3rd Winter test, Barcelona 2013

[Nova]

A lot of the teams look good in testing..The F138 looks fantastic. What I notice in a lot of pix of all the teams is the high tire
degradation...I wasnt crazy about how the tires made F1 look like a circus last year and it looks like Pirelli is going to do the same thing this season.
Sure, it looked to be a spectacle n all that, but it was so difficult to judge a cars true performance given the tires were so lame.
I do hope that tires arent an issue and we can see some real racing this season.

[Hornet]

So far sky has said some positive things about how Ferrari's tire look to be in better shape, and Red Bull still have the best downforce and pure pace although the gap should be very close. So perhaps if this is all true, our tire's usage could play into our hands during the race.

[raylinds]

I am optimistic for our chances this year. Bring on Melbourne!

[shamim179]

I just hope Red Bull don't get a working passive DRS so soon in the championship. They will gain a huge advantage over the others. We must/should be pursuing this avenue aggressively and not be complacent. We made a mistake last year of not pursuing the DDRS which cost us dearly.

[OSS EL BOSS]

Barcelona fastest sector 3 (slowest part of the track) times:

1. Alonso with 27.519
2. Rosberg: 27.530
with Red Bull and the Renault engined cars and with Red Bull exhaust solution losing dramatically tn that sector Vettel did 28.477, Raikkonen 28.177 and Maldonado 28.331.
But why do many experts say we have traction Problems
Alonso was also fastest in the 1. Sector and Rosberg 0.4 faster than Alonso in Sector 2(where higher fuel load gives biggest disadvantage)
Source: AMuS

[bluesilhouettes]

I just hope Red Bull don't get a working passive DRS so soon in the championship. They will gain a huge advantage over the others. We must/should be pursuing this avenue aggressively and not be complacent. We made a mistake last year of not pursuing the DDRS which cost us dearly.

I dont think last season passive DRS did work much.
Lotus didnt get it work properly and there's only little advantage.
Merc's DDRS is good but costly.
RBR's DDRS was a double edge solution.
And we had so much problems to solve.

[Bubbles]

Barcelona fastest sector 3 (slowest part of the track) times:

1. Alonso with 27.519
2. Rosberg: 27.530
with Red Bull and the Renault engined cars and with Red Bull exhaust solution losing dramatically tn that sector Vettel did 28.477, Raikkonen 28.177 and Maldonado 28.331.
But why do many experts say we have traction Problems
Alonso was also fastest in the 1. Sector and Rosberg 0.4 faster than Alonso in Sector 2(where higher fuel load gives biggest disadvantage)
Source: AMuS

I knew it. Mercedes are lying through their teeth. You should always listen to the opinion of pros like Alonso and Hamilton over what the teams like people to hear. Merc were running on fumes to get the headlines. Ferrari are the fastest, which is why Fernando is happy.

Damn, I'm happy (())

Bring on Melbourne!

EDIT: It seems Eddie Jordan was right about Ferrari being bloody quick.

[Bubbles]

Also, I'm starting to dislike Rosberg for being a PR puppet... "Oh, it's clear we've made progress.".

[f300v10]

Does anyone have speed trap data from the Barcelona tests? Just wondering how the F138 top speed compares to the others.

[cokata]

Does anyone have speed trap data from the Barcelona tests? Just wondering how the F138 top speed compares to the others.

i saw somewhere that unlike last year(when we had bad top speed) this year we were the best,with some gap to the second team.Maybe some of those theories that we are somehow stalling our sidepods are true

[rossopervincere]

Our guys having a lot of fun at Catalunya :


http://www.motorsport-magazin.com/fo...catalunya.html

[wisepie]

Now that testing has finished, we're left with the usual questions as to who is fastest/best prepared, all of which gives an idea of the pecking order but there are so many factors involved that it's pretty pointless reading too much into what we've seen so far. We tifosi know what we wish for and as long as we can achieve good grid slots with both cars, we have every chance of fighting for both championships, hopefully with both drivers. Enough of the testing times, for now, let's concentrate on what lies ahead.

[Rob]

Our guys having a lot of fun at Catalunya :


http://www.motorsport-magazin.com/fo...catalunya.html

brilliant

[Anrasp]

According to gazzetta.it

Lo spagnolo sulla stagione in arrivo: "In Australia la Red Bull sarà davanti, ma noi subito dietro. La F138 va migliorata in frenata e nel consumo gomme. Attenzione alla Mercedes. Invidioso di Vettel? Non mi cambierei con nessuno"

Translation

The spaniard commenting on the season to come "In Australia Red Bull shall be ahead, but we shall be immediately behind. The F138 needs to be improved in braking and in tyre consumption. Pay attention to Mercedes. Envious of Vettel ? I would not swap places with anyone


Anrasp

[Tifoso]

That's the spirit, Fernando!

Thanks for the quote Anrasp.

[Massimo]

brilliant

Brilliant video's!
It's a good thing you (as naughty word mod) don't speak Italian Rob, both Felipe and Fernando said things that are definitely not suited towards children’s ears, ha,ha!

[Suzie]

Brilliant video's!
It's a good thing you (as naughty word mod) don't speak Italian Rob, both Felipe and Fernando said things that are definitely not suited towards children’s ears, ha,ha!

Aw I want to know

[Alonsomaniac]

Fernando and Felipe have confidence in the car - for me that is enough.

[mark p]

Brilliant video's!
It's a good thing you (as naughty word mod) don't speak Italian Rob, both Felipe and Fernando said things that are definitely not suited towards children’s ears, ha,ha!

After all the pr language they normally use thats great to hear. i often use a few of those words when driving to work.

[DIEK]

[fratelliferrari]

Fantastic video of Felipe and Fernando driving in the 458! I would want that car soo bad! What a machine! And then we know the F12 should be even better! Fantastico!

[DIEK]

Inside camera video:

http://www.cope.es/player/id=2013030416430001&activo=10

[Ophidian786]

Why did it have so much wheel spin when fernando drove? TC off?

[bluesilhouettes]

Inside camera video:

http://www.cope.es/player/id=2013030416430001&activo=10

No belt, no helmet. Must be kidding !

[Nova]

According to gazzetta.it

Lo spagnolo sulla stagione in arrivo: "In Australia la Red Bull sarà davanti, ma noi subito dietro. La F138 va migliorata in frenata e nel consumo gomme. Attenzione alla Mercedes. Invidioso di Vettel? Non mi cambierei con nessuno"

Translation

The spaniard commenting on the season to come "In Australia Red Bull shall be ahead, but we shall be immediately behind. The F138 needs to be improved in braking and in tyre consumption. Pay attention to Mercedes. Envious of Vettel ? I would not swap places with anyone


Anrasp

So what is Nando saying about the Merc? Brawn/Costa got it right.

[bluesilhouettes]

Envious of Vettel ? I would not swap places with anyone

[Giambattista]

LOL @ middle finger in 2:55

[Massimo]

Aw I want to know

They're doing it on purpose, just before they get in the car some Ferrari pr guy tells them :"e tutto registrato ragazzi, tutto registrato", means that they'll be recording the whole thing so behave, which of course they don't ha,ha!

[Hornet]

I knew it. Mercedes are lying through their teeth. You should always listen to the opinion of pros like Alonso and Hamilton over what the teams like people to hear. Merc were running on fumes to get the headlines. Ferrari are the fastest, which is why Fernando is happy.
.

But what do you think they do in qualifying. Load the car up with fuel?

So what is Nando saying about the Merc? Brawn/Costa got it right.

Probably meant don't count them out.

[stefa]

Don't underestimate FA opinion about Mercedes. I remember it was winter testing in 1998, and MS was asked who he sees as his rival for that year. He said Mika Hakkinen and McLaren. To said something like hat after years of Williams dominations, was like, yeah right. But than come Melbourne where to everybody shock McLaren was in a world, one second faster, than the rest. I am not saying that it will happen this year with Mercedes, but FA opinion has to be taken seriously.