2018 Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 Team - Honda

[HPD]

Holy crap Gasley's new engine seems to be working!

Yes, and it also helps that the pilots have some experience in this circuit

[davidfroshanzen]

Gasly very fast... hopely not in Q engine mode...

[etusch]

[media]https://twitter.com/F1/status/982290361543356416?s=09[/media]

[muramasa]

In FPs teams trial various aero and vehicle settings. So the top speed in FP can be one off set with less df setting. Also tow. Also some teams dont activate DRS in FPs in order to work on base setup. Not to mention all teams bar Honda have bigger margin of gain for Q and race. I wouldnt say it's totally useless, but generally FP time and speed is not good reference unless you get all data and correspond all laps to what setting the car was on for each lap.
I guess in Qualify STR's top speed will stay around 320km/h (coz Honda's quali mode offset by chassis going for more realistic heavier df) while Merc Fer will hit 335km/h or above, and both cars drop out in Q1 with P20 and P17.

[cyro_666]

Anyone knows how their race pace compared in FP2 to the rest of the field? I think it wasn't that good, was it?

[Marti_EF3]

Gasly was doing same laptimes aprox than mclaren and renault with the SuperSoft. And with the soft it was a little faster... Average laptime with SS and tank full was 1,36,7 and 2nd stint with Soft it was 1,35,5 (Alonso with same tires and same laps on the tires was doing 1,35,8...) It's only FP, but It seems to be better... And, for curiosity, it can be than Gasly PU could be an updated one?? Because the gap with hartley is sooo big

[Ground Effect]

I don't know what they are doing, but Gasly is looking good all day. Driver, car and PU related.
The difference with Hartley is what puzzles me.

I think Gasly got a new ICE among the new elements, but Hartley didn't. I'm taking a wild guess here, maybe Hartley is running heavily defined as a precaution, till qualifying proper.

[Bisonas]

I don't know what they are doing, but Gasly is looking good all day. Driver, car and PU related.
The difference with Hartley is what puzzles me.

I think Gasly got a new ICE among the new elements, but Hartley didn't. I'm taking a wild guess here, maybe Hartley is running heavily defined as a precaution, till qualifying proper.

The Numbers are impressive. Sector Times and top speeds are really good. And if we take for granted that TR hasn't become suddenly one of the best chassis, that gives Honda PU even more credit.
As i said again, i don't know what they are doing. We will know at Qualifying.
If Hartley was up there also, it would have been a really wow display.

[etusch]

I don't know what they are doing, but Gasly is looking good all day. Driver, car and PU related.
The difference with Hartley is what puzzles me.

I think Gasly got a new ICE among the new elements, but Hartley didn't. I'm taking a wild guess here, maybe Hartley is running heavily defined as a precaution, till qualifying proper.

The Numbers are impressive. Sector Times and top speeds are really good. And if we take for granted that TR hasn't become suddenly one of the best chassis, that gives Honda PU even more credit.
As i said again, i don't know what they are doing. We will know at Qualifying.
If Hartley was up there also, it would have been a really wow display.

Maybe PU also a bit better than first one. But it is whole package. They were saying we are good at tracks with low speed turnings. So I think this is main reason and other important reason is this is a real race track unlike melburne's.

[Snorked]

Gasly has the same spec ICE, turbine and mgu h as Hartley according to Tom Clarkson who's a UK TV pitlane reporter.

[HPD]

Gasly

Stint 1: 1:36.151, 1:36.456, 1:39.537, 1:36.739, 1:36.787, 1:37.188, 1:36.856, 1:36.542, 1:36.654, 1:36.683, 1:36.494, 1:36.708, 1:36.990

Stint 2: 1:39.217, 1:35.752, 1:35.323, 1:35.295, 1:35.209, 1:35.232, 1:35.447, 1:37.208, 1:34.978

[godlameroso]

The irony if Renault is now the weakest power unit on the grid. Only 2 reasons the TR cars would be up there, either they have a low downforce and low drag car, or the power unit has decent grunt, or both.

[cyro_666]

Gasly

Stint 1: 1:36.151, 1:36.456, 1:39.537, 1:36.739, 1:36.787, 1:37.188, 1:36.856, 1:36.542, 1:36.654, 1:36.683, 1:36.494, 1:36.708, 1:36.990

Stint 2: 1:39.217, 1:35.752, 1:35.323, 1:35.295, 1:35.209, 1:35.232, 1:35.447, 1:37.208, 1:34.978

If I'm not mistaken, those are actually pretty good. Hopefully we won't be too disappointed tomorrow.

[godlameroso]

Gasly

Stint 1: 1:36.151, 1:36.456, 1:39.537, 1:36.739, 1:36.787, 1:37.188, 1:36.856, 1:36.542, 1:36.654, 1:36.683, 1:36.494, 1:36.708, 1:36.990

Stint 2: 1:39.217, 1:35.752, 1:35.323, 1:35.295, 1:35.209, 1:35.232, 1:35.447, 1:37.208, 1:34.978

If I'm not mistaken, those are actually pretty good. Hopefully we won't be too disappointed tomorrow.

Faster than Vandoorne.

[Revs84]

Was wondering, is it possible that Gasly and Hartley were running different practice plans at some point in order to maximise data collection for the team and hence resulting in such discrepancy?

Would that make sense, or is it imperative to have each driver run similar plans in order to find the best setup sweet spot in the car that suits each one individually?