Bahrain testing 19-22 Feb

[shamim179]

I'm not writing off Red Bull because of their inability to improve their car. In fact their ability to improve the car is the best amongst all the teams and by quite a big margin. What is going to keep them uncompetitive for many races this season is going to be because of the Renault engine. Of course all this changes if Renault are given special concessions to modify their engines on the grounds of reliability and there's also the haunting prospect of double points being extended to 3 races which will only serve to help Red Bull.

[shamim179]

I would say we are looking fairly good. We have gone through many aspects if not all of the programme but perhaps there wasn't as much to do as opposed to other teams. We have racked many kms and many laps in a variety of configuration settings. We seem to have been playing a lot with the set up to better understand the behavior and performance of the baseline car. This is the logical step preceding the next one where you add more modifications and refinements to the overall package. Perhaps we are slightly behind the programme given that we haven't done a race simulation yet. And it also doesn't help when we have one of our customers hardly doing any laps!

[shamim179]

I'd like to know whether our ERS is working at a much higher level than the 1st test. There was a rumor by Craig if I recall correctly that some of the cables were overheating. I wonder if this issue if true has been resolved?

[bondilad]

Lotus claims to have run their engine at full power today. Which explains the fastest time posted by a Renault team.

Are we running our engine at full power?

[hrc5555]

Actually, with their two or three bad test i consider them equal to rest of top teams, i never wrote them of! They are now more on our level!


You mean now they would be on our level if they have reliable engine and car like we have? If you meant what you said than I highly disagree with you!
Besides, (I will repeat this one's more) I think they can not win first race, not championship. When they recover reliability they will probably be a threat.
No one is writing them of from championship battle at this stage, yust from competition for first race win!

[Ste]

Nico Rosberg has stressed that Mercedes' ominously large timesheet advantage on the final day of the first Bahrain test was the result of the team simulating qualifying-style runs.

For the second successive session at the middle winter test the timesheet was headed by a works Mercedes driver, Rosberg setting a stunning 1:33.283 time on soft tyres - which was half a second quicker than team-mate Lewis Hamilton managed on the same compound on Day Three.

Rosberg's lap was also more than 1.6 seconds quicker than the next fastest Day Four runner, McLaren's Jenson Button, and within a second of his own pole time from last year's Bahrain GP despite the all-new 2014 generation cars not being expected to yet be anywhere near as quick relative to their predecessors.

And while Mercedes' latest show of strength undoubtedly appears ominous for the field, Rosberg suggested the Brackley team may nonetheless have been slightly flattered.

"In the morning I was doing some qualifying-style practices with lower fuel and that was good because I was feeling comfortable in the car," the German confirmed.

"I was able to push, we had a good balance and so I was pretty pleased with that. It's early days to say where we were because the other guys didn't take out as much fuel as we did, so we need to be very, very careful."

Nonetheless, there is a growing belief around the sport that Mercedes - many pundits' long-time tips for success in F1's new turbo era - have stolen a march on the field after the first two tests and are already clear favourites to win in Melbourne.

That feeling was strengthened by the sight of Rosberg completing a full 57-lap Bahrain GP race distance during the afternoon on Day Four and the driver himself admitted the team were in a "positive" situation with one test still to come.

However, Rosberg sounded a note of caution by pointing out that his two stoppages during the course of the day - which made it four for the week across his two days in the W05 - reminded the team that, like everyone else, they were not yet completely on top of reliability.

"For sure it's positive at the moment," he said. "In terms of reliability I managed to complete the race distance today, so that's been good.

"Nevertheless the car did break afterwards so there's still some way to go. So problems arising here and there, which is totally normal, and in comparison to other teams we are in a good position with reliability. But even us we need to be 100% bullet proof by the time we get to Melbourne, which is a massive challenge and very, very difficult. So that's where the focus needs to be on."

With quadruple World Champions Red Bull once more experiencing a difficult Bahrain test and trailing Mercedes by nearly 500 laps this winter, Rosberg added: "Definitely it's clear that we are ahead in testing at the moment with respect to reliability because they're struggling and we've done so many more laps than them and uncovered so many problems as a result which we're not able to resolve and cure."

[Winter]

Lotus claims to have run their engine at full power today. Which explains the fastest time posted by a Renault team.

Are we running our engine at full power?


I see no reason why we wouldn't. If there is some issues with engine when full power is taken out it would be best to know as soon as possible.

[hrc5555]

Nico Rosberg has stressed that Mercedes' ominously large timesheet advantage on the final day of the first Bahrain test was the result of the team simulating qualifying-style runs.

For the second successive session at the middle winter test the timesheet was headed by a works Mercedes driver, Rosberg setting a stunning 1:33.283 time on soft tyres - which was half a second quicker than team-mate Lewis Hamilton managed on the same compound on Day Three.

Rosberg's lap was also more than 1.6 seconds quicker than the next fastest Day Four runner, McLaren's Jenson Button, and within a second of his own pole time from last year's Bahrain GP despite the all-new 2014 generation cars not being expected to yet be anywhere near as quick relative to their predecessors.

And while Mercedes' latest show of strength undoubtedly appears ominous for the field, Rosberg suggested the Brackley team may nonetheless have been slightly flattered.

"In the morning I was doing some qualifying-style practices with lower fuel and that was good because I was feeling comfortable in the car," the German confirmed.

"I was able to push, we had a good balance and so I was pretty pleased with that. It's early days to say where we were because the other guys didn't take out as much fuel as we did, so we need to be very, very careful."

Nonetheless, there is a growing belief around the sport that Mercedes - many pundits' long-time tips for success in F1's new turbo era - have stolen a march on the field after the first two tests and are already clear favourites to win in Melbourne.

That feeling was strengthened by the sight of Rosberg completing a full 57-lap Bahrain GP race distance during the afternoon on Day Four and the driver himself admitted the team were in a "positive" situation with one test still to come.

However, Rosberg sounded a note of caution by pointing out that his two stoppages during the course of the day - which made it four for the week across his two days in the W05 - reminded the team that, like everyone else, they were not yet completely on top of reliability.

"For sure it's positive at the moment," he said. "In terms of reliability I managed to complete the race distance today, so that's been good.

"Nevertheless the car did break afterwards so there's still some way to go. So problems arising here and there, which is totally normal, and in comparison to other teams we are in a good position with reliability. But even us we need to be 100% bullet proof by the time we get to Melbourne, which is a massive challenge and very, very difficult. So that's where the focus needs to be on."

With quadruple World Champions Red Bull once more experiencing a difficult Bahrain test and trailing Mercedes by nearly 500 laps this winter, Rosberg added: "Definitely it's clear that we are ahead in testing at the moment with respect to reliability because they're struggling and we've done so many more laps than them and uncovered so many problems as a result which we're not able to resolve and cure.[/B]"


Lets see if they can recover reliability on next test in Bahrain. :-D

[Rob]

interesting last few words there from Nico :Hmm

[mark p]

Or, could start at steady pace, keep times and fuel usage low and then push towards end of the race.

We are standing very good. We have got low'ish D/F on, its not the package we will take to Melbourne, theres few things coming. Merc, i think, and few other people thinking that they WANT media to say they best shape, and will win WDC WCC. Remember, they held a PR day, for all F1 media to show off the engine. Thats why they all think they will win.

We, on the other hand, going through are programmes, fixing few problems, and not focussing on lap times. As they do not mean nothing. Theres no points. We could just go out there with 3 laps worth of fuel, ramp up the engine, do 1 flying lap, get top time and sit in garage rest of tests. Not going to learn anything. If Merc want to run fast, let them. We are doing our stuff, if that means on a long run we pop up the quickest time good. But, its not main goal.

Starting steady to push later may mean you get swamped at the start and lose track position, running in dirty air. Will running behind car be very bad this year due to tight cooling?

[Rob]

Starting steady to push later may mean you get swamped at the start and lose track position, running in dirty air. Will running behind car be very bad this year due to tight cooling?

Not sure, it would be big gamble first few races, until teams get that handled. Its going to be tough, what do you do, sprint off, get good enough lead, then slow down for last half of the race. Or go slow, then push near end? Both ways is massive gamble.

Cannt wait:clap

[gjoko-mkd]

Alonso`s start simulation at the exit of pit line


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pKG6svno5U

[Hermann]

And Kimis crash:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDmdLeIX7n8

[Unbannable II]

Ferrari keeps insisting on testing the car without monkey seat, considering it gives ever so valuable downforce. I get a feeling they are sandbagging, why else would they take it off after Alonso tested it on the second day. There was also a picture of some deflector in front of a spliter, witch would only disrupt the airflow around the car. Can't think of any use than to make a car appear slower for sandbagging purposes. So I get a feeling Ferrari is in good shape, just don't wanna show their hand too early. :Hmm

[ManFromMilan]

It is good that we seem to be steadily building and improving. Nothing to get too excited about, but even less to be worried about.

This is testing and no matter how big the urge may be to get sucked into the hype of testing gossip we will not know how well anybody has done until Australia. Even next week might not be telling in the pecking order.

The Merc's may even turn out to be "duds".

So Pooh to you with knobs on, if anyone thinks we are behind.

[abbottcostello]

Ferrari keeps insisting on testing the car without monkey seat, considering it gives ever so valuable downforce. I get a feeling they are sandbagging, why else would they take it off after Alonso tested it on the second day. There was also a picture of some deflector in front of a spliter, witch would only disrupt the airflow around the car. Can't think of any use than to make a car appear slower for sandbagging purposes. So I get a feeling Ferrari is in good shape, just don't wanna show their hand too early. :Hmm

I would really be keen to see this picture of what you suggest is a device to purposely disrupt the cars aero, this seems pretty far-fetched to me! Doing what you suggest, disrupting airflow, would only endanger the driver & risk causing lots of damage to the car if that is its reason.
I could believe there is some strange looking instrumentation/measuring device that the team has attached for data logging of one sort or another, but sabotage the car's aero function... not so much:-!


It is amazing how people continue to fret & wring hands over the teams performance:paranoid No matter how much it is repeated by the team that nothing the they are doing right now is to try & squeeze immediate performance from the F14-T. I'll agree that the different teams try to play some mind games with the competition, but right now Ferrari seem to be very targeted & focused, with a certain confidence & resolve & right now that is enough for me.

[Unbannable II]

Heres the picture:
5733
It ocured to me that it might be a measuring device, but they usually don't disrupt the airflow, cause the point is to measure it uninterupted. This looks like just an obstacle to the airflow. Anyway it wouldn't be dangerous to the driver cause it lowers the downforce from the floor just a little bit, the air is still passing around the car and there are other devices like wings on the car.
If they wanted full downforce, they would just add that monkey seat, so it isn't far fetched at all.

[vcs316]

'I destroyed the car quite badly' - Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen said his spin on the final day of testing was "not the end of the word" as he brushed off the accident that saw him finish Saturday's session in the barrier.

With just five minutes remaining Raikkonen lost the rear of his Ferrari on the exit of Turn Four and destroyed the nose of the car against the barriers. However, with four full days before the start of the next test in Bahrain the team will have no problems fixing the F14 T.

"I spun and crashed in the wall unfortunately," Raikkonen said. "I destroyed the car quite badly but luckily we can fix it, it's just a little bit of work unfortunately. But that's how it goes. Maybe it was me, but sometimes it happens and it's not like it's the end of the world even if people like to think it is. I just got wheelspin and went to the inside and into the wall."

Raikkonen said Ferrari would start to explore the potential of its car at the final test next week.

"I think it's not too bad. Lap time wise I don't know yet, we will have to see next week, but there are not any major issues. There are things we want to improve and we can improve, but we're just trying to understand what happens when you change things [with the set-up], what the car will do. Every car is different and it's hard to know, but we are getting some idea what we want to do. I think it's pretty okay, but for sure we want to improve and there is a long way to go."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

[mihirshah28186]

What can we deduce from the Bahrain tests. How good is the Ferrari F14T? Where does it need improvements?

[Hornet]

What can we deduce from the Bahrain tests. How good is the Ferrari F14T? Where does it need improvements?

Ferrari have not done qualifying simulations yet, so we do not know where we are in terms of pace. As far as reliability goes, we have no major issues at the moment, so I'd say we're pretty ok in terms of reliability.

But I think this season will reward cars with solid overall reliability, not just power unit. On our 3rd day, Ferrari had a telemetry issues which resulted in some hours of fixing it. I guess the car is so complex that if you need to take things apart, it's going to be very long. Ted mentioned in Jerez that it takes 3 hours to change a gearbox and 6 hours to change a power unit. So if we have any issues that require us to take the engine apart, the result could be disastrous (such as missing free practice or qualifying).

[ntukza]

Nothing to write home about then.

[ntukza]

We can't deduce much from the test, but we can from team comments. Kimi said we still have a long way to go and the team now has a better idea about what to do, which implies that we may have still been looking for a direction for development all this time. To me that doesn't sound all that great, but we'll have to wait a while and see.

[Bubbles]

Another year in the series 2009-2013 it seems. 3rd fastest car combined with the best driver pairing should yield at least one of those elusive champions' trophies.

It's becoming clear that Kimi's car control is not as good as Fernando's. The F138v2 (a.k.a., F14 T) better work with the tires this time around, or it's just going to be Fernando thrashing Kimi every weekend without any actual race wins for the whole season.

Fingers crossed for Melbourne.

[Jose-Lorca Fan]

Another year in the series 2009-2013 it seems. 3rd fastest car combined with the best driver pairing should yield at least one of those elusive champions' trophies.

It's becoming clear that Kimi's car control is not as good as Fernando's. The F138v2 (a.k.a., F14 T) better work with the tires this time around, or it's just going to be Fernando thrashing Kimi every weekend without any actual race wins for the whole season.

Fingers crossed for Melbourne.

It may well turn out that we are third best, but to deduce that from these testing sessions makes you look like a little bit of an idiot!

[Forzi]

Too early to judge. We're reliable, we got our lap count in, that's all there is to know at the moment. We've heard one or two people saying, who saw us on track, that we seem a lil bit twitchy, that's it. We don't have our final parts on. We didn't even work on setup to try getting some performance out of it and fixing the problems we have on the car that MAY be fixed just like that. That's what we will be doing next week.

If you can't keep your doom and gloom posts to your self until Melbourne, then please, at least try doing so till the end of next week. Seems like Mercedes were the only ones working on performance, they even did low fuel quali runs (Rosberg clearly and openly said it yesterday).

[bonzo]

Let's not jump to conclusions yet. We will see after one week. For now - stay calm, keep your feet firmly on the ground, etc., etc...

[mark p]

Not sure, it would be big gamble first few races, until teams get that handled. Its going to be tough, what do you do, sprint off, get good enough lead, then slow down for last half of the race. Or go slow, then push near end? Both ways is massive gamble.

Cannt wait:clap

Agree. Maybe this is why Rosberg displayed quite linear times. As next test is same track maybe they run at least 2 more race sims one faster at start one faster at the end then 3 sets of data to check and decide a more exact method.

On a seperate note on speed in Australia this year with so mnay changes development could bring far greater gains than last year. Over the year cars could gain many seconds rather than 1 or 2 like normal and testing pre season is to short so some teams may arrive further up their development potential and appear out of sight but may be caught up. Possibly like 2009 when Brawn were different league 1st half then 3rd fastest by the end. Do not count any too team out even after 1st few races. Ferrari may be on pole by a second or behind by more than a second but it does not mean the season is won or lost either way. Development potential for all is huge this year.

[Jas]

Brawn was an exception tbh, they ran out of cash to develop!

[mark p]

2009 was a big rule change though and before that 1998 was a big change and McLaren were well over a second ahead of Ferrari for 1st few races but things really got close that year amd went to the end. Ferrari won 3rd race at San Marino after McLaren finished previous race a lap in front of 4th and a minute ahead of Schumacher in 3rd. I think the order will change sharply one race to the next as things are found out.

[Avantifer12]

BBC video, Practice start and a good old backfire, quite a loud bang at 3.55 ish.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZgMf_lQ21o&feature=youtu.be&t=

[Hornet]

Agree. Maybe this is why Rosberg displayed quite linear times. As next test is same track maybe they run at least 2 more race sims one faster at start one faster at the end then 3 sets of data to check and decide a more exact method.

On a seperate note on speed in Australia this year with so mnay changes development could bring far greater gains than last year. Over the year cars could gain many seconds rather than 1 or 2 like normal and testing pre season is to short so some teams may arrive further up their development potential and appear out of sight but may be caught up. Possibly like 2009 when Brawn were different league 1st half then 3rd fastest by the end. Do not count any too team out even after 1st few races. Ferrari may be on pole by a second or behind by more than a second but it does not mean the season is won or lost either way. Development potential for all is huge this year.

I'm worried about the engine homologation though. If indeed there's a performance difference in the engine and it gets cemented in place due to the homologation by the end of this month, that difference is going to be around for a long time. For example if the difference between Merc and Renault engine we see now gets stuck that way due to homologation, I think it's bad for the sport.

We'll see how it turns out. But if this season shows that there's a huge performance difference between the engines, then I think they should revisit and rethink the idea of homologation. I'm all for engine being a huge performance factor, but it should not forever be frozen to 28th Feb 2014.

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Another year in the series 2009-2013 it seems. 3rd fastest car combined with the best driver pairing should yield at least one of those elusive champions' trophies.

It's becoming clear that Kimi's car control is not as good as Fernando's. The F138v2 (a.k.a., F14 T) better work with the tires this time around, or it's just going to be Fernando thrashing Kimi every weekend without any actual race wins for the whole season.

Fingers crossed for Melbourne.


WOW !! All that became clear in the first 2 tests of the season itself ?
Man people like you are just waiting for a chance to begin the bashing nonsense arnt they ?!

[Bubbles]

WOW !! All that became clear in the first 2 tests of the season itself ?
Man people like you are just waiting for a chance to begin the bashing nonsense arnt they ?!

I am not bashing, I am marely saying what is obvious to non-biased people like yourself. Chill out, Ferrari are strongest on the driver front, and Fernando might just take the title this year. But don't expect a fast car, Maranello just doesn't know how to do that anymore, it seems. Sadly.

[Aberracus]

DRS open again?

Look in the video just before Kimi crash he was with the DRS open in mid curve, and check this picture, DRS open again, there are a lot of pics with the DRS partially open in Saturday.

Look http://i.imgur.com/VSsa97o.jpg

[Jose Lorca]

That purple middle sector from Alonso on day 2 was with used softs.



Fastest laps of Bahrain Test One
1. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1:33.283, New Soft tyres, Day Four.
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:34.263, New soft tyres, Day Three.
3. Kevin Magnussen, McLaren, 1:34.910, New supersoft tyres, Day Two.
4. Jenson Button, McLaren, 1:34.957, New soft tyres, Day Four.
5. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, 1:36.445, New soft tyres, Day Two.
6. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, 1:36.516, Used soft tyres, Day Two.
7. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1:36.718, New soft tyres, Day Four.
8. Felipe Massa, Williams, 1:37.066, New soft tyres, Day Three.
9. Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber, 1:37.180, Unknown tyre compound, Day Three
10. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1:37.328, Unknown tyre compound, Day Two.
http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12472/9180871/mercedes-admit-they-believe-they-are-ahead-after-blitzing-the-field-in-bahrain

[peta_w]

I'm worried about the engine homologation though. If indeed there's a performance difference in the engine and it gets cemented in place due to the homologation by the end of this month, that difference is going to be around for a long time. For example if the difference between Merc and Renault engine we see now gets stuck that way due to homologation, I think it's bad for the sport.

We'll see how it turns out. But if this season shows that there's a huge performance difference between the engines, then I think they should revisit and rethink the idea of homologation. I'm all for engine being a huge performance factor, but it should not forever be frozen to 28th Feb 2014.

I think homologation will be used as it was in the past. To enure the engines end up the same. If they wanted to allow engines to be a differentiator they would not homologate. Lock engines down on 28 and allow changes and re-homologation until the engines are the same.

[Kiwi Nick]

DRS open again?

Look in the video just before Kimi crash he was with the DRS open in mid curve, and check this picture, DRS open again, there are a lot of pics with the DRS partially open in Saturday.

Look http://i.imgur.com/VSsa97o.jpg

Yes, the rear wing is clearly open as Kimi is exiting the turn and powering away. That would almost certainly be a malfunction, and the reduced downforce under acceleration could easily cause a car to spin.

[diesel08]

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/9179572/ferraris-kimi-raikkonen-accepts-the-blame-for-day-four-crash-in-bahrain

[Nova]

I am not bashing, I am marely saying what is obvious to non-biased people like yourself. Chill out, Ferrari are strongest on the driver front, and Fernando might just take the title this year. But don't expect a fast car, Maranello just doesn't know how to do that anymore, it seems. Sadly.

Well then, why dont u simply become a Merc fan? Comments like these make me laugh..out loud. Yes, you are bashing, and your comments makes one think that you really dont know what ur talking about. Youre simply "Bubbling" with enthusiasm, arent you. Now, dont take this as bashing..merely an observation.

We go thru this every year though, dont we? Theres isnt one sure thing anyone can say about PRE season testing. New everything, must test a lot.

If the drs is open then that may have caused the spin, Ferrari wont say, I think something malfuctioned, mabey Ferrari were trying something different in the closing stages.
Its great they have these test sessions, but Id rather teams had the ability to test at their own facilities as much as they wanted and needed to. Fiorano anyone?

[Ed Harley]

So the engine freeze starts when exactly?

[bondilad]

So the engine freeze starts when exactly?

28th Feb

[peta_w]

So the engine freeze starts when exactly?

28th Feb. But its not a freeze. The engines are homologated, which by definition provides scope and definition for both acceptance and change. It helps if you think about the purpose of homologation - it is applied to make things uniform, the same.

[evo_spook]

As mentioned above don't get too caught up on this homologation rule, someone posted the rules on autosport, and FIA have allowed themselves a lot of scope to be flexible.

There is even allowance in the rules that if say Renault is lacking power they would be allowed to amend the engine.

I'll try and find it.

[evo_spook]

OnTheGas, on 15 Feb 2014 - 17:43, said:
There are a couple of errors there. The first is a minor error in verb tense...

The power units to be homologated must be delivered to the FIA no later than Friday, February 28th. So perhaps perhaps future tense would have been appropriate...

Second, while one could say the spirit of the rules may be that performance development will be frozen for the season, a close reading of the regulations reveals that if a manufacturer gets their sums wrong, and the performance is uncompetitive, the FIA has the authority to rectify that problem.

The FIA specifies that manufacturers may homologate modified power units afterward Feb 28th under two conditions:
FIA Sport. Reg. Appendix 4, Sec. 1b): "A power unit delivered to the FIA after 28 February 2014 which has been modified in accordance with the Annual F1 Power Unit Homologation table in Appendix 4 to the F1 Technical Regulations."
(Appendix 4 of the TR homologates weights of specific and particular parts of the PU for 2015 and beyond)
FIA Sport. Reg. Appendix 4, Sec. 1c): "A power unit (initially) delivered to the FIA after 28 February 2014, or modified and re-delivered to the FIA after that date, which the FIA is satisfied, in its absolute discretion and after full consultation with all other suppliers of power units for the Championship, could fairly and equitably be allowed to compete with other homologated power units."
I've highlighted "absolute discretion", and "fairly and equitably" because:
it declares the level of the FIA's authority on the issue of modified power units being accepted for homologation, and
it declares the FIA's general guidelines to be fairness and equity.

So that the competing manufacturers do not abuse this process, the sentence immediately following provides some guidelines:
"...changes will normally only be accepted if they are being proposed for reliability, safety or cost-saving reasons."

I've highlighted "normally", because it shows (again) that FIA has reserved some room for itself to rectify any serious performance deficits.

Following that sentence, it specifies that the other manufacturers will be provided all the written correspondence, and that comments from the other manufacturers will be solicited by the FIA on the matter.

Given the subject of this thread, it's helpful for us spectators to be aware of the specifics of the regulations that may be applied not only to this particular situation, but also to any homologation of modified power units during the season.

[shamim179]

In other words Renault will be allowed to modify their engines on the grounds of reliability. No wonder Horner wants double points in the last 3 races! Red Bull may still be a threat! It also boils down to how adaptable Vettel is to new era of cars. He has struggled when the car isn't to his liking. It will be interesting to see how he performs without the exhaust blown diffuser trick. He has mastered that art but what about without it?

[shamim179]

I'm hoping Ferrari will use their turbo housing feature as a negotiation tool to allow Renault to modify their engine under the condition that Ferrari are allowed to use theexisting turbo housing. The problem with that is what is going to stop Renault from copying our engine solution and even worse make it better than ours? Anyhow, Renault engine teams will still have difficulties at the start of the championship with some experts saying it could take 5 months to solve.

[Hermann]

In other words Renault will be allowed to modify their engines on the grounds of reliability. No wonder Horner wants double points in the last 3 races! Red Bull may still be a threat! It also boils down to how adaptable Vettel is to new era of cars. He has struggled when the car isn't to his liking. It will be interesting to see how he performs without the exhaust blown diffuser trick. He has mastered that art but what about without it?

Mastered what? The exhaust trick gave the car an amount of downforce and stability out of the corners no other car had. I guess it wasn't that hard to 'master' a car that was going on rails and 0,5 to 1 second faster than all others.
The question is more how he will master driving a car that has no such advantage. Mastering a car that is twitchy and oversteering and sliding around corners, that is an art. or maybe you were being sarcastic here...:wave

[ManFromMilan]

I'm hoping Ferrari will use their turbo housing feature as a negotiation tool to allow Renault to modify their engine under the condition that Ferrari are allowed to use theexisting turbo housing. The problem with that is what is going to stop Renault from copying our engine solution and even worse make it better than ours? Anyhow, Renault engine teams will still have difficulties at the start of the championship with some experts saying it could take 5 months to solve.



No need to negotiate if the others cannot make a decent enough turbo that won't kill people.




The question is more how he will master driving a car that has no such advantage. Mastering a car that is twitchy and oversteering and sliding around corners, that is an art. or maybe you were being sarcastic here...:wave




Agreed, now is the time to show his talent and if he is worth 4 WDC.

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Amidst all this 'crash-ster' Maldonado has apparently claimed that Renault might actually end up faster and better than Mercedes & that they dont really have any major problems & also that leaving Williams for a renault team was the best decision of his life.

Funny how people arent even counting Ferrari in the mix of things. All the so called experts too are busy discounting Ferrari amongst all the Mercedes licking.
Just for that i hope we shut their traps for good and seal them ! As far as Mr. Do-No-Do is concerned, just when i feel he cant possibly get any more irritating and idiotic he just outdoes himself somehow and proves me wrong. I hope F1 as a whole takes the best decsion of its life and kicks out this idiot !

[raiden]

This year's testing is so much better than the previous 4. The entire Ferrari team is silently confident. No media hype not so much media attention, they just go on with their test schedule.

[Hornet]

Amidst all this 'crash-ster' Maldonado has apparently claimed that Renault might actually end up faster and better than Mercedes & that they dont really have any major problems & also that leaving Williams for a renault team was the best decision of his life.

Funny how people arent even counting Ferrari in the mix of things. All the so called experts too are busy discounting Ferrari amongst all the Mercedes licking.
Just for that i hope we shut their traps for good and seal them ! As far as Mr. Do-No-Do is concerned, just when i feel he cant possibly get any more irritating and idiotic he just outdoes himself somehow and proves me wrong. I hope F1 as a whole takes the best decsion of its life and kicks out this idiot !

Wow, did someone stole your morning coffee? lol

Adrian Newey have said that Renault presented them with a challenge that is hard to achieve, but if attained, will provide good benefits. It may be possible that beneath the reliability issues lies a very powerful engine, they just need to solve it. Ferrari have yet to show their true performance, so at the moment Mercedes sets the benchmark. Again, nothing wrong with this. People just have to compare to something that exist, and the benchmark from Ferrari have yet to exist. I don't understand why people take issue with Mercedes being used as the benchmark.

What do you expect Maldonado to say, praise Ferrari? I don't see anything wrong in what he said.

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Wow, did someone stole your morning coffee? lol

Adrian Newey have said that Renault presented them with a challenge that is hard to achieve, but if attained, will provide good benefits. It may be possible that beneath the reliability issues lies a very powerful engine, they just need to solve it. Ferrari have yet to show their true performance, so at the moment Mercedes sets the benchmark. Again, nothing wrong with this. People just have to compare to something that exist, and the benchmark from Ferrari have yet to exist. I don't understand why people take issue with Mercedes being used as the benchmark.

What do you expect Maldonado to say, praise Ferrari? I don't see anything wrong in what he said.


I think youv completely mixed up my comment. I didnt mention Maldonado ought to praise Ferrari did i ? I said that AS OF NOW,Mercedes is setting the benchmark in all the tests right ? At such a time here is a driver who says the Renault unit would be stronger than Mercedes. Being optimistic is one thing but from what wev seen in the tests so far, he is in plain denial.

You ask me what my problem is eh ? Il tell you....Like you just mentioned Ferrari are yet to showcase their performance credentials etc. and its only Mercedes who have had the Qualifying simulation and what not while Renault are clearly plagued with problems so far.
My problem is , if a BIG contender like Ferrari is yet to showcase what its really capable how are people already proclaiming mercedes are favorites for the title this year ??? As a Ferrari fan i have the right to be perplexed by people's rants. Almost like mob mentality.
That your ok with it is another story. Opinions vary !

[PadGeT]

we get it u hate Maldonado to the bone
As for ur other claim, Ferrari have long been in the business to know people/journos perceptions are based on bits & pieces of information they scrummage up and really don't paint a proper picture until those get validated on raceday, so they don't bother about hypes like Mercedes are apparently enjoying at the moment

[Hornet]

I think youv completely mixed up my comment. I didnt mention Maldonado ought to praise Ferrari did i ? I said that AS OF NOW,Mercedes is setting the benchmark in all the tests right ? At such a time here is a driver who says the Renault unit would be stronger than Mercedes. Being optimistic is one thing but from what wev seen in the tests so far, he is in plain denial.

You ask me what my problem is eh ? Il tell you....Like you just mentioned Ferrari are yet to showcase their performance credentials etc. and its only Mercedes who have had the Qualifying simulation and what not while Renault are clearly plagued with problems so far.
My problem is , if a BIG contender like Ferrari is yet to showcase what its really capable how are people already proclaiming mercedes are favorites for the title this year ??? As a Ferrari fan i have the right to be perplexed by people's rants. Almost like mob mentality.
That your ok with it is another story. Opinions vary !
Renault's problem at the moment is reliability issues, something which they will eventually solve. Maldonado has every right to be confident in his team as we are in Ferrari. The season hasn't even started yet and anything can change. Besides, they know more about what's going on than we do. He's not in denial and it's certainly nothing to get insulting about.

Merc have shown that they are strong, it's no coincidence that the top times at the moment are dominated by Merc powered cars. They are also further ahead in the testing program now, so it's only natural that people consider them favorite. It doesn't mean people are already predicting the results, it simply means that there are more observable evidence that Merc will be strong. That's just their opinion, you don't have to agree with them just as they don't have to agree with yours.

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Renault's problem at the moment is reliability issues, something which they will eventually solve. Maldonado has every right to be confident in his team as we are in Ferrari. The season hasn't even started yet and anything can change. Besides, they know more about what's going on than we do. He's not in denial and it's certainly nothing to get insulting about.

Merc have shown that they are strong, it's no coincidence that the top times at the moment are dominated by Merc powered cars. They are also further ahead in the testing program now, so it's only natural that people consider them favorite. It doesn't mean people are already predicting the results, it simply means that there are more observable evidence that Merc will be strong. That's just their opinion, you don't have to agree with them just as they don't have to agree with yours.

Agreed. Il take what you say.
Just that some so called experts actually did go as far as claiming oh yes this is Mercedes's year, which shocked me thats all.

[Rishu]

Agreed. Il take what you say.
Just that some so called experts actually did go as far as claiming oh yes this is Mercedes's year, which shocked me thats all.

Based on winter testing, 2011 was supposed to be our year

[f1tomi8]

“We worked on learning how to get the best from the 2014 clutch and on tuning the new brake by wire system” – continued Allison - See more at: http://formula1.ferrari.com/news/allison-weve-acquired-lot-important-data#sthash.2ilOJflL.dpuf

[anakin]

Kimi Raikkonen: "The F14-T is not bad" "The reliability of our car has been ok, but in terms of speed I do not know what’s going on"

[Hermann]

Kimi Raikkonen: "The F14-T is not bad" "The reliability of our car has been ok, but in terms of speed I do not know what’s going on"

:lol if not even the drivers know, how are we supposed to know- or the so-called experts....

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Cant wait for the next test when we actually start pushing it a bit and are in a better position to judge where we stand in terms of pace.

[brembo man]

Well at least were not hearing about Red Bull out turboing everyone on the track. Theres definitly hope for Ferrari to be winners this season so far.

[Kingdom Hearts]

Well at least were not hearing about Red Bull out turboing everyone on the track. Theres definitly hope for Ferrari to be winners this season so far.


The problem is that Mercedes could be the new RB, let's hope Ferrari is the top dog this time.

[LF1Torsion]

The problem is that Mercedes could be the new RB, let's hope Ferrari is the top dog this time.

Mercedes have demonstrated good single-lap pace, but this has always been a strong side of their car. I can't help but feel that single-lap pace would be less significant this year than 2013, with some track exceptions of course. So race pace is going to be critical.

With all the variables which have to be managed during a race, I honestly don't see how anyone can identify who is strong at this early stage, specially since each team only really knows what they are doing, and have no idea of things like fuel consumption, tire management, and power levels during testing of the other teams.

Based on what we know so far (which is essentially nothing as we have very limited information) I don't see any reason why Ferrari won't be at the front.

Edit: typo

[Nero Horse]

Scuderia Ferrari’s path to the start of the 2014 Formula 1 season has now reached two thirds distance. Eight of the twelve test days available are now archived, but there is still a raft of things to understand and perfect given the host of changes this season.

The Scuderia’s Technical Director, James Allison summed up what was achieved in Bahrain. “We came to Sakhir aiming to work steadily through the huge list of actions that we must complete. We wanted to maximize track time, working methodically in order to be ready for Melbourne. I have to say that, with the exception of the morning of the third day, we did just that.”

The team has carried on with its technical programme and continued working on fine tuning all of the innovative elements of the F14-T.

“We worked on learning how to get the best from the 2014 clutch system and on tuning the new brake by wire system. We looked in detail at balancing the temperature of all the cooling fluids, a key part of this year’s rules, and we began gradually expanding the operating window of the new Energy Recovery System.”

“We have been able to start to open up our understanding of the handling characteristics of the car and to begin to learn what sort of setup parameters the tyres respond to. Continuing with this work will be an important part of the programme over the last four days here in Bahrain.”

It’s clear from Allison’s comments just how important reliability will be in 2014. Scuderia Ferrari has being working on this aspect of performance up until now and will continue to do so in the final test session, which will also feature some more demanding tests.

Allison explained, “For the last four days, our programme will see us attempt to operate the car ever more closely to the way that it will run in a race, providing invaluable practice for the drivers and subjecting the car and all its systems to the full rigor that it will need to withstand throughout the season.”

Testing resumes in Bahrain on Thursday 27 February and will run to Sunday 2 March. After that, the next time the cars will see a race track will be 14 March, for Friday Free Practice at the Australian Grand Prix, when things start getting really serious.


http://grandprix247.com/2014/02/24/ferrari-for-the-last-four-days-we-will-operate-the-car-the-way-it-will-run-in-a-race/

[Hornet]

Mercedes have demonstrated good single-lap pace, but this has always been a strong side of their car. I can't help but feel that single-lap pace would be less significant this year than 2013, with some track exceptions of course. So race pace is going to be critical.

With all the variables which have to be managed during a race, I honestly don't see how anyone can identify who is strong at this early stage, specially since each team only really knows what they are doing, and have no idea of things like fuel consumption, tire management, and power levels during testing of the other teams.

Based on what we know seen so far (whic is essentially nothing as we have very limited information) I don't see any reason why Ferrari won't be at the front.
That's a very good point, race management will probably be the key to getting good result as opposed to pure pace.

As Alonso always said, points are only awarded on Sunday.

[Jose Lorca]

:ferrarifl



It appears that a number of matters are becoming clear now that 8 of the 12 days pre-season testing are complete. Firstly, Mercedes are strong, though I have a source that suggests Ferrari is hiding their true performance quite deliberately.

http://thejudge13.com/2014/02/24/daily-f1-news-and-comment-monday-24th-february-2014/

[Red is Best]

Kimi Raikkonen: "The F14-T is not bad" "The reliability of our car has been ok, but in terms of speed I do not know what’s going on"

Raikonnen's legendary feedback, ladies and gentlemen!

[Winter]

Raikonnen's legendary feedback, ladies and gentlemen!

You've got it all wrong. Feedback is something driver gives to engineers, not to nosy journalists.

[Ed Harley]

Raikonnen's legendary feedback, ladies and gentlemen!
Well, it derives from a rather common way of commenting matters in Finnish.

An example of it's use is for example when your local hockey team wins the national championship against oll odds and the headline in the local paper the next day is: "Not bad." :-)

[stefa]

Sorry, but I don't believe in such things as deliberatery hiding true performance... What is the point of doing so?...

[Ed Harley]

Sorry, but I don't believe in such things as deliberatery hiding true performance... What is the point of doing so?...
To lull the opponents into a false conception of order of performances and capabilities.

[Jas]

"and we began gradually expanding the operating window of the new Energy Recovery System"

This quote from Allison....does this mean we actually did use all recovery system....what does he mean open the window, hmmm! Maybe we did push a fair bit!

[Hornet]

"and we began gradually expanding the operating window of the new Energy Recovery System"

This quote from Allison....does this mean we actually did use all recovery system....what does he mean open the window, hmmm! Maybe we did push a fair bit!
I think it means the ERS isn't used at it's maximum capability yet. It could be the amount of energy stored, or how often it's used, don't know how but it basically it sounds like we are not utilizing it 100% yet, and they are slowing increasing it.

[Confused Lotus]

Well, it derives from a rather common way of commenting matters in Finnish.

An example of it's use is for example when your local hockey team wins the national championship against oll odds and the headline in the local paper the next day is: "Not bad." :-)

Gotta love it. The sami people of the polar regions of Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia (at least the ones I've met) have some of the same tendency for understating things. :lol

[giodap]

:ferrarifl


http://thejudge13.com/2014/02/24/daily-f1-news-and-comment-monday-24th-february-2014/

i wander who this source is?...sounds good tho!

[emirBoz]

Massa too thinks it seems that Ferrari is cutting off its engine in some brakings.

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/formel-1/mercedes-vor-mclaren-und-williams-neun-zehntel-vorsprung-8087304.html

[Tifoso]

i wander who this source is?...sounds good tho!

It will be the first time in my fandom that the sandbagging claim will be true, if it is. ;-)

[gjoko-mkd]

Red Bull Racing denies secret test in Spain

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=sr&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.speedweek.com%2Fformel1%2Fnews% 2F52238%2FRed-Bull-Racing-dementiert-Geheimtest-in-Spanien.html&sandbox=1

[LF1Torsion]

i wander who this source is?...sounds good tho!

No idea who the source is, but I think this is the same website which published the Kimi to Ferrari rumor first (sometime before the official announcement). Also they published that Renault had issues with their engine, just before the first winter test.

In my eyes they have gained some credibility.

[stefa]

To lull the opponents into a false conception of order of performances and capabilities.

Still don't believe in that theory. That is waste of valuable preseason time for testing, money, energy, resources, ....
I cannot recall any of such cases in recent history when some team was deliberate slow in testing and than fast as hell in season....

[radosav]

you can find huge amount of information here :-D -- https://twitter.com/joseluisf1

[Rishu]

Don't know about Ferrari, but it seems Mercedes engine is thirsty


Two of the drivers who completed a race distance in testing last week are expecting fuel consumption to be a challenge for teams next year.

The new V6 turbo engines and advanced energy recovery systems are more fuel efficient than the old V8s, but under the regulations are restricted to just 100 litres of fuel per race - a cut of roughly 35% on last year. Mercedes and McLaren were among the teams attempting a race simulation last week in Bahrain and both Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button said the teams have a long way to go to get the most from the engine over a race distance.

"Bahrain is the worst track, so today it was tough to get to the end of the race with 100 litres," Rosberg said. "That's going to be a big challenge in Melbourne and that's what it was about today, to try and judge that and make sure that you get the quickest from the beginning to the end of the race while keeping the fuel consumption consistent."

"I finished the grand prix distance, but in testing it's relatively easy to do because you just drive around really slow," Button added. "I think we are all going to find it tricky and there is a lot of fine tuning that's needed from everyone. I think for most people it's trying to get the car to run for a race distance - that's the biggest issue!"

Rosberg said it's not as simple as driving to a set speed throughout the race.

"You can put your fuel consumption on the dash, but when you have a heavy car it takes a lot more fuel to get this car around the track, even though you're going slower than it does at the end of the race when you have a light car," he explained. "It's not necessarily targeting the same fuel consumption form beginning to end, it varies. It's quite complicated and definitely we will need a lot of help and advice from the engineers."

Button said the lighter fuel load meant the strain on tyres is not as pronounced as it was between qualifying and race conditions last year, but added that there are challenges with the all-new formula.

"The tyres struggled with 150 kilos of fuel [last year] so the cars were a hell of a lot slower [in the race]. Now you are only putting 100 kilos in the car, so there is a smaller difference when you get into race conditions. In a straight line it's a hell of a lot slower and the engine is doing so many different things, and it's doing something different every single lap of the race. That's difficult for a driver to get his head around, because what he felt on the previous lap under braking has completely changed the next lap around. Braking points are so tricky and I think that's the weirdest thing in the race.

[Hornet]

Massa too thinks it seems that Ferrari is cutting off its engine in some brakings.

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/formel-1/mercedes-vor-mclaren-und-williams-neun-zehntel-vorsprung-8087304.html
I don't quite understand what it's saying with Google translate. Is that considered good or bad? :oops

[erikejw]

Interesting. They do NOT even deny it. They try to be clever and throw smokescreens.

The PR spokeswoman claim, we are not in Idiada!
Meaning simply that currently, the PR team or the team is not at Idiada at this current moment.
They did not claim that they did not test at Idiada.

If they did not test they would simply say that and nothing else.

Pretty clever :)))))


Red Bull Racing denies secret test in Spain

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=sr&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.speedweek.com%2Fformel1%2Fnews% 2F52238%2FRed-Bull-Racing-dementiert-Geheimtest-in-Spanien.html&sandbox=1

[mirafiori]

I don't quite understand what it's saying with Google translate. Is that considered good or bad? :oops

Well Hornet i think it is saying it could be an advantage regarding fuel saving for Ferrari.:-) The F14T under braking sounds different to the Mercedes, hopefully we have a technical advantage over the rest.:thumb

[mirafiori]

The article above in detail say's when the Mercedes breaks and down shifts you carry on and hear the sounds of the Engine in all its workings, i.e NO change of sound. where as the Ferrari under braking and when changing gears it is silent meaning Ferrari are possibly doing something very clever compared to the rest, i assume part of the engine cutting is cutting out to save fuel.

[f1tomi8]

#F1 @InsideFerrari and @alo_oficial will be in #Sakhir for a filimg day session today via @Gazzetta_it

[F2002]

To lull the opponents into a false conception of order of performances and capabilities.

There is so much technology in Formula One nowadays, that you can almost reverse-engineer a car's performance out of what you see on track. Gear changes, engine sounds, etc. can all be used to calculate a car's performance. I can understand a team not using its full potential for purely technical reasons (e.g.: to test a part or a system in isolation), but this thing of trying to fool the competition is a pure myth.


Kimi Raikkonen: "The F14-T is not bad" "The reliability of our car has been ok, but in terms of speed I do not know what’s going on"

I don't want to speculate, but in the past few pre-seasons, "our pace is still unclear" has always meant "we are not the quickest".

[bluesilhouettes]

Please, raw pace doesn't mean much for this 100kg fuel era.

[hrc5555]

RB secret test!

http://grandprix247.com/2014/02/25/red-bull-denies-secret-test-for-troubled-rb-10-in-spain/

[F2002]

Please, raw pace doesn't mean much for this 100kg fuel era.

That's also very true.

In the meantime, in other news:

http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsport/story/146605.html

[f1tomi8]

#Filmingday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcQmWozDV3I

[Jas]

"We had a few bits to test correlation and things like that [last week] and then the main upgrade will come through the various stages of the final test," Fry said.
Read more at http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsport/story/146605.html#0LYt0G0LrF3bocqX.99

[ManFromMilan]

Still like the turbo sound, although in this video it is not as throaty as i have heard it before.

[Hornet]

Not sure why Red Bull need to keep filming day a secret, they have to report those things to FIA anyway. Either the source is wrong, or Red Bull trying to test secretly?:-E


Well Hornet i think it is saying it could be an advantage regarding fuel saving for Ferrari.:-) The F14T under braking sounds different to the Mercedes, hopefully we have a technical advantage over the rest.:thumb

Thanks. That could be an important advantage in the race. Hope it's true :pray

[vcs316]

Some thoughts before the final pre-season test

February 25, 2014 by Joe Saward

Last week’s four-day Bahrain test was interesting in that it highlighted the current problems that are affecting the different teams. It is fairly clear that The teams with Mercedes engines are in the best shape at the moment. Between them they completed a total of 3,865 miles of running. When one adds this to the 2,400 miles achieved in Jerez, it is clear that Mercedes has an advantage.

Ferrari completed 1,124 miles in the first test but then added 1,865 in the second test, but that means that the Italian manufacturer has done just short of 3,000 miles of track running in total, compared to Mercedes’s 6,265 miles.

It is a big difference. Renault is in even worse shape because its total mileage in the two tests is just 2,485 miles and it is clear that while we may not have seen the full potential of the engines, it may be some time before we do.

[Hornet]

Merc has 4 reliable team while Ferrari only have 2, so I'd say those figures are to be expected.

[bondilad]

Apart from engines/ers/brakes we haven't heard much about the tyres. Isn't it a problem this year because of the higher torque engines? If so I hope Merc eats into its tyres like it did last year :lol

[hrc5555]

Apart from engines/ers/brakes we haven't heard much about the tyres. Isn't it a problem this year because of the higher torque engines? If so I hope Merc eats into its tyres like it did last year :lol

Here is an article about tires...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/112649

[bonzo]

Unfortunately 2014 will see less racing and overtaking and more tactics:-s

[Hornet]

Edit: It's Kimi - Alonso - Kimi - Alonso

http://formula1.ferrari.com/news/test-bahrain-kimi-start


Sakhir, 26 February –The final test prior to the start of the season for Scuderia Ferrari and the other ten Formula 1 teams gets underway tomorrow. Once again, it takes place in Bahrain, an ideal location because of its temperate climate, similar to that which the drivers and teams can expect to encounter at many of the opening rounds of the 2014 season. Tomorrow and Saturday, Kimi Raikkonen will be on driving duty for Ferrari, with Fernando Alonso at the wheel on Friday and Sunday. Testing runs from 9 in the morning to 5.30 pm, with a 30 minute lunch break at 1 o’clock.

The Scuderia’s work schedule is already mapped out. These four days will see a continuation of the work of shaking down and fine tuning all the components on the car, with particular attention focusing on the new power unit, which will be signed off on Friday in accordance with the FIA”s homologation process.

In the mornings, the team will also work on doing runs to check all the new systems, as well as continuing to look at set-up. The afternoon will see some long run tests, while monitoring all the elements of the F14 T, as well as evaluating the how the car works with the Pirelli tyres.

[ferrari4life]

Unfortunately 2014 will see less racing and overtaking and more tactics:-s

Yup thats the new Formula 1.. good thing for Ferrari is we have one of the best drivers for that. I remember Alonso beating MS in 2006 when we actully had the faster car for part of the season.

[Suzie]

you can find huge amount of information here :-D -- https://twitter.com/joseluisf1

Ah, our old mate joseluisf1. Did anything he said at the beginning of 2013 end up coming true?

[Tifoso]

Ah, our old mate joseluisf1. Did anything he said at the beginning of 2013 end up coming true?

It did. He posted that he didn't expect to be around here long. :-)