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Alonso out for this final 2015 Pre season test. Mclaren-Honda still in terrible state. Others moving forward. Looking forward to these final four days of testing.
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Troubles continue for Mclaren.
http://www.f1technical.net/news/1993...dc0c77a74bc414
- - - Updated - - -
Follow live updates from Barcelona here.
http://live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/822
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Well, hello there!
http://www.f1technical.net/news/1993...603a4e7b774260
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I dont understand? I remember her when I was working on an Indy Lights team in 09-10 I think. She was always near the bottom of the time sheet. Although never bothered me since it gave us something to look at.
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That's what I'm reading currently. Not really a fast driver according to f1technical.net where some guys are mentioning she's the girlfriend to Alexandre Molina. The guy who gives the caps to the drivers at the podium. One source suggesting that she even failed to pass the 107% qualifying session in GP3 and has been pretty far off pace even at the back of grid. Lotus trying to pull in media attention for money it seems ....
Needs more cowbell
Yeah - I was confused when I read that earlier today too. Glad I didn't miss something glaring in her record.
2017 X5 ///MOriginally Posted by Ryan M3
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Impractical
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Lotus trying to emulate Williams + Susie Wolff, it seems. Love Susie, but her competition record's nothing to write home about for sure.
Fortunately for Lotus it seems like the car might provide the extra publicity they need, now that they've got the correct engine and their early pace seems very good.
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Good progress from everyone and Force India were finally able to do an installation lap today. Mclaren also had a trouble free runs today.
http://www.f1technical.net/news/1993...d32d2bb2a6ed8a
OFC Scallywag
Nice that McLaren got in 101 laps.
That Carmen woman has no business in F1 - she's never finished higher than 28th in any feeder series. Renault must need money realllllllllly badly because there's ZERO chance she will have any sort of valid feedback. Money money money.
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Don't you just not love drama in F1 world?
Needs more cowbell
What happens if one of Lotus's drivers go down? Doesn't the reserve hop in the seat? Lotus wouldn't let Carmen get behind the wheel would they?
I realize that when Massa had the spring hit his visor/head in 2009(?), Fisichella jumped from Force India to Ferrari, but though that was the exception, not the rule.
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I believe she is a development driver, another rung down from reserve driver.
Has she been in the car this test?
And if lotus looses a driver, they'll just call up a retired Finn to drive and bypass the reserve driver...
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Just saw this cool ad SkySports F1 2015 teaser ad while I was watching Chelsea and Tottenham playing against each other. Initially, I thought this must be another great Audi ad but I was wrong.
Needs more cowbell
Very nice [/Borat]
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Needs more cowbell
Ah - I thought I read reserve, not development. I'll put the defibrillator back now.
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And with Williams driver Felipe Nasr wrapping up the last day of 2015 preseason testing and being top on the board we now look forward to 15th of March.
http://www.f1technical.net/news/1994...a0e21302eab209
The most confident teams so far in my view are Ferrari, Mercedes, Williams, and RBR. I have a strong feeling that this new Ferrari with Sebastian Vettel in the team might be a strong contender this time. Just a speculation of course but after seeing how Ferrari have been performing so far with superb reliability and a few number of fastest lap over the course of testing suggests me that we should look out for and be wary of them. I hope that Williams will have an even better year than in 2014 and score a couple of victories and be a strong contender and rivals to Mercedes and others. Talking about Mercedes, only thing I have observed so far or can tell that they must have done a lot of homework and revision to improve reliability. Out of those 12 days of testing only once or twice have they encountered a problem. The fact that they've covered a lot of miles under testing and vast number of laps continuously and consistently suggests they were probably focusing on longer pace runs. Anyways, too early to predict anything.
OFC Scallywag
No one is going to be able to touch Mercedes. Their times were on harder compounds with more fuel. And, they used the same engine for every test = bullet proof reliability.
Next, I think is Williams. Followed closely by Ferrari and RBR. RBR are known to perform miracles prior to the first race so they may yet edge out Ferrari.
Lotus with the Merc engines may even get in the mix with Ferrari and RBR. Well, Grosjean anyways.
FI, STR, and Sauber seem all of a match but you never know from one race to the next who's going to have the best setup (most driveable while being easy on the tires). FI and Lotus will have battles and I hope Sauber can mix it up with them.
But it's going to be interesting finding out what's what in Melbourne.
Looking for some good racing between team mates this season too. Especially Kimi/Seb.
I will be putting my Ferrari bias to one side while I support Vettel and Bottas again this year. I'm going to add Nico to my list because I want to have an emotional investment in the championship.
922r Compliant
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Me too.
Kimi-Raikkonen.jpg
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I'm excited for the season to start! I hope the fight for fastest of the rest will be entertaining.
OFC Scallywag
My wife is also a Kimi fan. But I sincerely doubt he'll be winning more than 1 race.
Yep, me too. 11 days to FP1.
Impractical
Moderator
+1 The fact that they weren't interested in "showing off" during the testing days speaks to the fact that they're confident about their gap from the rest of the field, and there's really no reason to doubt them.
You mean your anti-Ferrari bias?I will be putting my Ferrari bias to one side while I support Vettel and Bottas again this year. I'm going to add Nico to my list because I want to have an emotional investment in the championship.Truth be told, the team's lost a lot of its luster for me; I'm pretty firmly in the Williams camp these days. I'm very eager to see what Vettel can do in the red car, though.
What about McLaren?
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I actually think, especially with ALO's departure, that Kimi may very well pull a Lotus 2013 season out of his posterior.
We shall see. Since Ferrari appear to actually have an engine and Kimi seems to be genuinely happy with the car (compared to the F14T, anyway), stranger things have happened. There is no doubt that his career is in its twilight stage, but I think the Fin still has what it takes to play with the big boys for another season.
Granted, I am biased, since I still refuse to view him as anything less than the second coming of Mika - West livery and all.
The King of Spa has one last arrow to loose, I believe. We'll see if it can pierce one of the Silver Arrows.
Last edited by Stuttgart951; 03-02-2015 at 04:48 PM.
Impractical
Moderator
Kimi > Mika. As good as the McLaren was those years, Hakkinen benefited from a weak field, other than Schumacher. Bottas is more Mika-ish, both in speed and temperament.
Hear hear.The King of Spa has one last arrow to loose, I believe. We'll see if it can pierce one of the Silver Arrows.
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Wish list: Type 44 Manta Pre-'85 CGT 405 Mi16 SVX W123 Coupe
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The reports I read are downright depressing. Merc is almost 1 second faster than everyone else.
So we have another emperors new clothes season. Merc has a dominant car but we will pretend it is all the driver.
If the first few races are Merc 1-2's I fear we are in for another snorefest season.
Hunter S. Thompson -Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!
OFC Scallywag
Williams has always been a good team for me. When they hired Bottas I was right back to supporting them. In a secondary capacity.+1 The fact that they weren't interested in "showing off" during the testing days speaks to the fact that they're confident about their gap from the rest of the field, and there's really no reason to doubt them.
You mean your anti-Ferrari bias?
What about McLaren?
Yeah, my hatred for Ferrari will be curbed because I have to support Vettel. Note that I've never really been a huge team fan. I'd rather support a driver versus a team. The teams change but the driver's are always the driver.
Don't get me wrong. I think given the right car Kimi would be earning another WDC. It's just I don't think the Ferrari is anywhere as good as the Merc currently is. but I totally agree in the the SF15-T is a significant step forward from the F14T.
As for McLaren. I wouldn't mind them doing well but I don't think they're going to be contending with Ferrari or RBR due to reliability. This years cars are about 2 seconds (at least) quicker than last years cars. And while the chassis may be better than last years I think they are not going to be able to run the Honda engines at 100%. Thus they won't keep up with the best of the rest. I think that driveability of the Honda is going to play a huge role. Torque delivery is going to eat the rear tires - thus hurting the McLaren.
I honestly believe, gut feel from reading every single stat/analysis of all the pre-season tests this year, that Merc in quali trim is 1.5+ seconds ahead of anyone else. They just won't show it until it's needed. Expect Merc to easily blast to pole and 2nd in Q3 at Melbourne.
In race trim I expect them to be closer to 2 seconds a lap quicker than Williams or Ferrari. They won't show their huge advantage until someone else comes close - at which point they'll just up the wick. They'll start conservatively. But they'll be quickest.
Over the distance though I expect Ferrari to manage their tires much more effectively than last year (hence why I think they're going to have an edge over RBR come race day) - given their new suspension geometries and lowering the front suspension mounts. The torque maps on the Ferrari also appear to have been polished. This will improve driveability and will allow the tires to last longer too. Given the above, I think the front end is now more to Kimi and Sebs' driving styles and the torque delivery suits the old blown diffuser days. Hence both Kimi and Seb liking the car. A happy (confident) driver is a fast driver.
Just my thoughts.
I will agree, again, that this year even though the title fight is between 2 drivers, it's going to be great to see Williams, Ferrari, and RBR duking it out. Lotus and McLaren may get there mid season but it's doubtful unless rain/changing conditions.
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