[Sparky68]

P Driver Team Time Laps
1 Grosjean Lotus 1m18.218s 94
2 di Resta Force India 1m19.003s +0.785 95
3 Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1m19.134s +0.916 83
4 Webber Red Bull 1m19.338s +1.120 100
5 Hulkenberg Sauber 1m19.502s +1.284 98
6 Hamilton Mercedes 1m19.519s +1.301 15
7 Perez McLaren 1m19.572s +1.354 81
8 Massa Ferrari 1m19.914s +1.696 77
9 Maldonado Williams 1m20.693s +2.475 71
10 Rossiter Force India 1m21.273s +3.055 19
11 vd Garde Caterham 1m21.311s +3.093 88
12 Razia Marussia 1m23.537s +5.319 31
All timing unofficial. Updated: 15:57 GMT

[dobbo99]

Originally Posted by sheps

Yup, it's still there, but is empty.
It's such a shame, because Lola Composites was profitable. But, because it was intertwined with Lola cars (which was not) any potential purchase of the profitable arm fell at the 'due diligence' stage - no one wanted to be embroiled with the car side of the business.

takes me back to my youth! is the bed place still there as well?
probably been a good 15 years since Ive been back to Huntingdon.


also, if your an F1 team, and in practice sessions your already 5secs off the pace, I dont really get the point in turning up for Race 1.
Team Marussia is my example!

[sheps]

Originally Posted by dobbo99

takes me back to my youth! is the bed place still there as well?
probably been a good 15 years since Ive been back to Huntingdon.

Myers?
I think so....

[Sparky68]

http://live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/551

Day 3

[Sparky68]

P Driver Team Time Laps
1 Massa Ferrari 1m17.879s
2 Rosberg Mercedes 1m18.766s +0.887
3 Vettel Red Bull 1m19.052s +1.173
4 Raikkonen Lotus 1m19.200s +1.321
5 Vergne Toro Rosso 1m19.247s +1.368
6 Rossiter Force India 1m19.303s +1.424
7 Button McLaren 1m19.603s +1.724
8 Gutierrez Sauber 1m19.934s +2.055
9 Chilton Marussia 1m21.269s +3.390
10 Bottas Williams 1m21.575s +3.696
11 Pic Caterham 1m22.352s +4.473
12 di Resta Force India 1m23.729s +5.850

[Sparky68]

Day 4

http://live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/552

[A_P]

What the hell Mercedes the only team to not improve on the same test at jerez last season!?
They were actually 1.153 seconds slower than last year. Shame as I like both brawn and hamster.

On the plus side RB are just over half a second quicker.

It all doesn't mean much i know but interesting none the less.

[briers]

Read Gary Andersons analysis of Laptimes

Testing never produces the laptimes fans want to see. Nobody knows the fuel loads they carry or how much they hold back. But you can reverse engineer a list of order as Gary Anderson has done. He looked at how many laps the cars ran for before going back into the pits and looked on which lap they ran their fastest time. He then adjusted the times for low fuel load to see the pecking order. It puts Mercedes and Ferrari as front runners along with Lotus and Mclaren. Red Bull have a history of holding back so who knows where they end up. They just seem to be running high fuel loads and concentrating on the tyres. I think it shows they are confident they have retained a high downforce car which will probably have some mods come race weekend.

My worry with Mercedes is their failures and limited running time. They seem to have redeemed themselves recently. Think they have an average car where as the Mclaren has taken some big steps forward. Dont forget some of them run hard tyres, high fuel load on dirty tracks. Massa was surprised just how quick button was on hard tyres, high fuel and dirty track. So Mclaren could be very quick this year now they have a higher running height. His analysis might give you a clue but the real guns wont take their order until March 15th / 16th.

If you are a hamilton fan, he might not be top 3 this year, i think unlikely, but he moved to get comfortable with Mercedes before 2014 when the engine changes come into play. Mercedes will build and provide these engines so they get a head start on designing the chassis around this new engine. With Brawn this could give them a great 2014 car if done right. That's what he is good at an aerodynamicist building cars around engines from the very start.

[A_P]

This is it mate. Hamilton moving to Mercedes was the best move fro him. I think I would like to think I would have done the same If I were in his position. Yes on one side you have a boy nurtured into a great driver with a great team. Epic story. And this kind of thing is lovely to see when talking about loyalty. Just look at Messi and Barca.

But there comes a time when you have to relish a challenge. One that pushes you further than you have been, one that will help you grow into a man and help define you. I think it wouldve been all too easy to join a join a team like Redbull or stay at Mclaren. Where they would've given him a team to win tittles.

Agree with you on the Brawn aspect for designing the car. All 2014 engines are designed at a Merc facility 25 miles down the road from their main F1 operation. I am happy for him to not challenge for the tittle this year, however I would like to see him up their winning a few races.

Should be a good season.

P.s on a side note, I believe that Hamilton leaving and the the general lacklustre performance on Mclaren in general is soley down to Dennis's predecessor not being able to fill the proverbial shoes so to speak.

[Sparky68]

Day 1 T03 Barcelona

Wet so far and not much going on, Grosjean already been into the gravel.

http://live.autosport.com/commentary.php/id/557

[A_P]

Man Grosjean is lethal. Did you see that piece on BBC about his first lap mishaps?

[sheps]

Originally Posted by A_P

Agree with you on the Brawn aspect for designing the car. All 2014 engines are designed at a Merc facility 25 miles down the road from their main F1 operation. I am happy for him to not challenge for the tittle this year, however I would like to see him up their winning a few races.

I think Mercedes' capability this season is being downplayed by all.
I know why Hamilton has said he's moved - wanting to build a successful team behind him, take an ailing team and take it to greatness (as per Schumacher) but at the end of the day, he is a racer and a world champion - he will not have moved to a team that will always remain uncompetitive. We all saw how frustrated he was when his McLaren let him down (both on reliability and performance) - does anyone genuinely think he'd go to a team if it were almost guaranteed that would be happening week in, week out?

I think the Merc will be a lot more competitive than anyone else is giving it credit for right now; and in this sense it's a win-win for Mercedes. If they fail to be competitive, they can say "See, we told you we wouldn't be challenging for the top slot this year; our year is 2014 and beyond" and if they do win they can surprise everyone and say "We've pulled it out of the bag, yey us".

Let us not forget how many championships have been won at the wheel of a Ross Brawn car. Having secured Hamilton I think he will have been given (metaphorically speaking) a blank cheque to make sure the car delivers.

He will be on the podium inside of 5 races from season start.

[A_P]

Originally Posted by sheps

I think Mercedes' capability this season is being downplayed by all.
I know why Hamilton has said he's moved - wanting to build a successful team behind him, take an ailing team and take it to greatness (as per Schumacher) but at the end of the day, he is a racer and a world champion - he will not have moved to a team that will always remain uncompetitive. We all saw how frustrated he was when his McLaren let him down (both on reliability and performance) - does anyone genuinely think he'd go to a team if it were almost guaranteed that would be happening week in, week out?

I think the Merc will be a lot more competitive than anyone else is giving it credit for right now; and in this sense it's a win-win for Mercedes. If they fail to be competitive, they can say "See, we told you we wouldn't be challenging for the top slot this year; our year is 2014 and beyond" and if they do win they can surprise everyone and say "We've pulled it out of the bag, yey us".

Let us not forget how many championships have been won at the wheel of a Ross Brawn car. Having secured Hamilton I think he will have been given (metaphorically speaking) a blank cheque to make sure the car delivers.

He will be on the podium inside of 5 races from season start.

You know I really do hope you are right about them downplaying it. The silver arrows should be front runners, have always liked them and Brawn too.

But your point about Hamster going there thinking they will be good this season. Just look at Schumacher the guy honestly believed that he would be given a car to do some serious damage to Redbull and Mclarens dominance. I doubt very much he would come out of retirement if he knew the outcome would be as such.

The way I see it is, Mclaren lost Vodafone as a sponsor that was a huge blow as well as the separation from Mercedes and the loss of Dennis who left to focus on the road car programme ( which ultimately solidifies the future of the firm). Add all this into the fact of a whole new engine and chassis for 2014 then where is the smartest place to be? Has to be Merc. With the money, the hunger to prove its worth and the financial gain should they be a success and filter tech down through to the new AMG cars coming through.

Furthermore Mclarens selection of driver was purely for sponsorship has to be, why would anyone choose perez over di resta? Perez is much more volatile and erratic than hamilton and ultimately lacks his raw pace. Whereas Paul is a more complete driver al be it with a lack a mexican giant behind him.

If it was about having all the best drivers all the time then redbull would not have mark and neither ferrari massa. Good as they are nothing against them, they are there because they offer stability. Something which Perez does'nt really. I liked him at Sauber and I hope he grows into a great driver and pushes button.

Lastly I would just like to say. I do not for the life of me like Maldonado a single bit.

[sheps]

Originally Posted by A_P

But your point about Hamster going there thinking they will be good this season. Just look at Schumacher the guy honestly believed that he would be given a car to do some serious damage to Redbull and Mclarens dominance. I doubt very much he would come out of retirement if he knew the outcome would be as such.

I agree, to a point; but Schumacher was a retired driver with far fewer options on the table. I don't think he would have needed much convincing to come out of retirement to earn a guaranteed x million in a sport he so loves, especially to work for a German team headed by his old chum who had put him in a race winning car year after year. It was an opportunity that he was actively looking for, rather than Mercedes having to have him.

This is evidenced by how magnanimous and open minded he was about overall package performance and reliability not being what it should have been. If he was there to win podium after podium his frustration would have been much more evident, rather than the smile and shrug we saw week after week for the past two years. He knew from day 1 he wasn't going to be challenging.

Hamilton, on the other hand, is a commodity driver in the prime of his career, not with it behind him. He brings tens of millions of pounds worth of sponsorship and merchandising opportunities and has a career lifespan ahead of him capable of accommodating the winning of multiple additional world championships.

Mercedes would have had to have given Hamilton (and his agent/manager) KPI's off-the-chart-positive compared to what was required to squire Schumacher.

They will be the 'shock' performer of the year (to everyone who doesn't believe they're downplaying their capabilities).

[sheps]

Originally Posted by A_P

Lastly I would just like to say. I do not for the life of me like Maldonado a single bit.

Agree

[A_P]

Always nice to see the other side of the story. I sure hope your right Sheps, if that Merc is competitive then it's going to be one hell of a season mate.

[sheps]

Originally Posted by A_P

Always nice to see the other side of the story. I sure hope your right Sheps, if that Merc is competitive then it's going to be one hell of a season mate.

So do I, or I'm going to look a right prick!
I'm going to try and arrange a couple of meets this year, so a few of the F1 nuts can get together in a boozer and watch the race together on a big screen.

[A_P]

Originally Posted by sheps

So do I, or I'm going to look a right prick!
I'm going to try and arrange a couple of meets this year, so a few of the F1 nuts can get together in a boozer and watch the race together on a big screen.

Hahaha. Yea defo let me know bud, I would be up for that.

[dxb335d]

I think Perez has proved in a select few races he can win. Di Resta hasn't, he is a solid driver but that is all.

[A_P]

That is a fact I cannot argue. Only the di resta raced for Mwrcedws before. Besides I quite like perez.

[Geesh_46]

Originally Posted by A_P

That is a fact I cannot argue. Only the di resta raced for Mwrcedws before. Besides I quite like perez.

Agree aswell, do Di Resta will be lucky to have a seat next season if he drives the same as last year especially with vijay owing a fortune with kingfisher airlines. Gutierrez looks like a solid driver and I think this is the year for hulkenberg to prove himself, and I can only see max chiton going the same way as Davidson did, hard to prove yourself in a car that's almost certain to finish last!

Should be an interesting season. Webber did well in practice today! Would like to see him stick two fingers up to red bull bosses and win the championship, but I am still a hammy fan!

[briers]

I think Hamilton moved because f1 is seeing one of the biggest changes in 2014 its seen for a while with new regs centred around the new 1.6 turbo v6 engines.

Mercedes supplies engines so it has had a lot longer to prepare the car and chassis for such a change. The new engine is likely to occupy a different space in the engine bay which aides aero development and chassis reconfiguration.

I think its a nice strategic move and in the past bold engine designs have often yielded great success.

I still think mercedes will be competitive this year but I expect it to be another close year if not the closest.