F1 pre-season testing (2022)

[Sakae 0]

1 minute ago, lipstick79 said:

> Money talks IN F1

Yes, I am sufficiently informed. F1 has best rules and flexible internal laws money can buy.

[lipstick79 0]

1 minute ago, Sakae said:

best rules and flexible internal laws money can buy

and if those rules and flexible internal laws DON`T exist.
Money WILL ensure they R there.

[Sakae 0]

I am watching PSG in action. It promises to be more than just satisfying alternative to F1, if disaster strikes. Messi, what a guy. (Love Cristiano Ronaldo by equal measure).

[BradSpeedMan 6]

On 3/7/2022 at 4:12 PM, Sakae said:

I am watching PSG in action. It promises to be more than just satisfying alternative to F1, if disaster strikes. Messi, what a guy. (Love Cristiano Ronaldo by equal measure).

I honestly think, between the 2,  Messi is better, but that's just my opinion

[BradSpeedMan 6]

From the man himself...

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/105798/vettel-faces-difficult-f1-season-it-will-be-a-long-year.html

Hard year ahead, they are still building. I am optimistic by nature, so I hope for 5th best from AMR.

[Sakae 0]

4 hours ago, BradSpeedMan said:

I honestly think, between the 2,  Messi is better, but that's just my opinion

You aren't alone with that thought Brad, however I am in awe with both of them.

[Sakae 0]

3 hours ago, BradSpeedMan said:

From the man himself...

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/105798/vettel-faces-difficult-f1-season-it-will-be-a-long-year.html

Hard year ahead, they are still building. I am optimistic by nature, so I hope for 5th best from AMR.

We are almost there...

[Sakae 0]

D/T 2022.03.10 10:59 UTC

Pre-season testing, Day 4

It's early, however i am pleased that Sebastian was able to start his trials early, as opposed to past time lost for hours before a lap was clocked. He went out on hard tires. Now we have to wait for his comment about the car.

Both, Albon and Guanyu surprised me. Not bad start by both men. Very good.

A lot of noise about MB's design. Hard to tell where all that is going.

[Sakae 0]

D/T 2022.03.10 11:17 UTC

Ferrari is couple of streets ahead (for now).

Quote

• 1 Charles LECLERC1:34.531
• 2 Alexander ALBON+0.539
• 3 Sebastian VETTEL+1.175

Morning session is over. Gasly was experiencing some unspecified problems.

[Sakae 0]

D/T 2022.03.10 15:26 UTC

Stroll is 0,72 [sec] from lead by Gasly in AlphaTauri, both on S-tires.

[Sakae 0]

D/T 2022.03.10 15:58 UTC

Quote

• POS
•  
• 1  Pierre GASLY1:33.902  103
• 2  Carlos SAINZ+0.457  52
• 3  Charles LECLERC+0.629  64

Under normal circumstances McLaren and RBR would place Seb into P10, however it was not a normal day, so he sits in P8.

What did I learn today? Not much. It looks all pretty ordinary first day of testing on the surface. Teams are holding their cards close to the chest. Gasly had little miserable morning, but this evening again and again proved that he is The GUY. He is driving Minardi /Toro Rosso FFS. 

AM is not bad, but also not that good that I can expect to see Seb on the podium next weekend.

[Sakae 0]

Source: F1 official website. 

[lipstick79 0]

Where IS Mclaren on the pretty chart?

[Sakae 0]

D/T 2022.03.11 8:09 UTC

Pre-season testing, Day 5

Ferrari looks good. The years of prep (2020, 2021) is paying off, as Merc and RBR were concentrating on championship.

Sebastian is probably running this morning with full load of fuel, concentrating on long runs.

Haas is back in action. They surprised me. I thought they will sell the team to Andretti and get his boy into fight. instead, Mag was awarded multiyear contract. My intelligent response to it - wow, wow, if I may say so.

Live timing:

Quote

11:34

Vettel is already past half race distance here as he continues to pump in the laps. He isn't chasing pace just yet though, mostly running the harder compound tyres. His car is looking happier though, the German doesn't appear to be fighting the AMR22 quite so much today. 

 

[Sakae 0]

Yesterday:

Weird.

[Sakae 0]

Quote

Norris says brake problem has hampered McLaren – and warns 'it's not going to be an easy fix'

Norris is obviously ignoring history. Tale is being told, when someone asked Fangio how come that he is so fast, his response was - more throttle, less brakes. Maybe Andreas can pass it onto his subjects. Leave brakes alone, and you will be OK. (LOL)

[Sakae 0]

43 laps

Quote

Vettel stops out on track

The red flags may be imminent, as the German has stopped out on track. He is fiddling with the steering wheel, but it doesn't look like he is getting going any time soon. 

Run out of fuel?

[BradSpeedMan 6]

Interesting developments... Verstappen was able to compete with Sainz during an on track battle, and came up on top. This with what I suspect RBR racing with higher fuel loads. Perez promised performance runs tomorrow. We'll see. I think RBR is the frontrunner, with Ferrari close 2nd. Either Merc has reserve perfomance in hand and will jump them both, or lag behind the 2... Slightly.

AMR car does indeed have some pace... I would place them 4-5th. The car seemed easier to drive than yesterday. McLaren seem to have lost some performance and struggling with issues, especially front brake disc. The front pushrod does not seem to work methinks. They went the "other" route.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

Ferrari seems to eat their tires up quicker over longer distance. They need a secret tyre test

[Sakae 0]

D/T 2022.03.11 16:33 UTC

McLaren is a specific example why running testing and starting season just a week apart doesn't make much sense to me. They do need new brakes, and a question is, if they can they make it in time, when are they going to validate this design change? Second question is, was a team sleeping on a switch not knowing how serious this is during first test? Why this problem wasn't fixed before Day 4 of testing? But then, maybe they knew, and tried, but from their "natural modesty" they were rather secretive about brake situation until now, when it was impossible anymore to keep it under the lid. 

I think McLaren is slotting 4th. AM drivers sit in early stages on the grid between 9 - 13 positions. Gasly will beat them, and Alpine has not yet shown what they can do. 

[lipstick79 0]

Sakae WHOOSH over UR head
Who R U talkin about, who needs sponsors

Re:  think McLaren is slotting 4th. AM drivers sit in early stages on the grid between 9 - 13 positions. 
Now ease URself BACK in2 consciousness.
> Nothin has changed

[Sakae 0]

lip, you do realize we are just playing mind games as winter is winding down, don't you. I call it as I see it.

[Sakae 0]

There was a cluster of 4 teams at the top, and that, I think, has not changed. I am just not sure how they stand relative to each other. Ferrari seem on good path to podium.

Between Alpine and AM, I think Alpine seems ahead. This will need however confirmation. McLaren in P4 is also not that certain. We need some racing to get that sorted out. I am thinking of them more in P4/P5 or thereabout.

Gasly is an odd one, and he will appear in unexpected places as he has whole last season.

Mick Schumacher has found new standard to go by. Good for him. 

[lipstick79 0]

1 hour ago, Sakae said:

I call it as I see it.

>Nothin HAS changed - a LOT of money HAS been spent 4 a status-quo.

 

1 hour ago, Sakae said:

Gasly is an odd one, and he will appear in unexpected places as he has whole last season

NOTHIN odd OR strange about the situation.
Gasly IS a next generation Trulli.  Nothin special a competent driver who WILL B there 2 pick up any scraps.
2 finish first, first U MUST finish.

[Sakae 0]

9 minutes ago, lipstick79 said:

>Nothin HAS changed - a LOT of money HAS been spent 4 a status-quo.

 

NOTHIN odd OR strange about the situation.
Gasly IS a next generation Trulli.  Nothin special a competent driver who WILL B there 2 pick up any scraps.
2 finish first, first U MUST finish.

Would you be saying the same if Gasly was British?