New regulations new season....
Can redbull keep up the pace
The Haas has some interesting looking details.
It's the test they're calling a shakedown in Barcelona. No cameras or timing. But it's the first test which is usually a bit like a shakedown anyway. In the first test they could do 120 laps and their best lap could be 5seconds slower than the fastest lap of the day. So, what does that tell you? Not a lot apart form the car had no major reliability issues. So it's effectively a big shakedown.
Not sure about that. The shakedown rule for the past few years was teams are allowed 100km between the two cars at a track of their choosing, generic non race tyres and no aero rakes or other advanced telemetry devices.
Williams and Mercedes-Benz chose Silverstone, Ferrari and Alfa Romero chose Fioroanno, not sure where the rest of them were.
Haas may have chosen Barcelona.
Well aware there's no timing or cameras, but it's also listed as Testing on the F1 website. Testing is a glorified shakedown anyway, but may be different this year with the budget cap
The 100km is a filming day which they can use for promotions and marketing. The teams have used it for shakedown purposes because it suits them. Most have done their filming days already. That was the photos we saw of them running during the last week or so.
This year, Bahrain bought the exclusive TV rights for testing. But the teams wanted a test in Barcelona like normal. So they gave the teams the 3 (think it's 3) day test in Barcelona but they have to call it something other than a test because Bahrain bought the rights. So this is exactly the same as a test but it's called a shakedown and they don't allow traditional media coverage and don't publish live timing.
It's a test but not called a test for contractual reasons.
Schedule for this week's test in Barca below. The Haas is doing one of it's filming days today.
So no car reveals today then?
When are Alpine and whoever else is left Alfa is it revealing there cars?
Alpine at 5:30 PM today.
Thank you. Looking forward to seeing there car. I hope it has something neat and unique like the Ferrari and is not boring like the Merc.
I'd settle for fast. But given Renault and Alpine's track record, I'd bet on it being pretty average.
Really looking forward to the battle between Ocon and Alonso though. And the blue livery was pretty good last year.
Yes it being fast would be good too but I heard they were having problems with the new fuel mix. Hopefully that is just all false.
I can't see Alpine being any better than average either. Even if they come up with a good car, they'll most likely have the poorest engine. Renault really need to find a customer team.
The rules don't explicitly ban aero rakes or advanced telemetry devices but the exact words do very clearly state that these runs should be "purely for marketing or promotional purposes" - you'd think the use of such devices would be a breach of that rule since they run entirely contrary to the use of the footage for marketing or promotional purposes and only serve as an effort to use the promotional day as a test session. Maybe it'd be better to ban these filming days until after the first race of the season, or limit them to something like 5km which is still plenty of distance to get the shots they need for their sponsors.
It's only 100km though. That's about 30 laps of a circuit. If they can do their filming in 10 laps and have 20 laps to do a basic shakedown, and find out if there are any major reliability flaws, that's a good thing. Better they find out about the flaws ahead of the first test so they can hit the ground running.
A team who can hardly make it out of the garage in testing might make a good headline but it's no use to the championship. You want all the teams to have a good test and hit the first race running.
Alpine just revealed the FIA show car on stage with renders of the actual car. 😬
Alpine:
Very small sidepods. Nice livery too
I like that very much.
Think that’s rotten, especially side on. Looked worse on stage too than the renders.
That BWT chap looks like a villain you would see in a James Bond film.
Nice renderings have they actually built a car?
The pink and blue are a bit mad together. But shur, everyone has to make a crust. The blue is nice again though.
That's only one of the liverys for it.
For the first two races they will be running them in a mostly all pink livery.
Here it is,
https://youtu.be/X0H60-f6jXA
I think it looks good in both.
Some interesting design going on at the rear side of the Alpine too. It has vents along the side at the rear and flat nearer to where the Halo ends too.
What's the story with that?
Have to say I like the livery.
"Do you think you have the chance to be more competitive this season?"
Long pause...
To satisfy there main sponser BWT I suppose.
Otmar is fond of the pink
In a way I'm happy to see the pink, it was certainly unique for F1 and is definitely eye catching. Just not sure I want it on an Alpine!
So far the Williams livery is probably the coolest.
How are Alpine running two liveries. Didn’t McLaren have to get an exemption for the Gulf livery last year. And I thought those exemptions could only be granted for one race in the year.
Because someone is willing to pay more money to rin the livery for 2 races. Rules in F1 are always trumped by someone with money.
The Gulf livery was very popular last year in Monaco. Good business.
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