Valencia test 22-24 January

[Ciro Pabón]

Vyselegend, thanks. I won't say anything else (even if my tongue stings right now), I don't want to feed trolls.

[ginsu]

Pos Driver Team Time Laps
1. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1.11.189 88 *
2. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1.11.206 89 *
3. Massa Ferrari (B) 1.11.831 96 *
4. Nakajima Williams-Toyota (B) 1.11.971 116 *
5. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes (B) 1.11.994 84 *
6. Kubica BMW-Sauber (B) 1.12.095 86 *
7. Trulli Toyota (B) 1.12.109 96 *
8. Vettel Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1.12.526 113
9. Heidfeld BMW-Sauber (B) 1.12.600 39
10. Glock Toyota (B) 1.12.705 68 *
11. Fisichella Force India-Ferrari (B) 1.12.949 93
12. Piquet Renault (B) 1.12.973 89 *
13. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) 1.13.060 95
14. Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) 1.13.133 15 *
15. Hulkenberg Williams-Toyota (B) 1.13.306 74
16. Button Honda (B) 1.13.689 80 *
17. Kogure Honda (B) 1.15.703 25

Nakajima is showing some really impressive speed. I've been waiting for a
promising Japanese driver for awhile, this looks really good.

But, as a Honda fan, I'm feeling nervous. They should ditch Kogure, he's
painfully slow.

[checkered]

Same cars on top in day 3. Pretty impressive pace from Force India today, less than 2 secoonds off the fastest lap of the whole test week, and much faster than Honda... Of course, they could be running the car light in search of sponsorship, like Prost did a few years ago.

I have to

wonder whether this is the famous "Fisi effect" once again? The man does seem to drive relatively better with challenging/cheaper equipment. But in that, Force India might've found a pretty optimal driver for their current needs.

[Astro1]

what is this?

The "optimess" thing, is an optical ride height sensor. Similar to the one on your digital camera, that determines focusing distance for your autofocus.

There is a small hole in the bottom of the nosecone, through wich it can calculate the ride height.

I belive, there is also one at the back of the car as well.

These sensors, are not run during the race weekend. They as far as I have seen, only appear during test sessions.

The other stuff in the photo, is clearly the rack and pinion and it's supporting hardware.

[joseff]

The sticker says "laser". I'd say it's more like logitech's laser mouse than a contrast-detect digital camera AF system.

http://www.optimess.de

[Astro1]

@joseff...a better analogy.

[m3_lover]

I thought Renault used those lasers during practices and qualifying at each event?

[bizadfar]

I don't believe the time especially where Lewis Hamilton, is concern. I believe it's danagerous for Lewis to be in spain and spain is know for it's right wing views. I seen some of the fans shouting out racist things at Lewis and saying aint Jewish things about Ron Dennis ( Ron Dennis isn't Jewish either)

do yourself a favour. Take a hike for a few years, grow the f up. Then come back if you have matured.

Well if they dont use the sensors in race, it can't be used in qualifying?

I just wonder if BMW is on a big sandbag as well as some minor annoying problems.
http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx ... 5&PO=41665

[icef1mkd]

I underline the Ferrari/McLaren/Williams impression too.

Elsewhere, I don't see Renault anywhere near this trio,
despite Alonso and the new radical car.

I see two patterns at Torro Rosso.
In the first one, the Sebs are closely matched
with Vettel ahead by a hair.
In the second one, Vettel is few tenths quicker.
I saw Bourdais being quicker only twice this winter.
Yes, he's the rookie here, but being quite
older than Vettel and with the rep of being the ChampCar
master, the pressure is on him to prove himself
by beating Vettel, at least.

[Roland Ehnström]

To me, Vettel+Bourdais is a stronger driver lineup than Webber+Coulthard. If Toro Rosso get an equal car as Red Bull again, I think the old guys in the "main" team might be embarrased. Especially Vettel could be a future champion, he is very very fast, and Bourdais has proven that he is championship material many times before (not only four times in CART - he was also F3000 champion in 2002). I think Vettel will be faster than Bourdais in 2008 (and then go on to a top team in 2009, possibly BMW), mainly because Vettel has more F1 experience. But I hope Bourdais will get a second year in F1, because by then he could really start to show his class.

[icef1mkd]

I share the same feeling/fear too - Vettel will end up quicker.
Still, Bourdais will have to give him a really tough time
because he'll have to earn that second year.

[Roland Ehnström]

Yes, especially in the second half of the season, Bourdais must get close to Vettel's pace, otherwise there is a real risk that he will be replaced by a younger driver for 2009.

[Lewisfan007]

I don't believe the time especially where Lewis Hamilton, is concern. I believe it's danagerous for Lewis to be in spain and spain is know for it's right wing views. I seen some of the fans shouting out racist things at Lewis and saying aint Jewish things about Ron Dennis ( Ron Dennis isn't Jewish either)

do yourself a favour. Take a hike for a few years, grow the f up. Then come back if you have matured.

Well if they dont use the sensors in race, it can't be used in qualifying?

I just wonder if BMW is on a big sandbag as well as some minor annoying problems.
http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx ... 5&PO=41665

Once again I don't believe the times in spain with regards to Lewis Hamilton, I will wait until Australia =D> and the rest of the world.

[Spencifer_Murphy]

Lewisfan007, I get what you're trying to say but you have to realise that the times in testing are not - nor can they be - doctored. They times are either given by the same automated systems that give us the times on race day, and/or they are given by the team's own telemetry.

Mclaren are not going to add time to the published lap times of Lewis are they now? And surely if the times are going to be doctored in testing the officials would do the same thing in quali for the spanish GP? It's just not going to happen is it? Besides, even if it did - don't believe for a second that Mclaren aren't also timming their cars using their telemetry, if there was a deiscrepany between their times and the "official" times they'd be up in arms!

It's great that you're following a driver so passionately, I myself have been watching Lewis for the last 5 years, but be careful not to get too blinkered by your enthusiasm.

[Sawtooth-spike]

Lewisfan007, I get what you're trying to say but you have to realise that the times in testing are not - nor can they be - doctored. They times are either given by the same automated systems that give us the times on race day, and/or they are given by the team's own telemetry.

Mclaren are not going to add time to the published lap times of Lewis are they now? And surely if the times are going to be doctored in testing the officials would do the same thing in quali for the spanish GP? It's just not going to happen is it? Besides, even if it did - don't believe for a second that Mclaren aren't also timming their cars using their telemetry, if there was a deiscrepany between their times and the "official" times they'd be up in arms!

It's great that you're following a driver so passionately, I myself have been watching Lewis for the last 5 years, but be careful not to get too blinkered by your enthusiasm.

Well Said