Testing Barcelona 2011

[Rob]

Back on track starting tomorrow in Barcelona: same car, same goals2.17.2011

Maranello, 17 February –The third of four test sessions for the Formula 1 teams to prepare for the start of the World Championship planned to take place on the island of Bahrain on 13 March, barring an escalation of the situation there, gets underway tomorrow at the Catalunya circuit.

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro engineers and mechanics are already at Montmelo, to get everything set up for the first of four days of testing, which will see the Spaniard Fernando Alonso on track, before Felipe Massa takes over from him on Sunday. The Ferrari F150th Italia will be in the same configuration seen so far: the goals are the same as at the previous sessions run at Valencia and Jerez de la Frontera, which means doing as many kilometres as possible to gain an increased understanding of the Pirelli tyres, as well as improving overall reliability of the car.

The only difference compared to the last day of testing in Andalusia will be the chassis: the one the team will use at the Circuit de Catalunya is number 287, which has yet to be used on track. The 288, used at the launch and the first two tests, has gone back to Maranello to be updated in readiness for the start of the season in Sakhir.

http://www.ferrari.com/English/Formu...ame_goals.aspx

[scuderiafan]

Back on track starting tomorrow in Barcelona: same car, same goals2.17.2011

Maranello, 17 February –The third of four test sessions for the Formula 1 teams to prepare for the start of the World Championship planned to take place on the island of Bahrain on 13 March, barring an escalation of the situation there, gets underway tomorrow at the Catalunya circuit.

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro engineers and mechanics are already at Montmelo, to get everything set up for the first of four days of testing, which will see the Spaniard Fernando Alonso on track, before Felipe Massa takes over from him on Sunday. The Ferrari F150th Italia will be in the same configuration seen so far: the goals are the same as at the previous sessions run at Valencia and Jerez de la Frontera, which means doing as many kilometres as possible to gain an increased understanding of the Pirelli tyres, as well as improving overall reliability of the car.

The only difference compared to the last day of testing in Andalusia will be the chassis: the one the team will use at the Circuit de Catalunya is number 287, which has yet to be used on track. The 288, used at the launch and the first two tests, has gone back to Maranello to be updated in readiness for the start of the season in Sakhir.

http://www.ferrari.com/English/Formu...ame_goals.aspx

Ooh, new parts ready for action methinks

[Rob]

Fernando first then Felipe. But only 1 day?

Hope there some more rain over the test weekend. Reckon 287 will be getting fair amount of kilometres under her belt this test. Hope it all goes to plan and no major reliability issues.

[Greig]

Friday and Saturday for Nando, then 2 days for Felipe

[Rob]

Friday and Saturday for Nando, then 2 days for Felipe

yeah i was thinking that, but after reading that i thought UH!!!

[Nova]

More tests? Im happy!!

[NJB13]

Few useful sites:-
Williams live timing site.
The Greek timing site If you click on the driver you get all his lap times for the day.
The Autosports blog looks like its free again
The FOFA Facebook page has some quirky and interesting stuff and they have two reps at the circuit.
F1 Fanatic amalgamation of tweets This is nice place to get a gaggle of tweets. Use the config button to select the tweets you want.

[vcs316]

Testing resumes in Barcelona this morningPre-season Formula One testing resumes in Barcelona around now, as teams continue preparations for the start of the 2011 season. After spending three and four days in action at Valencia and Jerez respectively in the past fortnight, all 12 teams have arrived in Barcelona for four more days of testing.

The Barcelona test was scheduled to be the final European test of the winter, but with the continuing political uncertainty in Bahrain putting the four-day test there in jeopardy, teams may decide to stay in Europe for another week for the final four days of track action that is allowed under the regulations.

Provisional driver line-up (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday):

Red Bull-Renault: Vettel, Vettel, Webber, Webber.
McLaren-Mercedes: Button, Button, Hamilton, Hamilton.

Ferrari: Alonso, Alonso, Massa, Massa.

Mercedes: Schumacher, Rosberg, Schumacher, Rosberg.
Williams-Cosworth: Maldonado/Barrichello, Barrichello, Maldonado/Barrichello, Maldonado.
Force India-Mercedes: di Resta, di Resta, Sutil, Sutil.
Sauber-Ferrari: Kobayashi, Kobayashi, Pérez, Pérez.
Renault: Heidfeld/Petrov, Heidfeld, Petrov, Heidfeld.
Toro Rosso-Ferrari: Alguersuari, Alguersuari, Riccidardo/Buemi, Buemi.
Lotus-Renault: Kovalainen, Kovalainen, Trulli, Trulli.
HRT-Cosworth: TBC.
Virgin-Cosworth: d'Ambrosio, Glock, Glock, d'Ambrosio.

Note that the driver schedule is provisional and subject to change.

[NJB13]

Narain Karthikeyan is driving for HRT today. HRT are the only team not using their 2011 car, they are still using their 2010 car.

[vcs316]

Mercedes has announced that Bob Bell - former Renault technical director and briefly the team's chief during the post-race-fixing fall-out - will become Mercedes GP technical director from April.

[vcs316]

Track is currently wet from the overnight rain. Alonso has completed an installation lap and is currently in the pits

[vcs316]

08:33 Alonso does another constant-speed run.

08:33 It's mainly the pitlane and start/finish straight in the shade of the grandstand that still seems pretty damp.

08:32 The track is definitely drying quickly.

08:32 Kovalainen is also leaving the pits in the Lotus, while Alonso does a constant-speed aero test down the main straight.

08:31 Heidfeld's first time of the day, a 1m53.990s.

08:30 Alonso comes out for another look at the damp track.

[vcs316]

08:35 Alonso has set his first 'flying' lap, though the 1m57.172s includes long periods running at reduced speed to gather aero data.

08:34 The Ferrari is carrying a sensor pole on its roll hoop as the team gathers data. Ferrari has said its plan for later is tyre testing and set-up work.

[vcs316]

09:19 Alonso ends his run and comes into the Ferrari garage.

09:17 Alonso has picked up his pace slightly with a 1m47.198s.

09:11 Alonso comes past again at little more than pitlane speed.

09:09 The Ferrari resumes its earlier constant speed aero testing, cruising at a steady speed down the straight.

09:07 Alonso comes out of the Ferrari pit.

[scuderiafan]

Few useful sites:-
Williams live timing site.
The Greek timing site If you click on the driver you get all his lap times for the day.
The Autosports blog looks like its free again
The FOFA Facebook page has some quirky and interesting stuff and they have two reps at the circuit.
F1 Fanatic amalgamation of tweets This is nice place to get a gaggle of tweets. Use the config button to select the tweets you want.

This is a really good website, and it give individual times aswell. it is better than the greek site imo.

http://f1tests.mine.nu/2011_1eng.php?rev=on

[Hornet]

Why does this year's intermediate tires barely looks like they have any grooves in them at all?

All we see is some slightly darker shades

[vcs316]

Alonso is leaving the Ferrari pit. Most of his 15 laps first thing this morning involved constant-speed aero testing, so he has yet to really attack.

[scuderiafan]

11:10 Alonso goes fastest - a 1m25.597s puts the Ferrari 0.8s clear of Button

11:16 Alonso improves his time slightly with a 1m25.485s as he remains fastest.

11:20 Alonso comes in to end his session-topping run.

[Hornet]

"It is true that everywhere we try read between the lines, the Red Bull seems to be the fastest car. It's consistency over long stints and ability to make tyres last longer than we expect stands out. It's exit speed out of fast corners at Jerez was quicker than all the others, even when it was lapping slower. And the rear wing flap was opening earlier and for longer than all the others, suggesting a comparative surplus of downforce. But because of the nature of testing, that's all still guess work for us.

"The team isn't sandbagging, as such. As veteran F1 engineer Frank Dernie explained to us when he got in touch with Live at Jerez, it's far less vital for a team to spend time testing on qualifying fuel. So Red Bull is likely just focused on heavy fuel race pace, rather than trying to hide its performance from the likes of Ferrari and McLaren.

"We won't know for sure how quick the RB7 is until the first race, but you can be sure that the rival teams know more about each others' performance than we do."

[shostak]

Barcelona will host the final testing week replacing Bahrain.

Source:

http://www.motor21.com/formula-1/mon...bahrein-96299/

[hogo]

Quote Originally Posted by Autosport
"It is true that everywhere we try read between the lines, the Red Bull seems to be the fastest car. It's consistency over long stints and ability to make tyres last longer than we expect stands out. It's exit speed out of fast corners at Jerez was quicker than all the others, even when it was lapping slower. And the rear wing flap was opening earlier and for longer than all the others, suggesting a comparative surplus of downforce. But because of the nature of testing, that's all still guess work for us.

"The team isn't sandbagging, as such. As veteran F1 engineer Frank Dernie explained to us when he got in touch with Live at Jerez, it's far less vital for a team to spend time testing on qualifying fuel. So Red Bull is likely just focused on heavy fuel race pace, rather than trying to hide its performance from the likes of Ferrari and McLaren.

"We won't know for sure how quick the RB7 is until the first race, but you can be sure that the rival teams know more about each others' performance than we do."

I'm sick of such articles, prizing RedBull for nothing. Yeah, only Ferrari isn't sandbagging, what a joke...

[FerrariF60]

I'm sick of such articles, prizing RedBull for nothing. Yeah, only Ferrari isn't sandbagging, what a joke...

i hear ya mate...for all we know, Ferrari could be sandbagging the most out of all the teams.

[Curbs]

Pirelli with green text....not that many pics with this...most of them are with the yellow. Is this how they will be separating the option tire???

http://www.f1today.nl/foto.php?file=11563

[scuderiafan]

15:51 Vettel puts his Red Bull on top of the times for today with a lap of 1m24.374s.

[brava]

Sandbagging, huh?

[Hermann]

Its still 4 seconds slower than the times from last year. And i don't think the cars have become 4 seconds slower with Kers and different tyre supplier?

[Ste]

It's ok, Vettel did a lap 1.1s quicker, Alonso just happened to do 64 more laps than him.

[NJB13]

Fastest lap time at Barcelona practice last year was 1:20:4XX by Hamilton.
Pole position last year was 1:19:99X

[NJB13]

It's ok, Vettel did a lap 1.1s quicker, Alonso just happened to do 64 more laps than him.

Exactly, and I bet RB would trade that fast lap of Vettel for 30 more laps of testing.

[Nova]

I think I read that the RB is an evolution of last years car, so it should be quick AND more reliable...
RB appear fastest, Ferrari is looking good too though, plus all the laps being done can only be good for us.
Dont see or hear much about the Mac..Merc is doing quite a few laps, looking pretty good also.

With the times so close to some of the 2nd tier teams, I have to think there are much more faster laps to come..