The king is dead, long live the king.
Only 102 days to lights out for 2023..
As an Alonso fan I'm trying not to get my hopes up. Would love to see him get another race win before his inevitable retirement.
Aston Martin will be held back by keeping Stroll in a seat I think, I could see 4th being between them Alpine and McLaren and it being fairly close.
McLaren have the most interesting driver line up this year too. Fascinated to see how Piastri gets on and how Norris deal with being the senior driver.
The engine formula has gotten to the point that there isn't much between them now. The top 3 anyway. Renault are still a bit sh1t.
The Mercedes engine engineers who get seconded to mclaren aren't trying to scupper mclaren. They are just working with a car and engine that weren't built as a package. Sometimes the team want to push and the engine team say they need to turn the engine down. So they suspect the engine team are acting the maggot. They're the scapegoat.
In the works Mercedes team, they believe the engine team. In the mclaren team it's easy to blame the engine team. I think if mclaren built the best car. They would be first or second in the championship. They jus don't have the best car up to now
This is such an excellent round up.
Note how Sam was able to spot that the bulge in the Mercedes-Benz engine cover is purely aero related.
Yeah, I wouldn’t suggest that the engine providers are intentionally scuppering anything, and the current regs probably make the aero package the more important, it’s just of no surprise to me that the 3 teams at the top are the teams that can develop the engine and the car as a package.
So a long term plan for McLaren if they really want to kick on I think could be to look to partner with a manufacturer for a bespoke engine. I think more manufacturers in the sport generally can only be a benefit.
Perez on morning duty today, Max must be having a lie in after all the laps yesterday. 😋
I would say they thought it better that Max get the evening session today as all three in one go might not have been the best and maybe just mixing it up a little bit. Is it the same car used for both of them or are the two cars there?
Any one know the purpose of the green paint that looks like it's splashed over some cars?
Visualisation of the air going over the car, where it is hitting and how it is flowing.
I see our old friend Rich energy found a new place to sponsor. He is sponsoring Volece racing in Extreme EV racing now lol. Good luck with that. Sure what can go wrong except they might not get any money from him.
Do they get to use all 5 compounds during testing?
I'm watching some testing at the moment. It's great seeing the new cars on track.
Hydraulic failure for Russell.
I was actually wondering that about the cars as I've not seen enough of the coverage to tell - if it's the same car then what needs to change for each driver - seat for sure, brakes too? Also, the engine(s) they are using during testing - are they excluded from their yearly quota?
As @Mitch Connor said. It's called flow-vis paint.
Here's a short article about it.
That's another good day in the bag for RB, Ferrari looked better today as well.
I still think RB are holding back a tad...
Brilliant.
If AM have given Alonso a car that can compete for podiums we are in for an entertaining season.
Recipe for disaster that practice start. 😁
Some trouble for Merc.
Zhou topping day 2 of times. Wonder if Alfa could be a dark horse this season.
Zhou was on softs. Pretty sure it's just their usual pre-season glory run.
Very much so, it was also late in the day when the track would be better set for it as well.
One week to go to the first qualifying session of the season.
Question is will i manage to watch the full season of drive to survive plus catch up on last day of testing before quali next week?. I'll give it a good go..
McLaren still having trouble with the wheel brows, not getting much mileage in at all, looking a bit bleak for them. I know I should be ignoring the times but I find it interesting all the same that Russell does a 1.31.4 on the fastest C5 tyre so far today, Max did a 1.31.6 on the medium C3 tyres yesterday when the track was cooler. Who knows the fuel loads, engine modes etc but it looks very promising for Red Bull. They’re in no rush to try the soft tyres either.
I wonder will Aston Martin be nipping at the heels of Merc for third fastest car next week. The guys on Sky seem to think so.
So many questions. 😁
Seemingly he went on the softest possible compound with a thimble full of fuel in the car.
Big problems for Maclaren, looks like we wont see them in any competitive form until the 4th race of the season
They have gone backwards it seems. Going to be another year of Norris holding the team I think, and you’d have to wonder how long he will want to hang around for that. He would fit in well at Merc perhaps if Hamilton is close to the end.
McLaren had a difficulties in testing last year too but if Ricciardo had done better they would have easily had 4th. It could be the same again this year but with more competition from Aston Martin. Getting the wind tunnel up and running this season should put them in better place for next season.
Looking at the overall testing times. Perez was a couple of tenths up on last years pole position time. The only one so far to beat that time. I would say there is plenty more time in the car in Verstappen hands.
