FORUMula1.com

[Rivelution]

Interesting really. Allen providing some brilliant insight.
Strangely, McLaren are nowhere. I still find it too hard to believe, but they really do like they're not going to make much of a challenge this year. O_o

But Ferrari vs BMW for the title. Toyota and Brawn in the mix, should be fun.

To be honest, the title race needs McLaren. Let's face it: There's the rivalry between McLaren and Ferrari, and the garagistes and Ferrari more generally. And Hamilton seems to be the guy you either love or hate, so him doing well would really get some discussion doing.

I dont agree. Ferrari vs. whoever will be like David vs. Goliath and will create just as much if not more excitement.

[Denthúl]

Interesting really. Allen providing some brilliant insight.
Strangely, McLaren are nowhere. I still find it too hard to believe, but they really do like they're not going to make much of a challenge this year. O_o

But Ferrari vs BMW for the title. Toyota and Brawn in the mix, should be fun.

To be honest, the title race needs McLaren. Let's face it: There's the rivalry between McLaren and Ferrari, and the garagistes and Ferrari more generally. And Hamilton seems to be the guy you either love or hate, so him doing well would really get some discussion doing.

I dont agree. Ferrari vs. whoever will be like David vs. Goliath and will create just as much if not more excitement.

Mhm. I think Williams fighting with Ferrari would be nice to see.

[scotty]

Interesting really. Allen providing some brilliant insight.
Strangely, McLaren are nowhere. I still find it too hard to believe, but they really do like they're not going to make much of a challenge this year. O_o

But Ferrari vs BMW for the title. Toyota and Brawn in the mix, should be fun.

To be honest, the title race needs McLaren. Let's face it: There's the rivalry between McLaren and Ferrari, and the garagistes and Ferrari more generally. And Hamilton seems to be the guy you either love or hate, so him doing well would really get some discussion doing.

Nah, i managed alright in the mid nineties, plus there's always Felipe Massa or Alonso as a substitute bad guy.

[7UpJordan]

Interesting really. Allen providing some brilliant insight.
Strangely, McLaren are nowhere. I still find it too hard to believe, but they really do like they're not going to make much of a challenge this year. O_o

But Ferrari vs BMW for the title. Toyota and Brawn in the mix, should be fun.

To be honest, the title race needs McLaren. Let's face it: There's the rivalry between McLaren and Ferrari, and the garagistes and Ferrari more generally. And Hamilton seems to be the guy you either love or hate, so him doing well would really get some discussion doing.

I dont agree. Ferrari vs. whoever will be like David vs. Goliath and will create just as much if not more excitement.

Mhm. I think Williams fighting with Ferrari would be nice to see.

Williams are now starting to show their pace, even though Charlie Whiting doesn't like those fins on the cockpit sides and the team has decided to ditch them.

I would love to see Williams sticking it to Ferrari once again sending Ferrari back to 1992.

[McLaren Fan]

...sticking it to Ferrari once again sending Ferrari back to 1992.

[bud]

- Sam Michael: ''If Brawn GP is able to repeat the laptimes, that Button showed on Wednesday morning during his long run, in Melbourne then Button and Barrichello will win the Australian GP one lap ahead of the others.''

When Button set a 1:19.127 the alarm bells rang at the other teams. A Ferrari engineer: ''They're a second faster than we are. That's insane.'' Massa would have set his 1:20.188 on low fuel.

any bets on Button?

[loosecannon]

I know I'm not as knowledgable about these things as some people on here but is it possible that McLarens lack of pace has to do with the test schedule they have chosen? What I mean is maybe with their crazy simulator and the limited amount of testing allowed this season, they put together a very specific test schedule which doesn't include any attempt at great laptimes. Maybe using sector times, tire temps, on board diagnostics and sensors, they can plug the data into their simulator and determine if they are getting the results they want. I am anticipating a very interesting season with some good battles and suprising performance from the former mid-pack teams.

[texasmr2]

I know I'm not as knowledgable about these things as some people on here but is it possible that McLarens lack of pace has to do with the test schedule they have chosen? What I mean is maybe with their crazy simulator and the limited amount of testing allowed this season, they put together a very specific test schedule which doesn't include any attempt at great laptimes. Maybe using sector times, tire temps, on board diagnostics and sensors, they can plug the data into their simulator and determine if they are getting the results they want. I am anticipating a very interesting season with some good battles and suprising performance from the former mid-pack teams.

very good point and as I mentioned before, atleast I think I mentioned it , one should never count out McLaren as being a major contender.

[Gaz]

- Sam Michael: ''If Brawn GP is able to repeat the laptimes, that Button showed on Wednesday morning during his long run, in Melbourne then Button and Barrichello will win the Australian GP one lap ahead of the others.''

When Button set a 1:19.127 the alarm bells rang at the other teams. A Ferrari engineer: ''They're a second faster than we are. That's insane.'' Massa would have set his 1:20.188 on low fuel.

any bets on Button?

Still a week to go bud, and Mclaren will be testing their OZ setup i think we'll see 1:18s and Ferrari will s*** themselfs.

have faith Mclaren for the 2009 WCC

[EwanM]

I'm not so sure about that longbow...

McLaren says new car not fast enough

By Pablo Elizalde Friday, March 13th 2009, 10:11 GMT


McLaren's Martin Whitmarsh has openly admitted the MP4-24 is not as competitive as the team was hoping it would be at this point of the pre-season.

The team has failed to be close to the top of the timesheets in testing, with both Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen failing to make an impression, leading to suggestions that the team had problems with the car.

On Friday, Whitmarsh confirmed that was the case, admitting the team has found a performance shortfall that it is working hard to rectify.

"Initial testing of MP4-24, which first ran with an interim aero package, went in accordance with our early developmental expectations," said Whitmarsh.

"This week the car has run in Barcelona with an updated aero package, as we had always planned it would, and a performance shortfall has been identified that we are now working hard to resolve."

When asked if the car was fast enough at the moment, he added: "Not at the moment - and certainly not by our team's extremely high standards.

"But Lewis is the reigning world champion, and he became world champion in one of our cars.

"So anything less than success at that level is naturally regarded as unsatisfactory by us, by our partners, by the media and by the fans. Having said that, McLaren has started 648 grands prix. We have won 162 of them and have recorded 431 podium finishes.

"We are proud of our record and have faith in our engineers' ability to work hard to get MP4-24 into a position to add to that record. They are already engaged in doing exactly that."

Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug said the problems will need time before they are solved.

"We are definitely not where we want to be. We will continue our test programme next week at Jerez for another four days. But it will take time to improve," Haug said.

Whitmarsh, however, said the team will be working flat out to rectify the situation and he is convinced the problems are fixable.

"It is a combination of factors," said Whitmarsh of the car's problems. "Our Mercedes-Benz engine is strong - we saw that last year - so MP4-24's performance shortfall is clearly chassis-centric.

"Inevitably, in 21st-century Formula 1, it is a car's aero aspect that confers the greatest pluses and minuses to its overall performance package, and that would appear to be the case with MP4-24. But Formula 1 engineers can do great things when the pressure is on.

"Speaking to them today, I was struck by their resolute determination to address MP4-24's issues in record time. In fact, it is that kind of resolute determination, coupled with expertise and experience of ultra-high technology and the ability to work accurately and quickly under pressure, that makes Formula 1 the great sport and the tremendous engineering challenge it is."

He added: "Many times in Formula 1 history have successful teams started off with a car that was not working as well as they had hoped it would, and many times have those successful teams engineered their way back to the front of the grid in impressively short order. That is what we aim to do. In fact, that is what we are already doing."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73695" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Gaz]

bugger

well i'm sure they can turn it around....

[EwanM]

I'm not so sure about that longbow...

"It is a combination of factors," said Whitmarsh of the car's problems. "Our Mercedes-Benz engine is strong - we saw that last year - so MP4-24's performance shortfall is clearly chassis-centric."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73695" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You can say that again, look what its doing for Brawn...
Mind you if Mclaren are having chassis problems... what state is Force India's in?

[EwanM]

So at this point which team has the edge.
Lets rank them?

1. Brawn GP - As much as I am still suspicious...
2. Ferrari
3. BMW
4. Toyota (not much to choose between 2-4)
5. Renault
6. Red Bull
7. Williams
8. Mclaren (probably ahead of the Williams and Red Bull.)
9. Force India
10. Toro Rosso ( due to lack of test)

[bud]

with such a big reg change this was inevitable. I think Brawn will do what McLaren did in 98 and lap the field in Melbourne for a 1-2 barring reliability.
but in that season alone teams eventually understood the rules made changes and that 1 lap gap came down to a title battle. so even after the first race all is not lost this season for everyone else. And i will bet my last dollar that there will be alot of protests about some teams diffusers in Melbourne. Brawn, Toyota and WIlliams will come under fire!

I feel sorry for Honda, they leave the sport when they had a gem in their hands!

[EwanM]

with such a big reg change this was inevitable. I think Brawn will do what McLaren did in 98 and lap the field in Melbourne for a 1-2 barring reliability.
but in that season alone teams eventually understood the rules made changes and that 1 lap gap came down to a title battle. so even after the first race all is not lost this season for everyone else. And i will bet my last dollar that there will be alot of protests about some teams diffusers in Melbourne. Brawn, Toyota and WIlliams will come under fire!

I feel sorry for Honda, they leave the sport when they had a gem in their hands!

Id agree, Hence why I posted the Aus 98 pic on the other thread. I do think it'll be alot closer than that though.
I do feel sorry for Honda, but inevitably they decided to leave instead of sticking it out.