F1 2018 Season

Today's a snow/wash-out, and unfortunately an unnamed team/teams have blocked the idea of having an extra day when there's better weather next week.
 
No one is out on the track today, apart from these drivers:

  • Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) - 2 laps
  • Fernando Alonso (McLaren, pictured) - 1 lap
  • Marcus Ericsson (Sauber) - 1 lap
  • Robert Kubica (Williams) - 1 lap
  • Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso) - 1 lap
 
pauldyson1uk said:
apparently , it is Williams and Ferrari ( unconfirmed )
But Williams do have the track booked for Friday !
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Proposal was supposedly for Monday (basically have a five-day second test). I've heard Merc and FI also rumoured, could easily believe the former given they get so much running done anyway.
 
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1) Vettel, Ferrari, 157 laps, Medium tyres - 1:20.396;
2) Bottas, Mercedes, 86 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.596;
3) Verstappen, Red Bull, 114 laps, Medium tyres - 1:20.649;
4) Hamilton, Mercedes, 79 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.808;
5) Gasly, Toro Rosso, 54 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.973;
6) Magnussen, Haas, 83 laps, Soft tyres - 1:21.298;
7) Hulkenberg, Renault, 48 laps, Medium tyres - 1:21.432;
8) Sainz, Renault, 90 laps, Soft tyres, 1:21.455;
9) Sirotkin, Williams, 42 laps, Soft tyres - 1:21.588;
10) Perez, Force India, 87 laps, Soft tyres - 1:21.643;
11) Ericsson, Sauber, 111 laps, Supersoft tyres - 1:21706;
12) Vandoorne, McLaren, 38 laps, Supersoft tyres - 1:21.946;
13) Stroll, Williams, 74 laps, Soft tyres - 1:22.937

So Sebastian Vettel finishes top of the timesheet with his morning 1:20.396 on the medium tyres remaining unchallenged in the afternoon session.

The German also racked up the most individual laps with 171, but Mercedes take the crown for most mileage with 177 laps (86 to Bottas and 91 for Hamilton).

Renault are third in the lap count with 139 in total, while Max Verstappen made it to 130 laps, despite a spell in the garage after stopping, and Marcus Ericsson also passes the century mark with 120.

But it's a day to forget for McLaren with three breakdowns, the second slowest time and just 38 laps recorded.
 
McLaren's hopes of starting the Formula 1 season close to the front have been hit by the latest in a series of problems in pre-season testing.

The car, driven by Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne, broke down three times on day one of the final test in Barcelona.

The first two failures were caused by a battery problem, the third a loss of hydraulic pressure.

McLaren completed the fewest laps on Tuesday and Vandoorne was 12th fastest of the 13 drivers taking part.

McLaren headed into the pre-season tests following their switch from Honda to Renault engines with hopes of competing for podium finishes this season.

They split with Honda last season after three seasons of poor performance and reliability and claimed that they had a chassis that was on about the same level as Red Bull.

They have expectations of competing this year with the four-time champions, who also use a Renault engine.

"We aren't overly concerned about the issues that we've faced today," said McLaren racing director Eric Boullier.

"It's obviously not the productive day we had planned, but the problems are the types of niggles that we almost hope and expect to face during testing, in order to prepare us properly for the season ahead.

"We are here to test, and today is what sometimes happens in testing. It's not ideal, and we would have liked more track time, but we're working on it, we're learning from it."
 
Anyone else read Smedley's comments? Supposedly McLaren and FI looking a bit shit.
 
Going to quote myself here just cause it feels good now;

gaucho_10 said:
Honda wanted a bit longer engine fearing there might be reliability issues but Mclaren said no so they had to make the engine shorter. I'm betting they had no say in anything. They were probably just told to make the engine small enough to fit in the back. Zero compromises from their side. Size zero and all that crap...
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Alonso the whiner, Boulier the incompetent and Brown, the guy who owns every motorsport media outlet feeding us with Mclaren crap on daily basis. How can anyone root for that bunch..
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Boulier also said this few days ago:

"McLaren was now able to "go racing" with Renault, having "spent the past three years doing some engineering and car maintenance" while working with Honda."

:lol:


Honda wont be pulling up trees this season, but regardless, I'm just happy that "the best chassis" and the incompetent bunch from Woking have been found out (although they were actually found out back in 2014. when Merc engine didn't help them).

The car is overheating because of their "size zero" cooling solutions and it's causing havoc with wiring harnesses and sensor. No quick fix there. They won't finish the race in Australia at 25 - 30 degrees.


I almost feel sad for Zak, but I'm happy to see Boulier and Alonso eat their own crap. "GP2 team, GP2 team!" :drool:
 
Ricciardo posts fastest time of testing so far; Hamilton just behind; McLaren breaks down for fourth time; Raikkonen back in Ferrari in afternoon after feeling unwell.

Timesheet (2:30pm):
1) Ricciardo, Red Bull, 107 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:18.047;
2) Hamilton, Mercedes, 90 laps, Ultrasoft tyres - 1:18.400;
3) Bottas, Mercedes, 24 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:18.658;
4) Vettel, Ferrari, 66 laps, Soft tyres, 1:19.541;
5) Alonso, McLaren, 47 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:19.856;
6) Sainz, Renault, 88 laps, Medium tyres - 1:20.042;
7) Grosjean, Haas, 64 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.237;
8) Stroll, Williams, 63 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.349;
9) Hulkenberg, Renault, 26 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.758;
10) Ocon, Force India, 78 laps, Soft tyres, 1:20.805;
11) Hartley, Toro Rosso, 65 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.834;
12) Leclerc, Sauber, 99 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.918;
13) Sirotkin, Williams, 38 laps, Soft tyres - 1:24.162.
 
Didn't McLaren say they are using the chassis from last year for testing and will update the whole package in the first race? I wonder if the delay in deciding on Renault did actually impact timescales and why they haven't been able to rectify the problem since the first test when surely they would've realised the problem. It would be massive shame if Alonso isn't in a competitive car yet again.

The jury is still out on Honda, how do we not know they are running the engine in a low spec mode to ensure they get mileage... I really hope they get on top of the performance and give Red Bull an option if Renault don't deliver on performance. Anything to have some competitive racing!
 
ZIDANE said:
Didn't McLaren say they are using the chassis from last year for testing and will update the whole package in the first race? I wonder if the delay in deciding on Renault did actually impact timescales and why they haven't been able to rectify the problem since the first test when surely they would've realised the problem. It would be massive shame if Alonso isn't in a competitive car yet again.

The jury is still out on Honda, how do we not know they are running the engine in a low spec mode to ensure they get mileage... I really hope they get on top of the performance and give Red Bull an option if Renault don't deliver on performance. Anything to have some competitive racing!
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No it's this year's chassis, it's just getting a "significant upgrade" for the first race. But others will obviously be upgrading for then as well. And, yet again, having issues nearly every day of testing means they'll be turning up to the first race vastly under-prepared, not totally understanding the car and possibly without having completed a race sim.
 
I have followed F1 on and off for year but I have a dumb question. Do all cars have the same engines in terms of power and torque etc?
 
pauldyson1uk said:
Ricciardo posts fastest time of testing so far; Hamilton just behind; McLaren breaks down for fourth time; Raikkonen back in Ferrari in afternoon after feeling unwell.

Timesheet (2:30pm):
1) Ricciardo, Red Bull, 107 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:18.047;
2) Hamilton, Mercedes, 90 laps, Ultrasoft tyres - 1:18.400;
3) Bottas, Mercedes, 24 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:18.658;
4) Vettel, Ferrari, 66 laps, Soft tyres, 1:19.541;
5) Alonso, McLaren, 47 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:19.856;
6) Sainz, Renault, 88 laps, Medium tyres - 1:20.042;
7) Grosjean, Haas, 64 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.237;
8) Stroll, Williams, 63 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.349;
9) Hulkenberg, Renault, 26 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.758;
10) Ocon, Force India, 78 laps, Soft tyres, 1:20.805;
11) Hartley, Toro Rosso, 65 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.834;
12) Leclerc, Sauber, 99 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.918;
13) Sirotkin, Williams, 38 laps, Soft tyres - 1:24.162.
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Ricciardo and Red Bull look very fast. Let's see if they are reliable as well.
 
shamans said:
I have followed F1 on and off for year but I have a dumb question. Do all cars have the same engines in terms of power and torque etc?
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No, Merc's at the top, then Ferrari, then Renault a way back, then Honda picking up the rear. In 2017, anyway.
 
Daniel Ricciardo and Red Bull laid down a marker for F1 2018 by posting the fastest time of pre-season testing on Day Two of the final test.

Ricciardo posted a best time of 1:18.047 on the hypersoft tyres to beat the previous benchmark for winter testing by nearly a second and set an unofficial track record for the Circuit de Catalunya.

The Australian finished 0.353s ahead of reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton, with Valtteri Bottas a further tenth back - both Mercedes drivers setting their best times on the ultrasoft tyres.

"I think if Mercedes put the hypersofts on they will be a couple of tenths ahead," Ricciardo said.

Ricciardo also completed the most individual laps of the day with 165, amounting to more than double a Spanish GP race distance.


Timesheet (End of day):
1) Ricciardo, Red Bull, 165 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:18.047;
2) Hamilton, Mercedes, 90 laps, Ultrasoft tyres - 1:18.400;
3) Bottas, Mercedes, 85 laps, Ultrasoft tyres - 1:18.560;
4) Vettel, Ferrari, 66 laps, Soft tyres, 1:19.541;
5) Hartley, Toro Rosso, 119 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:19.823;
6) Alonso, McLaren, 57 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:19.856;
7) Sainz, Renault, 88 laps, Medium tyres - 1:20.042;
8) Grosjean, Haas, 78 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.237;
9) Raikkonen, Ferrari, 49 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.242;
10) Stroll, Williams, 63 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.349;
11) Hulkenberg, Renault, 102 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.758
12) Ocon, Force India, 130 laps, Soft tyres, 1:20.805;
13) Leclerc, Sauber, 160 laps, Supersoft tyres - 1:20.918;
14) Sirotkin, Williams, 80 laps, Soft tyres - 1:23.653
 
Rado_N said:
@gaucho_10 what's your beef with Alonso?
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To succeed in F1 (or any sport) one needs to be confident and cocky, but Alonso is a special case. Fully self centered, never been a team player and ready to shit on everyone around him when things are not going well.
Honda paid whole Alonso's wages for last 3 seasons. That's 40 mil € a year, and for him to say "GP2 engine" at Suzuka of all places is so disrespectful that I have no words to explain.

I have a much bigger issue with Mclaren. Those incompetent arrogant wannabe engineers have been destroying Honda's image for last 3 years and stopping serious development of their PU.

They were calling all the shots and wanted "size zero engine" for their "size zero chasis". Honda was silent and did what they wanted. Even last year when all the trouble started at the testing because of oil tank it was all Honda's fault. The fact that Mclaren wanted that specific shape of the tank and that Honda told them it's not a good idea was reported in some media but in the end it was swept under the rug. Sky and other English media were all spinning it to suite Mclaren, while Hasegawa just kept his mouth shut even when Mclaren was reporting PU problems for their DNF's while whole paddock knew it was the hidraulic issues with the car. Finally there's no more place to hide and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Mclaren is the new Williams. Mark my words.
 
McLaren have a knack for messing up testing. There was 2009 where they lacked so much downforce with their package for the new regulations that they ran with a 2008 rear wing just so they could get some decent running in. There was 2011 when they turned up with the octopus diffuser where the exhaust was melting the floor and they couldn't run in testing for longer than a few laps. And of course there's been the last 3 seasons with Honda.

Not won a constructors since Hakkinen, Hamilton their only WDC since then. I think their demise started when they lost Newey and was compounded further by losing the Mercedes engine. Imagine if they kept Newey, Merc and Hamilton :eek:.
 
ArmchairCritic said:
McLaren have a knack for messing up testing. There was 2009 where they lacked so much downforce with their package for the new regulations that they ran with a 2008 rear wing just so they could get some decent running in. There was 2011 when they turned up with the octopus diffuser where the exhaust was melting the floor and they couldn't run in testing for longer than a few laps. And of course there's been the last 3 seasons with Honda.

Not won a constructors since Hakkinen, Hamilton their only WDC since then. I think their demise started when they lost Newey and was compounded further by losing the Mercedes engine. Imagine if they kept Newey, Merc and Hamilton :eek:.
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Goes back longer than that, even with Merc and Newey - there's 2006 where the new V8 kept detonating during testing and they had to run an old car as a mule, then the disaster of the 2003 car which never even managed to race because Newey had gone too far with the packaging, and 2004 needed a b-spec midway through the year to become decent. 2012 was the last time when it went pretty well in testing but still too unreliable over the season.

Then again, it's also coming up to ten years since Ferrari won anything.
 
Can't beat 2013 when Button blitzed the field on the first day of testing only for Whitmarsh to later reveal they accidentally ran an illegal ride height.
 
Giggsy92 said:
Can't beat 2013 when Button blitzed the field on the first day of testing only for Whitmarsh to later reveal they accidentally ran an illegal ride height.
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Come on, who among us has never accidentally installed suspension upside down?
 
Testing Day 3

Vandoorne posts McLaren's best time of testing; Verstappen in the Red Bull, Kubica returns for Williams, Vettel back in Ferrari; Hamilton to drive this afternoon.

Timesheet (10.10am):
1) Vandoorne, McLaren, 41 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:18.855;
2) Hulkenberg, Renault, 40 laps, Soft tyres - 1:19.412;
3) Vettel, Ferrari, 41 laps, Soft tyres - 1:19.679;
4) Verstappen, Red Bull, 36 laps, Medium tyres - 1:20.072;
5) Perez, Force India, 33 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.130;
6) Magnussen, Haas, 33 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.131;
7) Bottas, Mercedes, 32 laps, Supersoft tyres, 1:20.317;
8) Gasly, Toro Rosso, 35 laps, Supersoft tyres - 1:20.342;
9) Kubica, Williams, 27 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.674;
10) Ericsson, Sauber, 34 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.683;
 
Vettel setting pace for Ferrari; Hulkenberg for Renault and Vandoorne for McLaren post teams' best times of testing; Verstappen in the Red Bull, Kubica returns for Williams and sets their fastest time of winter; Hamilton to drive this afternoon.

Timesheet (10.41am):
1) Vettel, Ferrari, 50 laps, Supersoft tyres - 1:18.414;
2) Hulkenberg, Renault, 51 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:18.675;
3) Vandoorne, McLaren, 41 laps, Hypersoft tyres - 1:18.855;
4) Verstappen, Red Bull, 46 laps, Medium tyres - 1:20.072;
5) Perez, Force India, 33 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.130;
6) Magnussen, Haas, 40 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.131;
7) Marcus Ericsson, Sauber, 46 laps, Supersoft tyres - 1:20.163;
8) Kubica, Williams, 34 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.202;
9) Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, 56 laps, Supersoft tyres, 1:20.317; 1
0) Gasly, Toro Rosso, 40 laps, Supersoft tyres - 1:20.342;
 
Bottas' race sim was pretty stonking apparently.
 
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