total[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Mercedes[/TD]
[TD]3553[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]McLaren[/TD]
[TD]3379[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Williams[/TD]
[TD]3215[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Ferrari[/TD]
[TD]2957[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Sauber[/TD]
[TD]2502[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Force India[/TD]
[TD]2367[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Caterham[/TD]
[TD]1808[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Toro Rosso[/TD]
[TD]1258[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Red Bull[/TD]
[TD]932[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Lotus[/TD]
[TD]768[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]Marussia[/TD]
[TD]528[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


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We're probably going to go through all this speculation, only for Vettel to bang his car on pole... Kimi will come good at the end of the race only to squeek second, Hamilton will get a blowout, Alonso will be somewhat meh and Rosberg will blow up... and we'll be back in 2013 mode...

Nooooooooooooo!!!
 
MOST RECENT UPDATE: 08:50:43

[TABLE="class: results, width: 455"]
[TR="class: results-header, bgcolor: #C8C3BF"]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]DRIVER[/TD]
[TD]TEAM[/TD]
[TD]CHASSIS[/TD]
[TD]TIME[/TD]
[TD]DIFF.[/TD]
[TD]#[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Perez[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Force India[/TD]
[TD]VJM07[/TD]
[TD]1:36.440[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: zebra, bgcolor: #E5E2DF"]
[TD]2.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Button[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]McLaren[/TD]
[TD]MP4-29[/TD]
[TD]1:36.901[/TD]
[TD]+0.461[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Alonso[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Ferrari[/TD]
[TD]F14 T[/TD]
[TD]1:36.992[/TD]
[TD]+0.552[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]30[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: zebra, bgcolor: #E5E2DF"]
[TD]4.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Bianchi[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Marussia F1 Team[/TD]
[TD]MR03[/TD]
[TD]1:39.488[/TD]
[TD]+3.048[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Vergne[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Toro Rosso[/TD]
[TD]STR9[/TD]
[TD]1:39.756[/TD]
[TD]+3.316[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]9[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: zebra, bgcolor: #E5E2DF"]
[TD]6.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Massa[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Williams[/TD]
[TD]FW36[/TD]
[TD]1:39.849[/TD]
[TD]+3.409[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]6[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Hamilton[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Mercedes GP[/TD]
[TD]W05[/TD]
[TD]1:40.503[/TD]
[TD]+4.063[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]34[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: zebra, bgcolor: #E5E2DF"]
[TD]8.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Ericsson[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Caterham[/TD]
[TD]CT05[/TD]
[TD]1:42.516[/TD]
[TD]+6.076[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Gutierrez[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Sauber[/TD]
[TD]C33[/TD]
[TD]1:42.530[/TD]
[TD]+6.090[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]14[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: zebra, bgcolor: #E5E2DF"]
[TD]10.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Maldonado[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Lotus[/TD]
[TD]E22[/TD]
[TD]1:43.652[/TD]
[TD]+7.212[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]4[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Ricciardo[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Red Bull Racing[/TD]
[TD]RB10[/TD]
[TD]No time[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]4[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]



#F1extra(Duurt)#73 ‏@Formula1extra 1m
#HappyTesting Practice pitstop at RBR. Whatever you do, DON'T fire up the engine. ;-) pic.twitter.com/035oLBnNF8

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Matt Somerfield ‏@SomersF1 15m
Ferrari @InsideFerrari F14-T with an aero rake behind the front wheel #TechF1 via @SuttonImages pic.twitter.com/wrAZElDNHi

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Stefan ‏@stefan_f1 32m
A look inside F14-T's nosecone.#F1 #TechF1 pic.twitter.com/D5L3lt1J6Z

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Jose Vicente Cruz asks: I would like to know your opinion about the chances we will see (after many years) an F1 car not finishing the Australian GP because it will run out of fuel.

EDD STRAW: "Cars shouldn’t be running out of fuel if their engines are running properly (including the energy recovery systems that are now integral), even with a per-race limit of 100kg.

"In the races, teams will have plenty of live data to go on, not to mention testing data, and know exactly how much fuel is left so should make the finish, even if they have to back the car off.

"But if the ERS isn’t working properly, that could well cause a car to run out of fuel if it kept running. If it’s not working, cars will be retired, unlike the previous-generation KERS.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"It also helps that Melbourne isn’t one of the most fuel-heavy tracks on the calendar."[/FONT]



[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Didn't think of that, a car with dodgy ERS will likely be down on both power and economy, a double whammy![/FONT]





[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ferrari trialling FWs:[/FONT]
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McLaren were playing with flo-vis:
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and Red Bull still with bodged cooling:
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Lunch break, Perez leading the times, Hamilton leading the lap count.
Not a bad effort from Marussia as well, not bad at all!


MOST RECENT UPDATE: 10:03:42

[TABLE="class: results, width: 455"]
[TR="class: results-header, bgcolor: #C8C3BF"]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]DRIVER[/TD]
[TD]TEAM[/TD]
[TD]CHASSIS[/TD]
[TD]TIME[/TD]
[TD]DIFF.[/TD]
[TD]#[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Perez[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Force India[/TD]
[TD]VJM07[/TD]
[TD]1:35.570[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]33[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: zebra, bgcolor: #E5E2DF"]
[TD]2.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Alonso[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Ferrari[/TD]
[TD]F14 T[/TD]
[TD]1:35.634[/TD]
[TD]+0.064[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]45[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]3.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Button[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]McLaren[/TD]
[TD]MP4-29[/TD]
[TD]1:36.901[/TD]
[TD]+1.331[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: zebra, bgcolor: #E5E2DF"]
[TD]4.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Bianchi[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Marussia F1 Team[/TD]
[TD]MR03[/TD]
[TD]1:38.198[/TD]
[TD]+2.628[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]33[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Hamilton[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Mercedes GP[/TD]
[TD]W05[/TD]
[TD]1:39.041[/TD]
[TD]+3.471[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]62[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: zebra, bgcolor: #E5E2DF"]
[TD]6.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Massa[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Williams[/TD]
[TD]FW36[/TD]
[TD]1:39.323[/TD]
[TD]+3.753[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]41[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]7.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Vergne[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Toro Rosso[/TD]
[TD]STR9[/TD]
[TD]1:39.756[/TD]
[TD]+4.186[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]27[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: zebra, bgcolor: #E5E2DF"]
[TD]8.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Gutierrez[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Sauber[/TD]
[TD]C33[/TD]
[TD]1:40.428[/TD]
[TD]+4.858[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]34[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]9.[/TD]
[TD]
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[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Ricciardo[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Red Bull Racing[/TD]
[TD]RB10[/TD]
[TD]1:40.867[/TD]
[TD]+5.297[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]14[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: zebra, bgcolor: #E5E2DF"]
[TD]10.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Maldonado[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Lotus[/TD]
[TD]E22[/TD]
[TD]1:41.762[/TD]
[TD]+6.192[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]17[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11.[/TD]
[TD]
You must log in or register to see images
[/TD]
[TD="class: driver"]Ericsson[/TD]
[TD="class: team-name"]Caterham[/TD]
[TD]CT05[/TD]
[TD]1:42.516[/TD]
[TD]+6.946[/TD]
[TD="class: aantalronden, align: right"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: result-banden"][/TD]
[TD="class: pit"]PIT[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]



F1 Madness ‏@F1_Madness 8m
#F1 Well take a look at the wing on this baby! Some Ferrari front wing porn for you all. :) pic.twitter.com/JyJblsLDWX

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BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer Andrew Benson:
"It's fair to say Renault's request for an extension to the engine homologation deadline has stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest. It's a very controversial thing to request, for two reasons - 1) these engine rules are effectively only in F1 because Renault wanted them and threatened to quit if they were not introduced; 2) the manufacturers have already had an extra year to develop the engines, after the initial date for the introduction of hybrid turbos was pushed back from 2013. Renault want an extra two months of development before specs are frozen, by the way. Contrary to what I wrote earlier, unanimity is needed for Renault's request to pass. Apologies for any confusion."


They'll get the extension as it will be very bad for F1 and business if Renault decide to pull out...
 
One rumour of the winter is about Sebastian Vettel.

At the first test in Jerez, it is said anecdotally, midway through the second day, after a fractured and massively truncated programme of kangaroo-hopping around laps as a result of the chronic problems of the Renault engine, the world champion got out of his car and said something along the lines of: 'This is pointless; I'm not driving that again until it's sorted out.' And left.

No-one outside the team knows whether it happened or not, and those on the inside wouldn't say.

But whether the story is true or not is not really the point; it is a reflection of the dreadful situation Red Bull and Renault were in at the time.

Vettel discovered a better - but still badly flawed car - at the second test in Bahrain last week. Renault and Red Bull continue to insist they are 'getting there'. But what will he discover when he gets in the car tomorrow, his penultimate day of pre-season testing?"

- BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer Andrew Benson
 
Will be interesting to see that if Renault get two extra months will Ferrari and Mercedes also get two extra months? If Renault want to make major changes (which I agree they should be a allowed to do for the sake of the spectacle) then its only fair that the other two get to tinker as well. Ferrari probably need to finish off the Turbo housing they've been forced into at the last minute and I'm sure Mercedes have found a few things far from perfect through testing.
 
They'll all be allowed considering Honda has even longer to tinker with, they might go even further than 2-months... and the fact that Ferrari and Mercedes cannot risk gaining a major engine problem further down the line being vetoed by Renault can they? For example Renault back in 2010 could of easily crippled Ferrari's engine issues by vetoing every reliability change they ever tried to implement and Alonso would of never been a WDC challenger.

They'll agree you'll see as at this early stage you cannot make major enemies when you have no idea your engine works over a whole season either.