Pre-Season Testing Thread

[JHS 1]

For discussion of the track action that'll be happening over the next few days and weeks. Day one results:

1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault* 1m13.769s 93

2. Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1m13.938s + 0.169s 71

3. Gary Paffett McLaren-Mercedes 1m14.292s + 0.523s 91

4. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m14.461s + 0.692s 28

5. Fernando Alonso Ferrari* 1m14.553s + 0.784s 97

6. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari* 1m15.621s + 1.852s 68

7. Jerome D'Ambrosio Virgin-Cosworth 1m16.003s + 2.234s 71

8. Vitaly Petrov Renault* 1m16.351s + 2.582s 28

9. Michael Schumacher Mercedes* 1m16.450s + 2.681s 15

10. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari* 1m17.214s + 3.445s 19

11. Rubens Barrichello Williams-Cosworth* 1m17.335s + 3.566s 77

12. Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth 1m18.020s + 4.251s 45

13. Nico Rosberg Mercedes* 1m19.930s + 6.161s 9

All timing unofficial

* 2011 car

[Delta 0]

I don't think these times are going to be that telling for a while yet, although it does suggest that the quick teams aren't going to be any slower.

[Quiet One 15]

Without wanting to read too much into those figures I'd ssay:

1- Oh wow Vettel is going to reign supreme for at least 20 years and Newey will stat a new religion! All praise Newey!

2.- Nico Hulkenberg could have been Lex Luthor to Superman Vettel, but that nasty Hugo Chavez prevented it because he wants a Socialist Williams (we all know Sir Frank is a secret member of the Communist party, I have a launfry list that proves it. It also proves that I should wash my underwear more often than once every semester)

3.- Force India is the best team ever and is better than ferrai and mclaren and people will cry all over the world and there will be pain and remorse and only the people from India will rejoice but then again they like Narain so what do they know.

4.- Virgin is so great so yes Branson is a genius despite never have spent a single cent and his team coming last even behind HRT last year but they nonetheless are the best and HRT sucks nobody is sure why and Branson is better than that french Lopez which is only in fro the money not fro passion like Branson and again nobody knows why.

5.- Narain is better than Britney and...well, I'm ok with that so this bit I will think is a fact based on this test and I will bring these test times again and again to prove my theory.

[AleHop 0]

I think you're all wrong trying to read so much into lap times. This is only pre-season testing. Guys, this is ridiculous!!!

It's much more important if you read driver's face. I'm an expert on that.

Obviouly you can see Alonso is anything but happy with how things went during his first pre-season test. It's too obvious but I have another picture where us experts can confirm that Alonso's feeling at the steering wheel is far from promising.

I don't need any lap times, I don't even need a whole Championship to have a clear picture of what's going on.

[JHS 1]

Talk about over-reading.

I guess you'd say that from Kimi's face he was driving bad cars all the time?

[Piotr 0]

Dunno- Petrov in the middle, like last year.

But the new Ren... err... Lot.... errr, that black and gold car looks cool. It looks FAST! I think Renault for the Championship!!! AND - are you ready for it??? Petrove DID NOT CRASH!!! For sure, he'll beat Kubica this year...

[Argento Reloaded 1]

Without wanting to read too much into those figures I'd ssay:

1- Oh wow Vettel is going to reign supreme for at least 20 years and Newey will stat a new religion! All praise Newey!

2.- Nico Hulkenberg could have been Lex Luthor to Superman Vettel, but that nasty Hugo Chavez prevented it because he wants a Socialist Williams (we all know Sir Frank is a secret member of the Communist party, I have a launfry list that proves it. It also proves that I should wash my underwear more often than once every semester)

3.- Force India is the best team ever and is better than ferrai and mclaren and people will cry all over the world and there will be pain and remorse and only the people from India will rejoice but then again they like Narain so what do they know.

4.- Virgin is so great so yes Branson is a genius despite never have spent a single cent and his team coming last even behind HRT last year but they nonetheless are the best and HRT sucks nobody is sure why and Branson is better than that french Lopez which is only in fro the money not fro passion like Branson and again nobody knows why.

5.- Narain is better than Britney and...well, I'm ok with that so this bit I will think is a fact based on this test and I will bring these test times again and again to prove my theory.

Brother, change the grass!!!! Or smoke another thing!!!

[Port-A-Loo 0]

2007 French Grand Prix Second Practice

1. Felipe Massa Ferrari 01:15.453 38

2. Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 01:15.488 28

3. Scott Speed Scuderia Toro Rosso 01:15.773 21

4. Lewis Hamilton McLaren 01:15.780 36

5. Vitantonio Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 01:15.952 40

6. David Coulthard Red Bull 01:15.958 36

7. Nico Rosberg Williams 01:16.003 39

8. Fernando Alonso McLaren 01:16.049 32

9. Anthony Davidson Super Aguri 01:16.162 25

10. Ralf Schumacher Toyota 01:16.184 41

...

22. Christijan Albers Spyker 01:18.708 9

Why don't Speed and Liuzzi have rides, again? They had results! Speed was the third best driver on the grid, Liuzzi the fifth! What a crime Our Scott and Your Tonio aren't participating in this critical round of the championship.

[Quiet One 15]

2007 French Grand Prix Second Practice

1. Felipe Massa Ferrari 01:15.453 38

2. Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 01:15.488 28

3. Scott Speed Scuderia Toro Rosso 01:15.773 21

4. Lewis Hamilton McLaren 01:15.780 36

5. Vitantonio Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 01:15.952 40

6. David Coulthard Red Bull 01:15.958 36

7. Nico Rosberg Williams 01:16.003 39

8. Fernando Alonso McLaren 01:16.049 32

9. Anthony Davidson Super Aguri 01:16.162 25

10. Ralf Schumacher Toyota 01:16.184 41

...

22. Christijan Albers Spyker 01:18.708 9

Why don't Speed and Liuzzi have rides, again? They had results! Speed was the third best driver on the grid, Liuzzi the fifth! What a crime Our Scott and Your Tonio aren't participating in this critical round of the championship.

Recntly Alonso to defend Tonio saying he deserved to be in F1...just before he got sacked. I guess Nando was thinking about this Practice you mentioned and the way Liuzzi beat him. Weird we didn't saw any threads on this yet. Scott doesn't count, his career was funded by the "Got milk?" campaign

[HandyNZL 1]

I'll just say, that I'd be surprised, if that at any time, either di Resta or Sutil post faster times than Hulkenberg. Maybe we should run a sweepstake on which race it will be when di Resta is rested?

We should also run a sweepstakes on which race it will be when team Black Gold work out exhausts go at the a## end....and duly change.

And finally...who let that Paffet fellow drive a car? For crikey's sake....shouldn't he only be allowed in a Fiat Panda?

[monza gorilla 1]

Rumour has it that McLaren have also read the drawings backwards with regards to exhausts. So we'll have a new game - which will catch fire first, the Macca or the Proton?

[Piotr 0]

Kubica for WDC!!! Lotus-Renault-Proton-Lada-Putin #1!!!!

Wait... forgot my pills again...

[BradSpeedMan 6]

Kubica for WDC!!! Lotus-Renault-Proton-Lada-Putin #1!!!!

Wait... forgot my pills again...

not an unreasonable request as he has the potential. Dream on sir!

[JHS 1]

Rumour has it that McLaren have also read the drawings backwards with regards to exhausts. So we'll have a new game - which will catch fire first, the Macca or the Proton?

Other rumours say McLaren haven't got a trick exhaust at all.

[Port-A-Loo 0]

I'll just say, that I'd be surprised, if that at any time, either di Resta or Sutil post faster times than Hulkenberg. Maybe we should run a sweepstake on which race it will be when di Resta is rested?

You're prediction will be right only because I doubt they run Sutil in first practice alongside Hülkenberg. They'll want di Resta to get seat time. If they were to go head-to-head in normal conditions, I'd take Sutil. But I'll cover my *** if Sutil ever gets beaten and tell you that practice means nothing.

Other rumours say McLaren haven't got a trick exhaust at all.

I've heard rumors that HRT are going without an exhaust altogether, though US F1 are threatening to sue them for copying their 2010 car design.

[monza gorilla 1]

Other rumours say McLaren haven't got a trick exhaust at all.

Are they the ones that say it only has 3 wheels?

[JHS 1]

You can mock, but a certain Ross Brawn doesn't believe that the front mounted exhausts will prove a benefit. So maybe McLaren haven't got them. It is by no means a certainty that everyone will jump on the Lotus-Renault exhaust bandwagon this early.

Anyway, day 2 results:

1. Alonso Ferrari 1m13.307s 108

2. Vettel Red Bull Renault 1m13.614s +0.307 43

3. Di Resta Force India Mercedes 1m13.844s +0.537 111 *

4. Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 1m14.353s +1.046 83 *

5. Kubica Renault 1m14.412s +1.105 104

6. Karthikeyan HRT Cosworth 1m14.472s +1.165 80 *

7. Rosberg Mercedes 1m14.645s +1.338 69

8. Glock Virgin Cosworth 1m15.408s +2.101 34 *

9. Barrichello Williams Cosworth 1m16.023s +2.716 51

10. Perez Sauber Ferrari 1m16.198s +2.891 42

11. Maldonado Williams Cosworth 1m16.266s +2.959 29

12. Buemi Toro Rosso Ferrari 1m16.359s +3.052 46

13. Alguersuari Toro Rosso Ferrari 1m16.474s +3.167 64

14. Webber Red Bull Renault 1m17.365s +4.058 17

15. Kovalainen Lotus Renault 1m20.649s +7.342 15

* 2010 car

[Port-A-Loo 0]

Karthikeyan 2 - 0 Rosberg. More evidence for Quiet One...

[monza gorilla 1]

You can mock, but a certain Ross Brawn doesn't believe that the front mounted exhausts will prove a benefit.

Thought he worked for Mercedes..... Sorry, I must not mock . Of course we don't know who's got what right now, but it would be interesting if the same or similar solutions were found by more than one team, independently of each other.

BTW, Newey ain't sure either.

[Caesar 0]

Karthikeyan 2 - 0 Rosberg. More evidence for Quiet One...

maybe they should replace Rosberg with OPRAH...?

[Caesar 0]

Dunno- Petrov in the middle, like last year.

But the new Ren... err... Lot.... errr, that black and gold car looks cool. It looks FAST! I think Renault for the Championship!!! AND - are you ready for it??? Petrove DID NOT CRASH!!! For sure, he'll beat Kubica this year...

GIVE HIM TIME , IT IS ONLY FIRST DAY OF TESTING, OR HE WAITS THE WALL OF HIS LIFE!

FUNNY THAT YOU SAID: ...he'll beat Kubica this year...

[JHS 1]

Thought he worked for Mercedes..... Sorry, I must not mock . Of course we don't know who's got what right now, but it would be interesting if the same or similar solutions were found by more than one team, independently of each other.

BTW, Newey ain't sure either.

I didn't say he worked for McLaren either, didn't think I needto reiterate who works where and as what at every team in every post...

Red Bull reportedly have an innovative exhaust solution too, but not that of Lotus-Renault. I saw a picture of the back of RBR's car today and you couldn't see any exhausts where they'd normally be...strange.

[AleHop 0]

What about drivers' face? Any roumours?

[JHS 1]

Well none of them are hardly going to be popping the cork after day two...

[monza gorilla 1]

I didn't say he worked for McLaren either, didn't think I needto reiterate who works where and as what at every team in every post...

Red Bull reportedly have an innovative exhaust solution too, but not that of Lotus-Renault. I saw a picture of the back of RBR's car today and you couldn't see any exhausts where they'd normally be...strange.

S'alright, I'm just being devilish. Or an arse. Seems the new trick is the blown floor. It'll be interesting to see what turns up next.