Tag Archives: testing

Mar201118

Rob

0

Testing over, Australia is approaching

So testing for the 2011 season is done, the teams have their data and we have the times. There isn’t many surprises within the testing times though I would have expected more from McLaren – not another year spent catching up? If Red Bull stop throwing away points McLaren don’t have a chance. Ferrari should push them hard and expect Alonso to want that title.
Australia is an odd place, it doesn’t seem to be that indicative of the season and doesn’t always show the true pace of the cars. We also know that you can win by being clever here as Jenson Button has shown. Don’t expect the Red Bull to be off the pace though, or for the brakes to explode, they will be hard to beat.
The tyres will be the great unknown in Melbourne as there isn’t really anywhere to use the new rear wing or Drag reduction device, [...]

Feb201128

Rob

0

Testing times in F1

Three tests down and the last about to start before the 2011 season kicks off two weeks late in Melbourne after the cancellation postponement of the Bahrain GP.
2011 looks to be a stellar season in F1 – did I just use the word ’stellar’? – with Red Bull continuing their position as the team to beat and Ferrari showing good form. McLaren will have a fast car too, they always do and they have a well earned reputation for improving their car throughout the season.
The tyres are likely to play a key role this year too with the Pirellis not lasting as long during testing as last years Bridgestones. It will be an interesting year as during the tyre war a few years back it took teams nearly a whole season to effectively make the switch from one supplier, now all the teams are doing it together but will that [...]

Feb201115

Rob

0

Testing continues in Spain

Williams will have done their stock price no harm with this test showing as Rubens Barrichello pulled out the fastest time in Jerez. The testing regime doesn’t really allow for a comparison, we all saw what Sauber did last year in the pre-season – and look where they are again.
The headline times don’t tell the whole story as the big teams seemed to set the most consistent fast times with Red Bull and Ferrari looking the strongest of those. McLaren may have to play catch up yet again, if only they’d make it easy for themselves at the start of the year.
Mercedes seem in all sorts of trouble with issues with the car and not seeming like they have the pace, though again it is only pre-season and in F1 terms there’s still a long way to go until that first race.
Renault continue to evaluate drivers to replace Kubica who [...]

Feb201108

Rob

0

Testing for the new season begins

The 2011 began in Valencia as the teams set out to prove that their news cars are up to speed. Some teams opted to miss this first test entirely or run their old car, most notable of these was McLaren. While some may criticise that decision it didn’t seem to affect Red Bull last year who didn’t even attend the first test.
Robert Kubica ended the last day fastest, showing that the Renault may yet have some pace this year, though he may not get to drive it again due to his accident. The Red Bulls seems to be putting it some solid runs but the Mercedes car still doesn’t seem to have much pace compared. The picture is far from clear in testing though with different fuel loads run lengths and testing programmes at play. We’ve also yet to see some of the new cars for comparison.
Testing continues this week [...]

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