Official Pre-season testing thread

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Andrew Benson, Chief F1 writer
"Ferrari continue to go about their business in a quiet and understated fashion. There was aerodynamic work on Wednesday, as well as tuning of the braking system but, in the middle of it all, there was Fernando Alonso popping up second fastest, and that was no one-off low-fuel run either. The Spaniard said nothing of consequence on the team press release, but Ferrari themselves were moved to describe it as a 'good day'. The double champion continues his work on Thursday."
 
“I am not surprised that Mercedes has built the best engine,” former Formula 1 driver and Austrian Berger, who during the last decade co-owned the Toro Rosso team with Red Bull, told Germany’s Sport Bild.
 
BBC:

A couple of cars back out on the circuit after a flurry of activity in the teams' garages. Not much to see with the screens up as soon as the cars are wheeled back but one of the more interesting sights is that of Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull, which is greeted by an army of blowers when it returns in an effort to keep it cool. Those overheating issues still a cause for concern.
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http://thejudge13.com/2014/02/20/daily-f1-news-and-comment-thursday-20th-february-2014/

Mercedes fast start not a surprise… really

Lewis HamiltonGerhard Berger, who is famously close to Red Bull’s inner circle, has admitted Mercedes is heading into the 2014 season as the favourite. World champions Red Bull, powered by Renault, are in the midst of a technical crisis with the new RB10 car, while Mercedes has got off to a flying start in the revolutionary new V6 era.

“I am not surprised that Mercedes has built the best engine,” former F1 driver and Austrian Berger, who last decade co-owned the Toro Rosso team with Red Bull, told Germany’s Sport Bild. He predicted 2014 would ultimately be a “struggle between the genius of Adrian Newey and Sebastian Vettel against Mercedes technology“.

However, Berger sees a glimmer of hope for Red Bull. ”In 1989 at Ferrari we managed three laps in the pre-season but my teammate Nigel Mansell won the first race,” he said.

But as far as Lewis Hamilton is concerned, Mercedes’ pre-season is going smoothly. ”It’s very difficult to know where we are in terms of performance,” the Briton said in Bahrain on Wednesday, “but in terms of reliability we are in front.“

When asked about Mercedes’ apparent dominance in 2014 so far, however, Renault Sport’s engineering chief Remi Taffin did not want to comment.

“It would be a waste of time to be looking at what they’re doing (now),” he is quoted by Italiaracing. ”If we are in a position to beat them, then we will look at them,” he added.



Red Bull to lose title sponsor Infiniti

red-bull-logoRed Bull could be set to lose its major title sponsor Infiniti. Just as the world champion team is faltering on the pre-season test circuits, Germany’s Sport Bild reports that the luxury Nissan brand Infiniti does not intend to renew its Red Bull deal beyond 2015.

Reports estimate the value of the deal, involving team naming rights and a conspicuous purple presence on the Red Bull livery, at EUR 40 million per year. It is believed Infiniti is baulking because it wanted to move beyond being merely a financial partner to the top F1 team.

“We know that Infiniti had hopes for a greater technical cooperation,” Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko acknowledged.

Former F1 driver Gerhard Berger, a close confidante of team owner Dietrich Mateschitz, commented: “If anyone can overcome the loss of a sponsor, it is Red Bull.“
 
Rosberg race simulation fail.


Tobias Grüner F1 @tgruener
#F1 Rosberg was in the early stage of a race simulation when he was hit by tech trouble
 
First problem was a faulty sensor so they cut the engine. Fixed quickly.

Nothing dramatic about the second, so maybe same again?


Could we change Forza's status from Senior Member to Ferrari Press Officer?
 
Interesting point that Infinity want more in F1 so they are leaving Red Bull... For pastures green?


coincidently, Lotus have secured a new Renault deal for many years to come.

The Bando rumour mill is working on this...
 
Forza Bianchi said:
Two Red flags today caused by Rosberg. Maybe those Mercedes engines aren't so reliable <laugh>
Click to expand...

Ferrari also stopped in the pitlane earlier and had to be wheeled back by the mechanics

08:02 F1 teams love a bit of secrecy, and never more so than during testing.

Current pacesetter Alonso stopped in the pitlane earlier this morning, and within seconds of his crew reaching him to push the Ferrari F14 T back to the garage, the whole rear-end of the car was covered up with this rather unsightly package.
Click to expand...
 
[TABLE="class: results, width: 590"]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]1.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]
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[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Fernando Alonso[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Ferrari[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Fer.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]F14 T[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]1:37.700[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"][/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]27[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]2.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]
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[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Valteri Bottas[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Williams[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Mer.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]FW36[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]1:37.882[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]0.182[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]40[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]3.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]
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[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Nico Hulkenberg[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Force India[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Mer.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]VJM07[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]1:38.394[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]0.694[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]23[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]4.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]
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[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Kevin Magnussen[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]McLaren[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Mer.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]MP4-29[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]1:39.958[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]2.258[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]5.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]
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[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Sebastian Vettel[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Red Bull[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Ren.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]RB10[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]1:40.540[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]2.840[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]21[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]6.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]
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[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Jean-Eric Vergne[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Toro Rosso[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Ren.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]STR9[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]1:40.609[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]2.909[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]48[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]7.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]
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[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Nico Rosberg[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Mercedes[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Mer.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]W05[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]1:40.932[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]3.232[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]34[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]8.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]
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[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Esteban Gutierrez[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Sauber[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Fer.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]C33[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]1:41.135[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]3.435[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]34[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]9.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]
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[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Romain Grosjean[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Lotus[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Ren.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]E22[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]1:41.670[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]3.970[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]13[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]10.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]
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[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Max Chilton[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Marussia[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]Fer.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede"]MR03[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]1:42.511[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]4.811[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #dedede, align: center"]14[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]11.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]
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[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Kamui Kobayashi[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Caterham[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]Ren.[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef"]CT05[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]1:45.059[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]7.359[/TD]
[TD="bgcolor: #efefef, align: center"]8[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
What the screens in front of the RBR pits were really concealing - CH in a top-level discussion to resolve RBR's current predicament...

CH: Bernie, you have to change the rules. This is ridiculous.
BE: What? You know I can't do that. It's far too late.
CH: But this is a farce. We've been the dominant team for the last couple of years, miles ahead of the others, and yet we can't get our car to work. That tells you the new rules are impossible.
BE: Well the other teams seem to be doing pretty well.
CH: Don't change the subject Bernie. We're talking about Red Bull. We're the world Champions, and we can't get the car to work. That proves the rules are all wrong. You have to change them.
BE: That's not going to happen. The rules are fine. Other teams are racking up the miles. Your car is the problem.
CH: Our car is the problem? Bernie, can you even hear yourself? We're Red Bull. You know, R-e-d B-u-ll. If we're not streets ahead of the other teams, obviously the rules are wrong. How can you not see it?
BE: Christian, you're getting hysterical. You all knew the new rules well in advance. You've had the same time to adapt as the other teams have. And you've had more money to spend. It's not my fault your car has covered more miles on the back of a recovery truck than it has under its own power. The rules are fine. Change your car.
CH: I already suggested that to Adrian, but he said no. Bernie, listen. It's pretty simple. We can't win with the current rules. How can that be fair? It isn't fair is it?
BE: Sorry Christian, I don't have time for this. Good day.
CH: Ok, let me put it in language that you understand. These rules will lose you money.
BE: What's that you say? I'll lose money? How?
CH: Well who's going to watch a race that Red Bull isn't winning? Did you even think of that? If we're not winning, people will turn off their tv's and people will leave the circuits early. Who's going to sponsor F1 then? And how much will you be able charge for TV rights etc? I tell you, if you keep these rules, it will cost you money.
BE: This is serious. Ok, I'll get onto it. Flick me an email listing whatever Adrian is asking for.
 
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