Pre-Season Testing - 2006

[JayVee]

Just 5 seconds slower on the first day! Not bad!!

The BMW Sauber isn't that much slower than the McLaren it seems!!

Very early days though!!

Can't wait to see the embarrassing times from the Bridgestone runners

[Julian Mayo]

Just 5 seconds slower on the first day! Not bad!!

The BMW Sauber isn't that much slower than the McLaren it seems!!

Very early days though!!

Can't wait to see the embarrassing times from the Bridgestone runners

In private testing ferrari has been about the same, and on long runs
Altho that bodes well for the other bridgestone runners

[Bundy]

Upcoming tests:

19th of November: Bahrain - Ferrari
21st of November: Vallelunga - Minardi (Toro Rosso)
29th of November: Barcelona - Renault, McLaren, Toyota, Williams, BAR (Honda), Red Bull, Sauber (BMW), Toro Rosso

Not much more to go

Can some one please set an alarm clock for Bundy

Righto, I'm awake.....Lets see what next season will bring us.

Thanks for the wake up call

[Julian Mayo]

Just a thought. If you have the choice between a "de-stressed V10" which is tried and understood, and a highly stressed V8 crammed full of new bits..........hmmm. I have a feeling the comparisons to watch out for are between the 10s and 8s.

Incidentally F1 racing has a sound byte where you can hear the difference between the two. I may be a tad biased, but I think the V8 sounds great.

[mlittle]

Just a thought. If you have the choice between a "de-stressed V10" which is tried and understood, and a highly stressed V8 crammed full of new bits..........hmmm. I have a feeling the comparisons to watch out for are between the 10s and 8s.

Incidentally F1 racing has a sound byte where you can hear the difference between the two. I may be a tad biased, but I think the V8 sounds great.

It will be interesting to see the comparisons come the 2006 season opener. Oh, and I agree with Julian, the V8 sounds better than the "de-stressed" V10.

[Julian Mayo]

sounds fantastic on the "over-run" doesnt it ! That beautiful rumbling, earth moving, stand the hair up on the back of your neck thunder only an 8 can make

[Ed]

Second day of testing at Barcelona with 6 teams and 10 drivers present.

Red Bull Racing driver Christian Klien was fastest with a 1:17.567 just a fraction ahead fo Alex Wurz in the McLaren and Ricardo Zonta in the Toyota.
Klien ran with a restricted V10 while both McLaren and Toyota had V8 engines running.

Jarno Trulli covered the most number of laps with 82 laps.

The Toyota TF106 made its debut and the early signs are promising.
Williams are testing with an interim car and a Cosworth V8. Their times on the first day were off the pace but were still half a second faster than the BMW Sauber team.
Both Toyota and Williams have switched to Bridgestone tyres.

Toro Rosso was expereminting with a RB1 car running a restricted V10 engine. It remains to be seen whether the team will be allowed to run this year's Red Bull Racing car as the regulations don't allow a team to run another team's chassis unless all other teams and the FIA agree.
Toro Rosso were running Michelin tyres.

For reference, the Pole times from the Spanish Grand Prix 2005 (there were 2 Qualifying sessions) were 1:14.819 and 1:16.602 while the fastest lap time during the race was a 1:15.641.

You can also check out the Best Lap Times - Testing Circuits Thread

Full Report - McLaren Test Notes - Williams Test Notes - Toro Rosso Test Notes - BMW Sauber Test Notes - Bridgestone Test Notes
Lap by Lap Times (details on the second page)

[Julian Mayo]

That time of Kleins is less than 3 seconds slower than pole time last year ! This new reg was supposed to slow the cars considerably. Again, I will wager a couple of roubles they are back up to last years times by the end of seasonl

[Ed]

That time of Kleins is less than 3 seconds slower than pole time last year ! This new reg was supposed to slow the cars considerably. Again, I will wager a couple of roubles they are back up to last years times by the end of seasonl

They'll probably be faster even before then!!

We are only two days into testing and the pace of McLaren and Toyota are impressive given they are running V8's.

With Honda and Renault joining tomorrow we'll see how far the times will drop. (Honda are expected to run their V8 while Renault will run a restricted V10 until their new car is ready).

[Ed]

Third day of testing at Barcelona, first at Valencia and Mugello.

At Barcelona, Jenson Button alternating between the '04 and 05' BAR Honda cars both fitted with V10 engines, he set the fastest time of the day with a 1:14.109 clearly without a restrictor!
Renault test driver Franck Montagny was second fastest with Jarno Trulli third fastest in the TF106 V8.
Weather conditions were sunny and cold with track temperatures reaching a maximum of 15 degrees Celsius.

Jenson Button covered the most number of laps with 97 while Christian Klien covered 89 laps in the Red Bull Racing car.

BMW Sauber appear to have solved the problems found on the first two days with Heidfeld completing 68 laps and setting the 5th fastest time.

BAR Honda test driver Anthony Davidson in the second BAR Honda ran an interim car fitted with a V8 engine and set the 10th fastest time over 5 seconds off the pace of Button.

Mark Webber returned to testing duties and completed 70 laps however he was 11th fastest. Team-mate Nico Rosberg only managed 18 laps due to hydraulic and pneumatic problems on his car.

Testing continues tomorrow with McLaren rejoining the test following a scheduled day off. BMW Sauber have concluded their test.

Ferrari resumed their 2006 preparations with tests commencing at Valencia and Mugello. Felipe Massa ran the F2005 at the Valencia track concentrating on Bridgestone tyre testing, Massa covered 95 laps with a best lap of 1:13.165.
Marc Gene running the F2004M fitted with a V8 was at Mugello. He completed 39 laps with a best time of 1:32.672 under wet conditions.

For reference, the Pole times from the Spanish Grand Prix 2005 (there were 2 Qualifying sessions) were 1:14.819 and 1:16.602 while the fastest lap time during the race was a 1:15.641.

You can also check out the Best Lap Times - Testing Circuits Thread

Full Report - BAR Honda Test Notes - Williams Test Notes - Toyota Test Notes - BMW Sauber Test Notes - Ferrari Test Notes
Lap by Lap Times - Barcelona Test only (details on the second page)

[JayVee]

Looks like Toyota have done their homework!

We could have a two way championship again. Renault and Toyota this time
But Toyota are on Bridgestone

[mlittle]

It does appear so. Maybe Bridgestone's finally figured out how to make tires that will last an entire race......... ,

Then again, let's hope Michelin has a tire ready for the USGP.......6 cars hardly make for a grand prix.

[Ed]

Fourth day of testing at Barcelona, second at Valencia and Mugello.

At Barcelona, Jenson Button once again set the fastest time of the day in the '05 BAR Honda fitted with a V10 engine. Button also drove the Interim V8. Honda Racing test driver Anthony Davidson was second fastest while Ricardo Zonta was third fastest in the TF106 V8.
Again weather conditions were sunny and cold with track temperatures reaching a maximum of 15 degrees Celsius.

Robert Doornbos in the Red Bull Racing car covered the most number of laps with 110.

Ricardo Zonta's time is the fastest so far at the Barcelona track in a V8 powered car. His time was only 3 seconds slower than the fastest time set at this track in 2005 with a V10 engine.

Williams F1 seem to be making steady progress with Mark Webber setting the 4th fastest time and not too far behind Zonta's time. While Webber's running was trouble free, team-mate Nico Rosberg suffered gearbox problems.
Ralf Schumacher's first day back at testing wasn't smooth either as the V8 Toyota engine failed on his car interrupting his running.
Scott Speed was at the wheel of an RB1 running as a Toro Rosso!. His time was almost identical to that set by Vitantonio Liuzzi in the same car yesterday.
Juan Pablo Montoya returned to testing for McLaren and was 7th fastest.

Williams, Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso have concluded their test. Testing continues tomorrow with Renault, McLaren, Toyota and Honda.

Ferrari continues their 2006 preparations with tests at Valencia and Mugello. Felipe Massa continued running the F2005 at the Valencia track concentrating on Bridgestone tyre testing, Massa covered 29 laps with a best lap of 1:12.168.
Marc Gene running the F2004M fitted with a V8 continued his work at Mugello. He completed 32 laps with a best time of 1:26.789 under dry conditions.

For reference, the Pole times from the Spanish Grand Prix 2005 (there were 2 Qualifying sessions) were 1:14.819 and 1:16.602 while the fastest lap time during the race was a 1:15.641.

You can also check out the Best Lap Times - Testing Circuits Thread

Full Report - Honda Racing Test Notes - Williams Test Notes - Toyota Test Notes - McLaren Test Notes - Ferrari Test Notes
Lap by Lap Times - Barcelona Test only (details on the second page)

[rah]

Looks like Toyota have done their homework!

We could have a two way championship again. Renault and Toyota this time
But Toyota are on Bridgestone

Maybe right, but have we seen the Renault V8 in action yet?

[Julian Mayo]

Toyota cooked a V8 in testing today Still they will provide good tyre data to Willsworth