Pre-Season Testing

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 11:19 am

JV is now complaining that Sauber cant build a car that suits his driving style, and he should have gone to a larger team that could. He says that even the electronics on the brakes dont suit him, and he will have to make major changes to his driving style to suit the car. Driving quickly would be a start, that way he might find the limits of the car. But wait, thats only going to happen if he reaches the cars limits before his own. Hmmm.

Graham Ross · Post by **Graham Ross** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 12:40 pm

JayVee wrote:Montoya had a problem and his running was cut short. He may have gone faster.

It is only a minor hiccup!
Fireworks tomorrow

Alonso looks fast though

alonsofan · Post by **alonsofan** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 12:49 pm

Graham Ross wrote: Alonso looks fast though

we are seeing a change of the guard in formula 1

2005 will be the start of the alonso era

Graham Ross · Post by **Graham Ross** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 1:05 pm

Alonso is fast yes but I doubt that he'll be able to beat Montoya and Raikkonen. One (Raikkonen) perhaps, both (Raikkonen and Montoya) pretty hard

Ed · Post by Ed » Sat Feb 12, 2005 9:34 am

Day 4 from Jerez and Button betters Alonso's time from yesterday!

Driver Team Best Time Laps
Jenson Button BAR 1:15.680 129
Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren 1:16.198 95
Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:16.668 126
David Coulthard Red Bull Racing 1:16.802 101
Kimi Raikkonen McLaren 1:17.366 101
Mark Webber Williams 1:17.421 113
Vitantonio Liuzzi Red Bull Racing 1:17.439 107
Ricardo Zonta Toyota 1.17.719 115
Nick Heidfeld Williams 1.17.932 130
Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1.18.062 109
Enrique Bernoldi BAR 1:18.585 121
Luca Badoer Ferrari 1.18.778 79

All cars 05 spec except Zonta and Bernoldi in 04 chassis

Test times as reported by the Jerez circuit ... more

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 9:42 am

Gee, Ralf is going well

JayVee · Post by **JayVee** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 10:14 am

Button fast and that grenade engine didn't blow. Interesting!

Lots of laps today and surely some of the laps were on low fuel. The F2004M not looking so fast

Your take on the times Julian ?

Ralf isn't shaping but neither are the Williams' drivers by the looks of things

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 11:53 am

I seem to remember feeling optomistic about the last three seasons, at this time of the year, only to return to watching paint dry by the third race or so. It was more fun. I think that Melbourne will be a clue, but only a clue to the season, unless the ferraris go one two, then its back to the paint for me. There is so much foxing during these tests, with fuel loads, ballast etc, that I refuse to rely on mch of it. Of course if engines are chucking pistons into the next county etc that tends to get my attention

. I am not too concerned about the Williams duo at the moment, it was interesting to see Nick ahead of Webber for a while, then Mark comes out and gaps him, seemingly with ease!
Man, I would love to have 25 hidden microphones in each pit and trailer home, and then I still wouldnt feel confident about assumptions.
Short answer.? I dunno

Graham Ross · Post by **Graham Ross** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 11:55 am

BAR and McLaren said they ran qualifying trim. Times from McLaren are good but I expected better

BAR looks fast but unreliable.

Not much more to go for Melbourne!!

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 12:00 pm

Yeah, and Little Johnny said "there will never, ever be a GST !

JayVee · Post by **JayVee** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 12:01 pm

julian mayo wrote:I seem to remember feeling optomistic about the last three seasons, at this time of the year, only to return to watching paint dry by the third race or so.

Yet you seem so optomistic about Webber. Strange

I agree though that Williams usually do better in races than in tests opposite to McLaren. Sorry Graham

Looks like Button will get a few Poles this year only to have the grenade Honda blow on lap 3

Graham Ross · Post by **Graham Ross** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 12:05 pm

julian mayo wrote:Yeah, and Little Johnny said "there will never, ever be a GST !

Why would they be bluffing ? To make other teams think they are slow ?

Button certainly wasn't bluffing

Graham Ross · Post by **Graham Ross** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 12:09 pm

JayVee wrote:I agree though that Williams usually do better in races than in tests opposite to McLaren. Sorry Graham

No mate, last year they stuffed up. Actually both McLaren and Williams did. This year McLaren won't stuff up and their drivers will push each other unlike Williams.
Williams not only have new drivers but several technical people left (or got fired) and so they may still stuff up this year

Julian Mayo · Post by **Julian Mayo** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 12:14 pm

I'll go back to my short answer. I dont think any team is going to expose their true potential this far out. Unless they think they have the next "ferrari under their drivers backsides. Teams these days can do a hell of a lot in a couple of weeks so I think there is a lot of foxing going on with ballast etc

JayVee · Post by **JayVee** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 12:21 pm

What about the scare tactic ? Causing other teams to panic

Or will that only work on Toyota