2011 Valencia Testing.

[Salvador Dali]

They both disgust me. It's a shame that we have Santander logos on our car! I would not say all that if that bank would support Sauber for instance, cos that team really needs money, but mclaren? f'ck them!

hehehe...

corporate thinking nothing more or less. But yeah it is a shame to share anything with McLaren. I thought that this was clear with the whole spygate thing...

[zeus2]

Anyone else notice how the front wheel nuts have gotten a whole lot rounder as compared to last year?




Red bull still using the pointy ones.



(In case you're wondering. yes, I have nothing better to do )

[NJB13]

Anyone else notice how the front wheel nuts have gotten a whole lot rounder as compared to last year?




Red bull still using the pointy ones.



(In case you're wondering. yes, I have nothing better to do )

Wild stab in the dark, but maybe to do with the aeros from the Frizbees Mark2?

You mean there might be something better than this to do?

[burak karakutuk]

What about new tyres?Can someone tell how Pirelli tyres will effect us especially Fernando.Because people says that the new ones is suit for Massa's style and Alonso has to change his driving.He was complainant from Pirelli's reliability.What do you think about it and also steering wheel.There are a lot of buttons and we know Alonso doesnt love it.He wants to concentrate during the race

[Ste]

Anyone else notice how the front wheel nuts have gotten a whole lot rounder as compared to last year?




Red bull still using the pointy ones.



(In case you're wondering. yes, I have nothing better to do )

They are the same one's we used last year . They've got some kind of safe 'catch' system in them so they can't come off - supposedly. Also easier to put on.

[MMREDDY]

Alonso 1.13.307 ahead of vettel

[f300v10]

Looks like Alonso is on a long run after lunch break. He has done 7 consecutive laps in the high 1:18's.

[NJB13]

Still on that same long run... 14+ laps now I think. Love to know what compound he's on. last lap a 1:20:028

[f300v10]

Looks like he ended that run at 15 laps.

[zeus2]

They are the same one's we used last year . They've got some kind of safe 'catch' system in them so they can't come off - supposedly. Also easier to put on.

I guess that explains why nobody else noticed then. (feeling like a real genius right about now )

[bastif1]

where do you look the time of different pilotes ?

[Ste]

where do you look the time of different pilotes ?

Williams Live Timing
F1Today
Live Timing

[Paulpg87]

So, expect for us, almost all the top teams are running / developing the exhaust system from renault? ..I'm still waiting for a season where we introduce something that other teams have to copy.

[Ste]

Fernando's 15 lap stint

Pretty consistent.

[Ste]

So, expect for us, almost all the top teams are running / developing the exhaust system from renault? ..I'm still waiting for a season where we introduce something that other teams have to copy.

Well it's only rumours at the moment.

[f300v10]

Alonso back out. Ferrari is really putting in the laps, the car seems very reliable to be so new.

[Rosso Corsa]

Alonso put down a nice series of laps in that long stint, many laps within just a few tenths of each other. Can't read anything into the pace of those laps, but the consistency is good to see (balance/handling predictibility). Not much sign of tyre degradation/graining over 10 near identical laps (unless of course they were grained for all 10 laps ).

[Ste]

Very interesting article with Ross Brawn

Brawn: Forward exhausts not essential
Source: Autosport

Mercedes GP team principal Ross Brawn expects a number of outfits to experiment with blown floor concepts before the first race of the season - following the interest caused by Renault's radical new design.

Renault caused a stir at the opening Formula 1 test in Valencia when its new R31 featured sidepod exhausts – which exit at the front of the car to blow gases along the under-body.

A number of rival teams are believed to be evaluating a similar concept – including Mercedes GP, Red Bull Racing and McLaren – although none have used it yet.

Speaking in Valencia, Brawn did not think that Renault-type exhausts would become a must-have item in 2011 – although acknowledged that using gases to improve under-car downforce was vital.

When asked if Mercedes GP would need to adopt a Renault-type design, Brawn said: "I don't think so. I think you'll see probably a number of teams with different solutions before you get to Bahrain.

"I saw Ferrari, and they had some different options. I think there are a few different solutions you can do to get the benefit from the exhaust energy. So I think you'll see a lot of different solutions before Bahrain."

Brawn said he has not seen anything on the new cars of main rivals Red Bull Racing and Ferrari that worried him too much.

"I haven't seen them properly to be honest, but I see nothing dramatic on them," he explained. "I suspect at all the top teams, you're going to see a very different car at Bahrain, because of the period between now and Bahrain.

"I think most of the teams are going to come up with their first major update before we get to Bahrain. I mean certainly that is the case with us.

"What we're focusing on at the moment is reliability, and getting the KERS system functioning, which is completely new for us as a team, but not new for a lot of our engineers.

"Then you're going to see in Barcelona and Bahrain the things I would call the real performance steps, and I think it will be the same for Ferrari and Red Bull. They will have a lot going on in preparation for Bahrain."

[Ste]

[m1dknight]

I guess that explains why nobody else noticed then. (feeling like a real genius right about now )

Nope your right - if you look at a picture of last years car http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-conten...ud_2010-16.jpg
They are definately more rounded off now

[Rosso Corsa]

Not the best looking tyres I've ever seen

[zeus2]

Nope your right - if you look at a picture of last years car http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-conten...ud_2010-16.jpg
They are definately more rounded off now

Whad'Ya Know, I guess I was right after all. Thanks m1dknight.

[Rosso Corsa]

Another string of very very impressively consistent laps coming in from Alonso

[Ste]

Not sure then, they look like the 2011 ones in this picture. Won't they be homologated with the rims?

[Ste]

Alonso's previous stint was around 3s per lap faster than the one before.

Using different compounds?

Incredibly consistent.

[f300v10]

Probably a lighter fuel load given the restriction on the number of tyre sets.

Vettel does not appear to have gone out after lunch. Problems on the Red Bull?

[NJB13]

Not sure then, they look like the 2011 ones in this picture. Won't they be homologated with the rims?

They are definitely homolgated.

What I'm guessing has happened is they tried to ban them for this year, so no other teams bothered trying to create them. They made the distances between the firszbee rings larger but defined them as from a reference point, I think level with the outside of the rim. Last year, ours were inserts, so they could be taken off and on. This year, I think they are setback and part of the rim. They are setback and thats why they can be there. The nut has been rounded so it is setback likewise and isn't protruding past the plane of the rings.

Either that or they put them there, knowing they'd have no effect, but would give the McLaren and RB boys plenty to study, copy and try and model for a few days or weeks in a futile waste of their time.

[NJB13]

Probably a lighter fuel load given the restriction on the number of tyre sets.

Vettel does not appear to have gone out after lunch. Problems on the Red Bull?

Yeah, noticed that also, anyone read any tweets on this or got any ideas/info???

[f300v10]

Never mind, didn't notice they put Webber in the car.

[Ste]

They are definitely homolgated.

What I'm guessing has happened is they tried to ban them for this year, so no other teams bothered trying to create them. They made the distances between the firszbee rings larger but defined them as from a reference point, I think level with the outside of the rim. Last year, ours were inserts, so they could be taken off and on. This year, I think they are setback and part of the rim. They are setback and thats why they can be there. The nut has been rounded so it is setback likewise and isn't protruding past the plane of the rings.

Either that or they put them there, knowing they'd have no effect, but would give the McLaren and RB boys plenty to study, copy and try and model for a few days or weeks in a futile waste of their time.

Surely if they're homologated, they can't be changed? Maybe my understanding is incorrect.