shelly wrote:It depends by the point of view
Personnel: does not make any difference in these tests
Car: 2011 car is well known - it is a valid test rig for learning tires- slight difference to 2013
Data logged by team: who knows?
Test session paid by: I did not know about that, could be a difference
Driver: De la Rosa is ferrari sim driver, is 1st choice for this type of test. If merc had had atester like DLR, they would have probably used him. But as for other above points, we do not really know who was driving for merc or ferrari
So really in my view merc and ferrari secret tyre tests are very similar; but there are also many missing informations,so maybe my judgement is biased (e.g. maybe I overestimate relevance of 2011ish car for tyres understanding on 2013 car)
PS also notice the difference in official ferrari media coverage between the barcelona test and Kobayashi fiorano test (with a 2010 car painted in this year livery)
From my point of view, albeit meaning absolutely zero for everyone else, is that Ferrari kept their current F1 team, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, away from the Pirelli test. The only thing that was Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro was the livery on the car. Everything was their Clienti Corse group which you and i could be part of if we first had an old F1 car and secondly, but most importantly, have bazillions of dollars/Euro/Pounds.
An easy test: (assuming everything other than the date of the test stays 100% the same)
Could Ferrari's Pirelli test be conducted AT THE SAME TIME as an F1 Championship race?
Could Mercede's Pirellia test be conducted AT THE SAME TIME as an F1 Championship race?
Ferrari - Yes
mercedes - No