2016 Pre-Season Testing Thread

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I expect Merc to retain their advantage, but I just don't think its to the extent that some are suggesting - or at least I hope. I'm still of the opinion that Ferrari will have greater deltas between the softer compounds than the Merc and Williams, and whilst Barca is the benchmark of the overall strength of the car its is very unique compared to a lot of the tracks we race at. I still believe that they have the best aero package as well!
 
Nice work Red Bull, great cost cutting measure there, putting the same livery on both your cars. <applause>
 
Couple of shouts for other teams so far today: Torro Rosso just 0.5s down on Ferrari on the medium tyre- a good show from them.
 
Borrowed from elsewhere- the Mercedes race sim times


First Barcelona Test Race Simulation
Hamilton (M) 1:29.0 1:28.3 1:28.8 1:28.9 1:28.7 1:29.2 1:29.4 1:29.3 1:29.4 1:29.5 1:30.6 1:29.4 1:29.3 1:29.4 1:30.2 1:30.4 1:32.0 1:30.7 1:30.6 1:30.8
Hamilton (M) 1:28.7 1:27.8 1:27.7 1:27.4 1:28.0 1:27.9 1:27.5 1:27.4 1:27.8 1:27.9 1:27.8 1:28.5 1:32.2 1:33.1 1:27.6 1:27.7 1:27.9 1:28.4 1:28.2 1:28.2 1:29.1
Hamilton (M) 1:27.4 1:26.2 1:27.7 1:27.3 1:27.9 1:27.2 1:27.6 1:27.6 1:28.3 1:28.0 1:31.0 1:27.8 1:29.2 1:30.0 1:34.0

Second Barcelona Test Race Simulation
Hamilton (S) 1:30.0 1:30.0 1:30.1 1:30.3 1:30.7 1:31.9 1:32.8
Hamilton (M) 1:33.7 1:29.0 1:29.4 1:30.1 1:29.6 1:30.5 1:29.5 1:29.6 1:29.7 1:29.8 1:29.3 1:29.8 1:29.6 1:30.1 1:30.0 1:29.9 1:29.8 1:30.1 1:30.4
Hamilton (M) 1:28.7 1:28.2 1:28.3 1:29.5 1:28.9 1:28.7 1:30.0 1:30.4 1:28.3 1:28.5 1:28.8 1:29.5 1:29.4 1:29.5 1:31.2
Hamilton (M) 1:27.0 1:27.2 1:27.2 1:27.1 1:27.1 1:27.2 1:27.2 1:27.0 1:27.4 1:27.2 1:27.5 1:27.4 1:27.4 1:27.4 1:27.6 1:27.4 1:27.5 1:27.8 1:28.4 1:28.8

<yikes>
 
The bottom line of test two is the one that might begin to concern some of the rivals! Very consistent on the mediums on long run. Some talk of him almost driving to target times rather than pushing, which would not be good fun for us viewers! Haha.


Ferrari have clearly got pace in their car too but as EternalMSC says- they have to prove it as reliable too.
 
That time from Alonso actually isn't horrible. It's not great either, but it's the first time it looks like they can contend in the midfield.
 
Julius Caesar said:
That time from Alonso actually isn't horrible. It's not great either, but it's the first time it looks like they can contend in the midfield.
Click to expand...

I genuinely think McLaren have built an excellent chassis. If Honda can continue to make strides they will eventually be podium players once again.
 
Hopefully the chassis and aero are as good as McLaren were claiming, flip side - is it covering for the engine at this track?
 
Lots of nice touches.

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Lunchtime digest:
  • Hamilton puts on soft tyres for the first time to set the pace but remains half a second shy of Rosberg's time on same tyres yesterday
  • McLaren and Jenson Button 1.5 seconds behind Mercedes W07 on same tyre compound
  • Ferrari set their fastest time of winter testing on medium tyres but still three tenths adrift of Merc's best on mediums
  • Sauber and Haas hit by unreliability
 
What do you guys make of the 1.5s gap between Mercedes and McHonda?

IF that is comparable (i.e fuel load-wise), I think that is actually very good winter progress from McLaren, because that Mercedes looks so much better again this year, so McHonda must have made a pretty sizeable step themselves there.

Torro Rosso did a good lap on the mediums today- a low 1:25 which suggests they ought to have the edge over McLaren in Melbourne.

I suspect Australia will be MERC-FERRARI-Williams/Torro Rosso battling it out, with Red Bull, McHonda, and Force India looking for points. That midfield looks very tight.

I'm quite excited to see Ferrari in quali-trim come Melbourne- that car looks fast and aggressive, but with the risk of it going bang!
 
It's not really about who has the best car, we already knew it would be Mercedes, it's how far the others have caught up, and where they've caught it up. Williams were a threat at a few tracks, but poor decision making has cost them victories, Red-bull had the chassis but not the engine and I expect them to be a threat later in the season, they've always done well later in the season, where the traclks seem to favour them more, and by then TAG will probably have improved the Renaults engine, I can see them winning races later on. And then there's Ferrari, how much time do they have to make up to be enough of a threat to snatch victories?
I think the Merc will be the best or 2nd best at all the tracks, but don't think it will be the best at anywhere near as many as it was. There's also the bad blood, I hope Lewis does something a little naughty in Aus that pisses Nico off and gives him some early season anger to fight.
 
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