Pre-2007 Season Testing

[Julian Mayo]

I am reasonably happy with the RedBull times. Given that ALL is new, and the aero is pure guess work, I expect to see either DC or MW on the third step of the podium by mid season. Naturally, my tip is MW.
Regardless of any other way of measuring it, the Team Bosses consider that Mark has "seen off" all his teammates. The Team Bosses count more than stats. I believe that 2008/9 (possibly 9) is/are the make or break years for Mark, not this year. If RB cannot put a race winning car under his bum by 2008, he will disappear.
The two areials in the Merc would have me "gorn fishin" a long time ago.The bum burn in the Williams......twice.
Nico "The Spear"
The Boy has B....s

[GhoGho]

Here are todays times as I found them:

Jerez - 7/02/07
1 F. Massa - Ferrari - 01:19.821 - 109
2 L. Hamilton - McLaren - 01:19.839 - 96
3 R. Kubica - BMW - 01:20.046 - 101
4 F. Alonso - McLaren - 01:20.068 - 46
5 K. Räikkönen - Ferrari - 01:20.070 - 76
6 N. Piquet jr. - Renault - 01:20.070 - 76
7 A. Wurz - Williams - 01:20.132 - 78
8 N. Rosberg - Williams - 01:20.143 - 66
9 R. Schumacher - Toyota - 01:20.604 - 59
10 M. Webber - Red Bull - 01:20.629 - 36
11 D. Coulthard - Red Bull - 01:20.702 - 70
12 N. Heidfeld - BMW - 01:20.710 - 80
13 J. Button - Honda - 01:20.751 - 100
14 R. Zonta - Renault - 01:20.767 - 86
15 J. Trulli - Toyota - 01:20.898 - 80
16 M. Andretti - Honda - 01:22.151 - 74

[GhoGho]

... Given that ALL is new, and the aero is pure guess work, .....

Guess Work

You expect us to believe that Newey does Guess Work

Somehow I doubt that very much

[Ed]

Thanks GhoGho for the times,

While the times and the order is close to what the individial teams have reported, your source seems to have increased the number of laps the Ferrari drivers did and drop those for Alonso!

According to the Ferrari press release Massa did a best time of 1:19.647 and covered 46 laps while Raikkonen did a best time of 1:20.007 and covered 48 laps. Raikkonen has a technical problem that affected his running. The press release didn't explain why Massa did just 46 laps though!

According to the McLaren press release Hamilton did a best time of 1:19.810 and covered 107 laps while Alonso did a best time of 1:20.040 and covered 104 laps. Alonso stopped on the track after losing oil pressure as a result of "an evaluation programme"

The time and laps reported for Piquet Jr. is what Renault have reported.

The times set by Marco Andretti aren't too impressive but neither was Button's. Marco drove the RA106 while Button drove the RA107

It is a concern that Ferrari are showing reliability problems. In the past few years they usually covered the most number of laps. Of course teams need to keep in mind the 30,000 km testing limit for the year however this period is the crucial part of the testing season.

At Silverstone Spyker F1 concluded a two shakedown and will now join the rest of the field at Barcelona next week. During the shakedown Adrian Sutil went off and damaged the car slightly.

[Julian Mayo]

... Given that ALL is new, and the aero is pure guess work, .....

Guess Work

You expect us to believe that Newey does Guess Work

Somehow I doubt that very much

Educated guesswork

[Ed]

I am reasonably happy with the RedBull times. Given that ALL is new, and the aero is pure guess work, I expect to see either DC or MW on the third step of the podium by mid season. Naturally, my tip is MW.
Regardless of any other way of measuring it, the Team Bosses consider that Mark has "seen off" all his teammates. The Team Bosses count more than stats. I believe that 2008/9 (possibly 9) is/are the make or break years for Mark, not this year. If RB cannot put a race winning car under his bum by 2008, he will disappear.
The two areials in the Merc would have me "gorn fishin" a long time ago.The bum burn in the Williams......twice.
Nico "The Spear"
The Boy has B....s

I salute your faith in Red Bull and Webber Julian. I still think that the best (and possibly the only) way for Webber to win races and possibly the Championship is by moving to one of the top 3 teams with Renault being the most likely option for 2008.
Nothing to do with Webber's ability. The top 3 teams are in a league of their own despite the regulation freeze. the know-how to win is very important and takes many seasons to perfect.

[Julian Mayo]

Well Ed, we are approaching the point where Renault, Ferrari, and to a lesser extent Toyota will basically be entering 4 cars.....so RedBull will be one of the top 3

[Ed]

I wish you are right, the more cars at the top the better but with the manufacturers and the FIA in agreement they know they will have an edge over the customer engines/cars ...
Even if it is a slight edge and the driver can make the difference, the team needs to know how to win and that takes time.

Ferrari was never threatened by a customer car, last year Toyota didn't do much but they were always ahead of Midland, same goes for Honda and Super Aguri. Renault haven't supplied an engine while running their own chassis before (or did they in the 70/80's).
So this year with Williams (Toyota) and Red Bull (Renault) it may be different, may be closer but competing and beating them ?
Toyota, the richest and most profitable car maker in the world (any other car manufacturer making money these days ) would be humiliated if Williams match them!!

[Julian Mayo]

Yes, Renault did, with success from memory.
If, and I think it is possible, Williams does beat Toyota, I think Toyota will become an engine supplier to Williams/Toyota racing (WT Racing )
Suppuku will be the order of the day.

[GhoGho]

...
If, and I think it is possible, Williams does beat Toyota, I think Toyota will become an engine supplier to Williams/Toyota racing (WT Racing )
Suppuku will be the order of the day.

Agreed
With the right chassis it should be possible for a privateer team like williams to beat the factory team
Unlike previous seasons the engine development is frozen, so in theory the customer engine should be the same as the factory one for the whole season, unlike in the past, where the cutomer got left behind as the engines were developed.
Right now Williams is looking better than Toyota. (and for that matter RBR. Did MW move too soon? )

I for one would love to see the privateer teams sticking it to the factory teams

[Julian Mayo]

Toyota will be worried by the time Wurtz set.
The RB has had very little running, as yet, and shows signs of improving. With the new aero package not being ready til Melbourne, it will be interesting

[GhoGho]

Toyota will be worried by the time Wurtz set.
The RB has had very little running, as yet, and shows signs of improving. With the new aero package not being ready til Melbourne, it will be interesting

Most teams will have new aero in Aus

38 days to go

[Julian Mayo]

Toyota will be worried by the time Wurtz set.
The RB has had very little running, as yet, and shows signs of improving. With the new aero package not being ready til Melbourne, it will be interesting

Most teams will have new aero in Aus

38 days to go

Yup, but they didn't guess their present kit
I just read where the RB is a cross between "twin keel, and zero keel".......
Does that mean its a single keel? or a winged keel on wet tracks? or should the journo be keelhauled?

[GhoGho]

Yup, but they didn't guess their present kit
I just read where the RB is a cross between "twin keel, and zero keel".......
Does that mean its a single keel? or a winged keel on wet tracks? or should the journo be keelhauled?

Resorting to sailing dingy design principles

Maybe they are experimenting with centerboards

[Julian Mayo]

Yup, but they didn't guess their present kit
I just read where the RB is a cross between "twin keel, and zero keel".......
Does that mean its a single keel? or a winged keel on wet tracks? or should the journo be keelhauled?

Resorting to sailing dingy design principles

Maybe they are experimenting with centerboards

Venturis?
Wind turbines?
Tiller instead of a $100,000 wheel?
bowsprit suspension?
Fore n aft controls?

might go n have a little lie down soon