2012 Testing - Barcelona 2: 21-24 Feb

[the EDGE]

Is there a link that shows sector times? Curious how some cars who may be sandbagging are doing sector-by-sector as they test.

there is no such thing as sandbagging

tyre type, tyre life and fuel levels all have a MASSIVE influence on lap times - probably by 8 - 10 seconds a lap from the extremity of fuel vapour on new super-softs like you would do in qualifying to used hards with a full tank and this is why anything bar competition will not show us a pecking ordr

if you set up a car to run good heavy it just gets better and better with lighter fuel loads. the same can NOT be said if you set up a car whilst light, which is why the top teams who do not need to impress sponsors have not bothered running light fuel loads yet and probably wont until the next test

[fast_ian]

The soft and super soft are the same as last year right?

No sir!

I'm almost sure Pirelli said only the hard would remain the same compound. They're all "squarer" than last year and supposedly they've closed the gaps between compounds; Hembery says they're shooting for ~0.6-0.8 seconds between 'em as that opens up more different strategy possibilities.

Cheers,
Ian

[marcush.]

RedBull could or could not be running heavier ,we simply don´t know .To stop the long run 10 laps short of what you could do is a nice way of sandbagging IF the tyres don´t fall of the cliff as they did last year..
So REDbull either did what they did or they kept the others thinking they are closer than they really are.

[bosanac1]

well here we go again

affected teams apparently
Red Bull, Lotus, Williams, Catheram, Mercedes, McLaren, Force India

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97662

this sounds like win-win for Ferrari powered cars

[dren]

The FIA does not suspect that any team was making use of this loophole at the present time, although such an action could not have been ruled out if outfits had found out about it later in the campaign.

[bosanac1]

The FIA does not suspect that any team was making use of this loophole at the present time, although such an action could not have been ruled out if outfits had found out about it later in the campaign.

not whats on twitter

autosport is always reluctant to post news until its really sure...
they don't want another mclaren got kicked out of f1 headline for spygate error

[Moanlower]

On this video you hear the off-throttle exhaust blow (missfire) of the redbull

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxEfy-Y3em0[/youtube]

And here's one of Alonso being gangbanged

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJmt2fbX ... re=related[/youtube]

[Trocola]

The soft and super soft are the same as last year right?

No sir!

I'm almost sure Pirelli said only the hard would remain the same compound. They're all "squarer" than last year and supposedly they've closed the gaps between compounds; Hembery says they're shooting for ~0.6-0.8 seconds between 'em as that opens up more different strategy possibilities.

Cheers,
Ian

I think it is just the other way. The old hard compound doesn't exist and last year's medium compound is now the hard one. The soft and supersofts are near the same (small changes) and the medium is totally new.
That's why some people said that Pirelli changed tires to help Ferrari, because they had a lot of trouble with the hard compound


Trocola

[Hail22]

Well hearing from Scarbs and Ted Krav.

Seems like Mercedes Engines and Red Bull are running a cold blowing solution.

Which if is true they will have a performance drop come Melbourne...

[FrukostScones]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QqDgtHx ... re=related[/youtube]

[raymondu999]

The soft and super soft are the same as last year right?

No sir!

I'm almost sure Pirelli said only the hard would remain the same compound. They're all "squarer" than last year and supposedly they've closed the gaps between compounds; Hembery says they're shooting for ~0.6-0.8 seconds between 'em as that opens up more different strategy possibilities.

Cheers,
Ian

The opposite is true. The supersoft is the same as last year (in terms of compound). The soft is a new compound between last year's supersoft and last year's soft; and this year's medium compound was last year's soft. The hard is also a new compound.

[Mr.S]

Sebastien Buemi, Red Bull’s reserve driver in 2012, spent time watching Wednesday’s Barcelona test action from a trackside vantage point.

“I like the Red Bull and the Force India the best,” said the Swiss, after Nico Hulkenberg set the surprise pace.

“(McLaren’s Lewis) Hamilton and Hulkenberg can brake late and get back on the gas early.

“You can tell that the Red Bull has fuel on board, but still the (RB8) is very good. But you can see that the tyres are old,” explained Buemi.

He was most surprised, however, by Hulkenberg’s Force India, congratulating the Silverstone based team: “They have made a very good car.”

Former third driver Hulkenberg smiled: “I could have gone even faster.”

According to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, Buemi is also impressed with the McLaren.

“It looks good, it has grip — not quite as much as the Red Bull, but close.”

But in trouble, according to former Toro Rosso racer Buemi, is Ferrari.

“Oh dear, that doesn’t look so good,” he commented after Fernando Alonso passed by. “He’s playing with the throttle because there’s no traction.”

Like Hulkenberg, Sauber’s Sergio Perez was also setting the pace on Wednesday, but Buemi reveals that the Mexican was running new soft tyres.

“That distorts the picture, just as the level of fuel does.

“For me, Red Bull is in front, then comes Force India and McLaren,” said Buemi. “They are not too far away.”

[Richard]

Exhaust blowing discussions have their own little debating wonderland.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12046

[Mr.S]

Ferrari's tyre degradation issue is a HUGE Problem. Potential Disaster. Tyres just getting destroyed out of nowhere. This is Gigantic Degradation. Happened with Massa yesterday as well & happening consistently -


Massa -

1.29.135
1.25.278
1.26.860
1.25.176
1.29.690
1.26.526
1.36.859
(Pits)

Another Stint -

1.26.825
1.26.302
1.26.375
1.27.209
1.27.166
1.27.308
1.36.293

(Pits)

How can the lap times suddently become 10s slower??? This happened yesterday too. Suddently the Tyres are finished. Mclaren & Mercedes are having linear degradation with the tyres slowly going off. Pirelli said degradation will be very consistent & linear this year.

[radosav]

Ferrari's tyre degradation issue is a HUGE Problem. Potential Disaster. Tyres just getting destroyed out of nowhere. This is Gigantic Degradation. Happened with Massa yesterday as well & happening consistently -


Massa -

1.29.135
1.25.278
1.26.860
1.25.176
1.29.690
1.26.526
1.36.859
(Pits)

Another Stint -

1.26.825
1.26.302
1.26.375
1.27.209
1.27.166
1.27.308
1.36.293

(Pits)

How can the lap times suddently become 10s slower??? This happened yesterday too. Suddently the Tyres are finished. Mclaren & Mercedes are having linear degradation with the tyres slowly going off. Pirelli said degradation will be very consistent & linear this year.

maybe he just slowed down before entering the pits. this isn't racing