I think that some people just don't like it because it's a Ferrari I thought it looked a little weird when I first saw it, but it's grown on me to the point where I'm starting to like it a little. Also if you ignore the nose it's a really nice looking car, but the nose does ruin it a little still.
Im looking forward to some trackside observations to see if the Ferrari's handling has improved. They've found a baseline now so it should be better. Ferrari were using yellow paint on the floor so this could be the much anticipated Rory Byrne superfloor.
Have you read any well-informed speculation as to what that is? I've read that it's susceptible to exhaust heat at the back and will expand beyond legal parameters to improve downforce while on the track but then contracts when the car cools down in parc fermé before scrutineering. Sounds a bit far-fetched to me, though.
[TABLE="class: text_small, align: center"] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]Driver[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Team[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Time[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Laps[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #eaeaea"] [TD="align: center"]1[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Button[/TD] [TD="align: center"]McLaren[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m23.510s[/TD] [TD="align: center"]51[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]2[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Perez[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Sauber[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m23.820s +0.310[/TD] [TD="align: center"]104[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #eaeaea"] [TD="align: center"]3[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Webber[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Red Bull[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m23.830s +0.320[/TD] [TD="align: center"]94[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Grosjean[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Lotus[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m23.959s +0.449[/TD] [TD="align: center"]60[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #eaeaea"] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Rosberg[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Mercedes[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m23.992s +0.482[/TD] [TD="align: center"]113[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Vergne[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Toro Rosso[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m24.216s +0.706[/TD] [TD="align: center"]98[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #eaeaea"] [TD="align: center"]7[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Di Resta[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Force India[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m24.305s +0.795[/TD] [TD="align: center"]83[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]8[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Massa[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Ferrari[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m24.318s +0.808[/TD] [TD="align: center"]82[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #eaeaea"] [TD="align: center"]9[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Petrov[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Caterham[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m24.876s +1.366[/TD] [TD="align: center"]117[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]10[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Maldonado[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Williams[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m25.587s +2.077[/TD] [TD="align: center"]52[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: text_small"] [TR] [TD] please log in to view this image [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: right"]All timing unofficial. Updated: 15:22 GMT[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD] please log in to view this image [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
I saw an extract a few days ago from Button saying they were bringing a complex update to this test, something that couldn't simply be bolted on. Anyone else see this? There's no mention of it on twitter or the various feeds., they do seem consistently fast though especially considering they are using the harder tyre.
Quite a big drop-off on relatively short runs this afternoon, though, compared to Webber's 15-lap hard-tyre run.
McLaren are not testing their updates until the final 2 test days, their focus over the first 2 days is long runs.
I must say, the McLaren outfit appear in much better shape than they were this time last year, around 2 seconds of the pace if I remember correctly.
[TABLE="class: news_minor"] [TR] [TD="class: greybg"] FASTEST TIMES[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD] please log in to view this image [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: text_small, align: center"] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]P[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Driver[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Team[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Time[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Laps[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #eaeaea"] [TD="align: center"]1[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Grosjean[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Lotus[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m23.252s[/TD] [TD="align: center"]73[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]2[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Button[/TD] [TD="align: center"]McLaren[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m23.510s +0.258[/TD] [TD="align: center"]64[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #eaeaea"] [TD="align: center"]3[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Perez[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Sauber[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m23.820s +0.568[/TD] [TD="align: center"]118[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]4[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Webber[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Red Bull[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m23.830s +0.578[/TD] [TD="align: center"]102[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #eaeaea"] [TD="align: center"]5[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Rosberg[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Mercedes[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m23.992s +0.740[/TD] [TD="align: center"]128[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]6[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Vergne[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Toro Rosso[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m24.216s +0.964[/TD] [TD="align: center"]113[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #eaeaea"] [TD="align: center"]7[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Di Resta[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Force India[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m24.305s +1.053[/TD] [TD="align: center"]98[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]8[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Massa[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Ferrari[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m24.318s +1.066[/TD] [TD="align: center"]105[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #eaeaea"] [TD="align: center"]9[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Petrov[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Caterham[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m24.876s +1.624[/TD] [TD="align: center"]123[/TD] [/TR] [TR="bgcolor: #ffffff"] [TD="align: center"]10[/TD] [TD="align: left"] Maldonado[/TD] [TD="align: center"]Williams[/TD] [TD="align: left"] 1m25.587s +2.335[/TD] [TD="align: center"]58[/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [TABLE="class: text_small"] [TR] [TD] please log in to view this image [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="align: right"]All timing unofficial. Updated: 16:03 GMT[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD] please log in to view this image [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] That's it for today folks, the Renault, er, Lotus quickest.