2021 Pre-season testing. Bahrain 12-14 March

[Just_a_fan]

Commentators talking about the DRS being used/not used by Hamilton. The view down the pit straight showed the DRS open but the top speed was only about 185mph. With DRS open, the top speed is a lot more than 185mph on that straight. They'd already mentioned that Hamilton wasn't using 8th on the straight - something that had been obvious earlier too. No one looks very stressed in the garage. I still think Mercedes are playing games. No idea why they would unless they think they've got something very silly-fast and don't want to make it obvious.

The car has been a handful but they're not running top gear on straights. Something fishy is going on.

[Wouter]

This testing is 100 times more fun and exciting than a qualification!

Rookie Tsunoda who drives World Championship Alonso at 1.3 sec on the same tire !!
And then see Kimi! That's great. Really enjoy this. Max drives great in the RB16B, while he is testing parts.
And Hamilton on the C5 ... 1 second slower than Yuki on a compound harder, C4.
Oh, and 1.8 sec faster then Pierre Gasly in the same car! WOW!

We are going to see a lot of beautiful things about that small, fast Japanese man !!

Max is now on fire again on the red compound!

[JordanMugen]

Red Bull seems to have lost their car balance a bit -- understeering everywhere. Suggestion by the Sky team that he is on used tyres?

[FrukostScones]

King George

[JordanMugen]

I still think Mercedes are playing games. No idea why they would unless they think they've got something very silly-fast and don't want to make it obvious.

Interesting analysis. How does the explain the poor car balance and spins?

[Just_a_fan]

I still think Mercedes are playing games. No idea why they would unless they think they've got something very silly-fast and don't want to make it obvious.

Interesting analysis. How does the explain the poor car balance and spins?

Why did you not quote this bit:

The car has been a handful but they're not running top gear on straights. Something fishy is going on.

I specifically said the car is a handful.

[fritticaldi]

The Aston Martins are performing like Mini Coopers

[Juzh]

Commentators talking about the DRS being used/not used by Hamilton. The view down the pit straight showed the DRS open but the top speed was only about 185mph. With DRS open, the top speed is a lot more than 185mph on that straight. They'd already mentioned that Hamilton wasn't using 8th on the straight - something that had been obvious earlier too. No one looks very stressed in the garage. I still think Mercedes are playing games. No idea why they would unless they think they've got something very silly-fast and don't want to make it obvious.

The car has been a handful but they're not running top gear on straights. Something fishy is going on.

Sky and mark hughes are clueless, i don't know what screens they are watching. On his currently fastest lap 1.30.0 Hamilton was using 8th gear as usual and had the same top speed more or less as verstappen did on his fastest lap 1.28.9. Both around 308-310 kmh on main straight.

[FrukostScones]

SAI roadrage is pathetic.

[MtthsMlw]

Sainz and Kimi are two weeks early for that lol

[Carl Mccoy]

SAI roadrage is pathetic.

???

[JordanMugen]

Sky and mark hughes are clueless, i don't know what screens they are watching. On his currently fastest lap 1.30.0 Hamilton was using 8th gear as usual and had the same top speed more or less as verstappen did on his fastest lap 1.28.9. Both around 308-310 kmh on main straight.

It would be a welcome change, if the 2021 regulations have made Mercedes go to a somewhat higher rake to get performance back, and their lack of experience and understanding with higher rake designs has tripped them up somewhat.

It does seem there is something wrong with the balance of the Mercedes, but the question is if they can fix it already in two weeks, or if it will take much longer and give Verstappen (or others) the chance to build a WDC lead.

[cliffgamerz]

[JordanMugen]

SAI roadrage is pathetic.

???

Sainz barged past Raikkonen on an in-lap, which seems very strange.

[JPower]

That was a good fight at the end. lol