F1 - 2017

Can't see it. 

Sorry to go on about Honda;   Its reported to be a completely new engine for this season, I'm not sure how all new it is,  but it is for sure on the outside with a lot that is similar to the Mercedes.  Reports of pitlane chatter that has less power than the 2015 engine is borne out in the speed traps,  the car was the slowest of all teams. Honda won't say how many engines were used this week,  but it was at least four.   Press quizzes on the partnership was all replied to in the positive - no surprise there then.

I note Hamilton also suggesting overtaking going to be much harder this year; see my comments earlier in the thread from a team aero engineer of the same opinion. Was that not thought through with the new rules?

Bruce

Maybe Honda should have asked Mercedes how long it took them to develop a driver and constructor championship winning car after they bought Brawn. Mind you, new regs did help. Looks like they missed that boat though. Easy for me to sit here and pontificate (like a typical F1 fan)  but who were Honda kidding other than themselves and McLaren? I have no doubt they will develop the car successfully but I wouldn't like to speculate on a lead time.

Certainly Honda have built a new engine, it has the same setup as Mercedes to allow for better packaging. Certainly the oil tank problem should have been spotted on the computer systems testing, unless of course these modern tools aren't all they are cracked up to be. So often the computer analysis and real world doesn't correlate, Ferrari wind tunnel,CFD and RW correlation.

Also whereas years ago a "hack" chassis would carry the various versions of the engines and thrash around Fuji or wherever for thousands of hours it all has to be done in the ether now.

It will be interesting to see who quits first Honda or McLaren.

It would appear that the fears expressed earlier on this forum and by drivers is being fulfilled. More aero faster around the corners, more air disturbance in said corners, therefore still no way to keep close and pass on on non DRS straights. Interestingly top speeds seem to  be about the same, while lap times almost fastest ever. Only the actual outright fastest lap from 2008 hasn't been surpassed (yet)! I think a 1.18 something but I can't find that info now.

I believe fastest lap around Barca in its current format was beaten during the week, some chicanery related changes.

Current lap record for Barca is 1:21.670 by Kimi Raikkonen in 2008

A number is drivers & teams beat it this week,  the fastest was Bottas Mercedes at 1:19.705,  Vettel Ferrari 1:19.952, Raikkonen Ferrari 1:20.872, Hamilton Mercedes 1:20.983, Ricciardo Red Bull 1:21.153 & Palmer Renault 1:21.396

Bruce Woodhouse posted:

I note Hamilton also suggesting overtaking going to be much harder this year; see my comments earlier in the thread from a team aero engineer of the same opinion. Was that not thought through with the new rules?

But the cars will be quicker and noisier so that will bring the crowds back ... not!!

But then thats typical these days ... try to offer simple answers to extremely complex issues!

JamieWednesday posted:

I believe fastest lap around Barca in its current format was beaten during the week, some chicanery related changes.

Maybe it's the fastest non chicane lap record that is left then?

Found it Philipe Massa set a time of 1:18.339 during 2008 F1 testing using Ferrari F2008

And here it is. Not the prettiest...

The new one is a slightly better effort but still full of wings 'n' things...

The black box on top of the high air intake suggests it's actually being driven via an XBox Kinect...

The Honda engine is new this year as opposed to being a development of last year's and has major reliability issues at this stage. They realised that the old one could not be developed further whereas the new one can. It just needs sorting. But there is a suggestion (from my insider at McLaren) that if next week doesn't go well that they may even miss the first race. And yes, there is a frosty relationship between Honda and McLaren.

Can we expect Mclaren to start flirting with Mercedes sometime soon? 

There are no excuses for Honda anymore. They have had a long time to develop this engine and although I'm not up on the rules of engine testing, surely they would have been able to put some dry miles on a few before sticking one on the back of the Woking Jaffa?

I can see a divorce on the cards this year and I fully expect to see Alonso sat trackside on a chair again at some point. 

It's ready and waiting.

Though this is the one he's bringing next week...

It's about the packaging - how it fits and works with the car. The Honda engine will work fine on a test bed.

Look at the other teams that use a Mercedes engine. They are not front running.

Williams looked quite handy, until some child took it to be pebble dashed.

Yes but nobody suggests that the championship fight this year will be between Mercedes, Force India and Williams.

True.

I think it will be between Lewis Hamilton's left hand and Lewis Hamilton's right hand.

Though on first showing, at least Renault seem to have got their act together so could play in the top half of midfield. And Toro Rosso looked half decent with one of theirs in the back too.

JamieWednesday posted:

I think it will be between Lewis Hamilton's left hand and Lewis Hamilton's right hand.

Unlike last year where the challenge was between Lewis Hamilton's left half of his brain and Lewis Hamilton's right half of his brain!

This weeks testing should be fun;  the new cars are no question faster than 2016 cars.  1:19.7 was >3s faster than testing last year.   Its expected they will be into the 1:18's as they move from durability & race pace & start to work on qualifying lap pace. 

Pirelli seem to have done what was asked of them with tyre durability,  they are reporting 20 lap lap speed degradation improvements of 3 to 4 seconds compared to last year.    This could mean more one-stop races  (opinions will vary on that one I guess)

Mercedes have hit all the high spots, fastest time & far more laps than the other teams (558)  plus the obvious success of Bottas & it seems all smiles with Lewis.

Ferrari seem to be in a good place,  but not forgetting they were the top performing team at last years testing sessions & they didn't win a single race all season.  I'm not putting any bets on them yet.

All the other teams appear to have mixed results, nothing special & all with highs & lows.   I think we've all talked enough about McLaren & Honda to say no more.      

Testing resumes today. Merc are so pleased with their performance last week I suspect they may bring forward the opening race spec and will look for raw pace this week, terrifying the rest of the field.

0Ferrari hopes will linger until being dashed by a Merc smashing everyone else later on in the week.

Williams will continue to look handy until It's Lanced into the barriers again.

Red Bull will get it together just in time for Friday but not be up with Mercarri.

The rest will try to get some kind of midfield pecking order achieved. With the Jaffas and Sauber trying to avoid wooden spoon.

Looks like McLaren are going for spoon, bowl and cup...

Yes, due to electrical fault  this is the new PU they'll fit to Stoffel's car. Apparently very reliable!