BBC F1 analyst Allan McNish, watching at Turn 10: "The Ferrari looks like it's struggling with the front wheel locking. Mercedes looks very good on acceleration, as is the Force India, which is a point-and-squirt car. But the Red Bull just turns and then the guys are immediately on the throttle and using a lot of revs to accelerate out of his medium-speed corner." RBR could come on strong at the more technical circuits, hence there good showing at Aus and Mal where traction is important.
6 GP2 cars went faster than the Caterhams in that practice. [TABLE="width: 384"] [TR] [TD="class: xl64, width: 64"]Pos[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, width: 64"]Driver[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, width: 64"]Team[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, width: 64"]Time[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, width: 64"]Gap[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, width: 64"]Laps[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl64, align: right"]1[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]Mitch Evans[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]Russian Time[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, colspan: 2"]1m42.062s[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, align: right"]11[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl64, align: right"]2[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]Stoffel Vandoorne[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]ART[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]1m42.124s[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]+0.062s[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, align: right"]12[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl64, align: right"]3[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]Raffaele Marciello[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]Racing Engineering[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]1m42.269s[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]+0.207s[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, align: right"]13[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl64, align: right"]4[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]Daniel Abt[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]Hilmer[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]1m42.319s[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]+0.257s[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, align: right"]10[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl64, align: right"]5[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]Stephane Richelmi[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]DAMS[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]1m42.373s[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]+0.311s[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, align: right"]12[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl64, align: right"]6[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]Rio Haryanto[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]Caterham[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]1m42.388s[/TD] [TD="class: xl65"]+0.326s[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, align: right"]12[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl65"][/TD] [TD="class: xl65"][/TD] [TD="class: xl65"][/TD] [TD="class: xl65"][/TD] [TD="class: xl65"][/TD] [TD="class: xl65"][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl66"]21[/TD] [TD="class: xl67"]Robin Frijns[/TD] [TD="class: xl68"]Caterham/Renault[/TD] [TD="class: xl66"]1'42.417[/TD] [TD="class: xl66"]4.915[/TD] [TD="class: xl66"][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl69"]22[/TD] [TD="class: xl70"]Marcus Ericsson[/TD] [TD="class: xl71"]Caterham/Renault[/TD] [TD="class: xl69"]1'42.711[/TD] [TD="class: xl69"]5.209[/TD] [TD="class: xl69"][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
Where even a double facepalm would not be good enough here for Caterham please log in to view this image
Adam Cooper ‏@adamcooperF1 45s Tons of power unit change updates from the FIA today, including a seond ICE (ie V6) for both RBR, STR and Marussia driivers Adam Cooper ‏@adamcooperF1 49s I don't think we've had this one before - a 2nd CE-TRAC for @SutilAdrian, plus a new ES (Energy Store) Adam Cooper ‏@adamcooperF1 1m Alas @Ericsson_Marcus is edging towards grid penalty territory as he takes on his fourth CE-CUK! Adam Cooper ‏@adamcooperF1 1m A 2nd TC and MGU-H for both Marussia drivers, and a 2nd MGU-K for Seb Vettel. Fortunately the FIA will update us with full league table
Matt Somerfield ‏@SomersF1 4m #TechF1 @RedBullRacing RB10 Flo-Viz applied to the rear wing during FP1 at @BAH_Int_Circuit via @SuttonImages pic.twitter.com/tPYDxhkgBe please log in to view this image Matt Somerfield ‏@SomersF1 3m #TechF1 @Lotus_F1Team E22 - Snowplough fitted under the nose to collate airflow between the twin tusks #Tried&UnRaced pic.twitter.com/0uC4dl5RDq please log in to view this image
It will be interesting to see how pole compares to the best pre season testing times (1:33 flat). The 2013 pole was 1:32:330 (Rosberg) and the lap record is 1:30:252 (MSC 2004) but I think there was a track change aftre this so it may be 1:31:447? P1 last year was 1:34:487, P2 was 1:34:152 & P3 was 1:33:247 - not sure if these have been previously posted anywhere? It looks like the 1:37:502 by Lewis is either very conservative because of the track not replicating the race conditions with the race being in the evening or they were all running under weight with over fule flow in the pre season test. Time will tell.
Parts used so far. Going to be many penalties this year! please log in to view this image Matt Somerfield ‏@SomersF1 4m #TechF1 @Lotus_F1Team Another view of the Snowplough, showing how it utilises the airflow presented by the twin tusks pic.twitter.com/Y3TDSQsGJz please log in to view this image
Merc's are just messing with everyone.. They're gonna runaway and hide me thinks.. I didn't like the Vettel/RBR Dominance.. Now looks like we'll have Ham+Ros/Merc Dominance, for a few more races by the looks of it.. Watched a bit of the GP2 Practice, they "sound" much better than the F1 cars and some, as you lot have already mentioned, are quicker.. Well done again FIA by making the the pinnacle of Motorsport actually the tier below MotorCross!
