Pre-Season Testing - 2006

[BlinkyBill]

Honda have had a number of engine failures with the V8 but not as much as some of the other teams.
On Thursday Button on a long run had one.

The gap between the fastest V8 and fastest V10 is just under 3 seconds at Valencia but that may not be entirely due to the engine as the aero regs have also been tightened and the engines actually have a minimum weight.

At the current pace of development the teams may get to last year's lap times at some of the tracks this year!

I will wager a rouble or two, and a sheckel to boot, that the times are bettered on 2 tracks this season

I tend to agree, Julian, these times are quicker than expected.

Where on a track is the V8 expected to lose ground to a V10? just power out of corners - or did they expected the V8 to struggle to match the top speeds of the V10s as well?

[Ed]

Formula 1 Testing resumes this week with Ferrari commencing a test at Fiorano on Monday. Felipe Massa tested the second 248 F1 chassis. He covered 100 laps and improved the lap record for a 2006 V8 spec car by 2 thousandths of a second (58.242).

On Tuesday testing commences at Jerez with Toyota, Williams, Honda and Midland present while Renault, McLaren and BMW Sauber join on Wednesday and Toro Rosso on Thursday.

[GhoGho]

I tend to agree, Julian, these times are quicker than expected.

Where on a track is the V8 expected to lose ground to a V10? just power out of corners - or did they expected the V8 to struggle to match the top speeds of the V10s as well?

I think that the difference in power will definitely hurt the top speeds, especially on the real high speed circuits. It takes a lot of extra power to gain just a few km/h at top speed.
On the slower (twistier) circuits the difference should not be so noticable as the traction control will not have to limit the power quite as much as it did for the V10s

Maybe Ed can dig up some more figures for us from testing Top Speed comparisons for V10 vs V8 from the different test venues?

[Ed]

Testing commenced at Jerez with 4 teams present and 8 drivers setting lap times.

Alex Wurx in the FW28 set the fastest time of the day ahead of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.
Wurz set a time of 1:18.144 which is the fastest so far for a 2006 spec car.

At Fiorano, Michael Schumacher took over from Felipe Massa testing the second Ferrari 248 F1. He covered 121 laps with a best time of 57.652 which is also the fastest time in a 2006 spec car.

Testing continues at both tracks tomorrow. At Jerez Renault, McLaren and BMW Sauber F1 join the test.

Best Lap Times and lap records at Testing Tracks

Full report and times

[Julian Mayo]

There is an interesting observation going around that most of the V8s circulating at Barcelona were sounding "flat" because they were running at reduced RPM to conserve their engines. Apparantly most cars rarely wound out to 19000 rpm.

[sgd]

There is an interesting observation going around that most of the V8s circulating at Barcelona were sounding "flat" because they were running at reduced RPM to conserve their engines. Apparantly most cars rarely wound out to 19000 rpm.

it would be nonse to test with non full operating hardware...
strange story Juli... don't you think?

[JayVee]

There is an interesting observation going around that most of the V8s circulating at Barcelona were sounding "flat" because they were running at reduced RPM to conserve their engines. Apparantly most cars rarely wound out to 19000 rpm.

That would be McLaren Julian. They can't make enough V8's for Kimi and Juan

[Julian Mayo]

There is an interesting observation going around that most of the V8s circulating at Barcelona were sounding "flat" because they were running at reduced RPM to conserve their engines. Apparantly most cars rarely wound out to 19000 rpm.

That would be McLaren Julian. They can't make enough V8's for Kimi and Juan

My source said MOST teams, JV.

[Ed]

Maybe Ed can dig up some more figures for us from testing Top Speed comparisons for V10 vs V8 from the different test venues?

Unfortunately we don't have access to such data at this stage.

I don't expect the top speeds to be that much lower especially on the fast tracks. It is the corners that the V8s lose out in and hence all the talk about the driver having to alter their driving style to carry as much speed as possible through the corners.

[Julian Mayo]

Is it correct that Ferrari are allready testing in Bahrain ?

[Julian Mayo]

Maybe Ed can dig up some more figures for us from testing Top Speed comparisons for V10 vs V8 from the different test venues?

Unfortunately we don't have access to such data at this stage.

I don't expect the top speeds to be that much lower especially on the fast tracks. It is the corners that the V8s lose out in and hence all the talk about the driver having to alter their driving style to carry as much speed as possible through the corners.

As I understand it.....vaguely......but I do know a little about V8s........The 8s lose speed out of corners compared to the 10s, ie they lack the acceleration of a 10. BUT the traction control will have less braking effect (due to the lower horsepower of the engine) going into the corner. Therefore there will be higher entry speeds & cos the drivers have less weight to balance around the corner with the V8, mid corner speed will be higher, or at least as high, which equates to a similar exit speed. They will top out below the 10s on the long straight high speed circuits until the teams get the aero right. Remember that these cars will require less downforce.
Now this is where it gets interesting,..with the new tyre regs, drivers who can drift a car....eg Fisi... will have a higher entry, mid and exit speed than the " technical" drivers.eg Alonso....Because they can now afford to use their tyres. ( Beware Ferrari in 2006 ) Now I spent all last season listening to the British commentators telling me how smooth Button is.... and I have read treatises that say the only way to drive the new cars is to be smooth.....to a point I agree, as long as the driver can be smooth with a 30 degree slide, or drift across the apex or face of the corner. These cars cannot be driven a la Prost.."put the inside wheel on the white line and drive around the corner"...... they need to be "flung gracefully". If all the cars were equal.... Nick, Mark, Fisi, DC and JV would be fighting out the Drivers championship (IMHO)

[Ed]

Is it correct that Ferrari are allready testing in Bahrain ?

Ferrari's next test outside Fiorano is scheduled to be in Bahrain.
Their final test will be in Jerez before returning to Bahrain for the race.

[Julian Mayo]

Ferrari spend the money to go out there and Bridgestone (Williams n Toyota) get the benefit. Meanwhile Toyota (who reportedly are having major problems dialing in their car to the rubber) and Williams are getting more data in Europe. If I wasn't so worried about Ferr......(just how many tracks have they set fastest time on this season JV ? )......ari.....I would be a happy camper

[JayVee]

That was the longest post I've seen from Julian in a long long time.

And it explains exactly why Alonso's lap times are much better than Fisichella's (who is supposed to be getting PT)

[JayVee]

Ferrari are destroying themselves with their arrogance.

Now they are going to test at Bahrain privately. I think this is a first and I wonder what Kapel would say about this

Julian, you are really hoping that Williams come out of their slump and by whatever means. You seem to be using Kapel's argument here. Please Mr Ferrari can you test those new Bridgstones for us as you are better than us testing them
Only Ferrari will benefit from the test and it just shows how strong the Ferrari/Bridgestone relationship is.

As for your question of fastest laps, well probably 1 or 2 and both are their own private tracks so what.
When they tested at Barcelona they were behind Renault and Honda.
You just won't listen, be a happy camper, Ferrari are going into a slump.