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[Stealthgate007]

when and where is the next test? I could look it up, but I am here so...

[Denthúl]

when and where is the next test? I could look it up, but I am here so...

Jerez next week. Don't know which days, though.

[Hansy]

This one's for suitcase:

Jaime chases the Virgin, but can't quite get to her...

1. Lewis Hamilton McLaren MP4-25 1:19.583 113
2. Adrian sutil Force India VJM03 1:20.180 82
3. Rubens Barrichello Williams FW32 1:20.341 90
4. Robert Kubica Renault R30 1:204.358 85
5. Michael Schumacher Mercedes W01 1:20.613 83
6. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull RB6 1:21.203 89
7. Felipe Massa Ferrari F10 1:21.485 160
8. Pedro de la Rosa Sauber C29 1:22.134 105
9. Lucas di Grassi Virgin VR-01 1:22.912 63
10. Jaime Alguersuari Toro Rosso STR5 1:24.072 98

thanks DD

[vaptin]

James Allen's got his feedback up:

some positive news for the Virgin Racing team, who managed 63 laps and got close to the pace of the established teams. After a difficult week in which they suffered a worrying front wing failure, they bounced back.

McLaren have been doing a lot of aerodynamic measurement this week with a variety of devices to measure things like the wake behind the new narrow front wheels. After last year’s dramas this has given rise to rumours that they are again struggling with the aerodynamics, but this does not appear to be the case as most engineers are agreed the car looks very competitive. Hamilton has once again been the faster of the two McLaren drivers, but it was a better week for Jenson Button who now feels comfortable in the car. Barcelona test in two weeks will give a good idea of where they are relative to each other.

The suspicion doing the rounds is that Mercedes has miscalculated the weight distribution slightly, with the weight too far forward. They are working to solve this with new suspension solutions.

Red Bull continued to work on their car below the radar, not setting any eye catching times. They lost time in the afternoon with a fuel pump failure, a second bout of unreliability this week. Sebastian Vettel nevertheless seemed positive about the new car, “This car is not just a step forward on the ‘numbers’ but also in driveability, ” he said. “The balance is as it was last year, but the grip in the high speed corners is better.”

An interested spectator trackside at the Jerez test was former BAR Honda and Red Bull technical boss Geoff Willis, who delivered a clear verdict on how things stand as he sees them, “Of the new cars the one that has impressed me the most is the McLaren, ” he said. ” It will be the front runner for the title battle along with the Red Bull. Just behind are the Ferrari and the Mercedes.

Ferrari covered a whopping 160 laps today, twice as many as Mercedes. Felipe Massa was again at the wheel. “The car is well balanced,” said Massa. The Ferrari has been very consistent so far in long run testing and has proved very reliable, something Fernando Alonso paid tribute to on Thursday. Between them they covered 449 laps this week. We will learn its outright pace at the final test in Barcelona when they bolt on the definitive Bahrain aerodynamic package.

[NateDawg80126]

For their first day of real testing I think Virgin looks pretty good.

[LifeW12]

For their first day of real testing I think Virgin looks pretty good.

Considering that their car has not had one minute of wind tunnel testing. CFD could be the way to go if their car is successful.

[Scotch F1]

I've been quite impressed with the Virgin today. Here's hoping for a good season for them.

[Big Azza]

The suspense from the Red Bull camp is irking me. They obviously know that their car is good. But I don't. And I won't know until Bahrain!

[Gaz]

An interested spectator trackside at the Jerez test was former BAR Honda and Red Bull technical boss Geoff Willis, who delivered a clear verdict on how things stand as he sees them, “Of the new cars the one that has impressed me the most is the McLaren, ” he said. ” It will be the front runner for the title battle along with the Red Bull. Just behind are the Ferrari and the Mercedes.

Thats intresting considering everyone else is saying

1. Ferrari
2. Mclaren/Merc/Red Bull

[Hexagram]

An interested spectator trackside at the Jerez test was former BAR Honda and Red Bull technical boss Geoff Willis, who delivered a clear verdict on how things stand as he sees them, “Of the new cars the one that has impressed me the most is the McLaren, ” he said. ” It will be the front runner for the title battle along with the Red Bull. Just behind are the Ferrari and the Mercedes.

Thats intresting considering everyone else is saying

1. Ferrari
2. Mclaren/Merc/Red Bull

I think its:

1) Ferrari
2) Mercedes
3) McLaren
4) Red Bull

With Sauber & Renault just behind.

[Gaz]

An interested spectator trackside at the Jerez test was former BAR Honda and Red Bull technical boss Geoff Willis, who delivered a clear verdict on how things stand as he sees them, “Of the new cars the one that has impressed me the most is the McLaren, ” he said. ” It will be the front runner for the title battle along with the Red Bull. Just behind are the Ferrari and the Mercedes.

Thats intresting considering everyone else is saying

1. Ferrari
2. Mclaren/Merc/Red Bull

I think its:

1) Ferrari
2) Mercedes
3) McLaren
4) Red Bull

With Sauber & Renault just behind.

Well i thought it was

Ferrari
Mclaren
Red Bull
Merc

but we'll have to see

[7UpJordan]

Right now I think the order stands like this;

Campos
USF1
Toro Rosso
Non-existant F1 team that may exist someday

[cap-dude]

Well lets not forget that the teams have yet to fit all their definitive aero packages.

The form amongst the teams may not be the same whenever it comes to Bahrain. Also, we can't judge where Red Bull are, because just like last year during testing, they don't tend to set fast times ever.

Times are also circuit dependent. The fastest team at Jerez won't be the fastest team at Bahrain, since different tracks will suit different cars.


I think the general idea is that, Ferrari/Red Bull/McLaren/Mercedes are the 4 teams at the top like everyone presumed.

Followed by Sauber/Renault/Force India/Williams. The new teams will be last obviously, and where Toro Rosso are is a mystery that not many people care about. Of course that could be all wrong, Mercedes may be having real troubles (some think they got the cars weight distribution all wrong), whilst Sauber could be stronger than we think. Who knows, maybe the top 3 from 2008 will be the top 3 once again.

[scotty]

Schumacher has basically said it's too close to call between the 'big 4' and i agree with him - i think the advantage will swing depending on the track. I know cynics may say Sauber are just running light to get sponsors but i'm sure they're not far off either.

I expect other teams to surprise regularly just like last season though! My dark horse tip is Toro Rosso, they had a great base for this year's car and have been able to fine tune it as they see fit rather than just getting Newey's designs, which were tailored to the Renault engine and such.

[texasmr2]

Schumacher has basically said it's too close to call between the 'big 4' and i agree with him - i think the advantage will swing depending on the track. I know cynics may say Sauber are just running light to get sponsors but i'm sure they're not far off either.

I expect other teams to surprise regularly just like last season though! My dark horse tip is Toro Rosso, they had a great base for this year's car and have been able to fine tune it as they see fit rather than just getting Newey's designs, which were tailored to the Renault engine and such.